head spits back

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richard

Peggy: In your book, and elswhere, I believe you suggest to continue pumping a manual toilet for some period of strokes even after the bowl is dry to move the material further down the line. I have a Groco HF in a 1985 O'Day 31. The pump works fine evacuating the bowl, but after the bowl is "dry", if I continue pumping with any verve at all, an ounce or two of liquid has a tendancy to spit back up out of the bowl. This can be very unpleasant, as I'm sure you can imagine. If I pump gently, this doesn't occur but I then get the feeling nothing is happening and I'm wasting my time. I have lubricated w/ superlube and changed out the joker valve but this has been the extent of my maintenance on the head since I bought the boat a year ago. Would a complete rebuild fix the spitback problem? Or, should I just live with it and not pump so hard after the bowl is dry. Other than that, the toilet seems to work fine. Thanks for your comments.
 
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress

Could be a couple of things...or nothing

Any restriction in the line--for instance, sea water mineral buildup, or even a slightly blocked tank vent creating backpressure--could cause the toilet to "burp." Otoh, Groco toilets can be temperamental...it's not at all unusual for one to spit in your eye--though they usually spit flush water, not waste--if the piston o-ring is much more than a year old. Or you may not have ANY problem...you're just pushing waste harder than it has room to flow through the line--especially if there are any loops or 90s between the head and the tank. So I'd do several things: 1. replace the piston o-ring, or better yet rebuild the toilet if it hasn't been done in at least 5 years. Depending on the age of the toilet, the model may be HE or even HC (the current version is HF)...so you need to talk to Groco before buying the kit or any other parts. 2. Pump a bit more gently...slow and deliberate pumping is much more efficient than fast hard pumping...pumping harder only wears out your arm, it doesn't help waste move any further. 3. Check your head discharge hose for mineral buildup in it. Whether you have any or not, start putting a cupful of white vinegar down the toilet once a week. Pump it ALL the way through, don't leave it standing in the bowl.
 
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Vic Willman

Spitting head

Brings to mind the old Henny Youngman line, a guy goes to a doctor, says, "Doctor, it hurts when I go like this. (Rotates his shoulder) What should I do? Doctor says, "Don't go like that!" If you follow Peggie's other advice, and you don't pump the head quite as hard, you should see good results.
 
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