Source for Kohler legacy bowls?

[markg2]

5 water closets, all Kohler, all ~18 years old and all hard water stained to varying degrees. Past the point of being able to really clean to appear sparkling new.

The house goes on the market in the spring. Current close to matching models either do not exist or do not look remotely similar.

Before starting to look at all vendors/models for adequate appearance replacements, I figured replacing just the bowls was a solution.

Apparently not. Kohler says there are slight differences between models and one tank will not fit on another bowl (no comment at the obvious).

Kohler had no suggestion.

I did a google search. One company no longer in business and the other doesn't sell legacy bowls.

Before throwing in the towel I figured I'd give you guys a shot?

Mark

 

[Mr_David]

Pictures?
Try an acid wash.
CalciSolve or descaler.

 

[markg2]

Do you have firsthand experience with the product for hard water buildup, toilet bowl that requires a pumas stone to remove?

 

[frodo]

pumice stone, i guarantee it will remove stains from toilet bowls and will not harm the finish

it does require effort on your part

 

[markg2]

The pumice stone may not harm the finish short term but on two WC's I can guarantee that the finish has been diminished (or else by 'WC' creatures of some as yet undefined and transparent nature <g>).

 

[frodo]

the only recourse you have is to visit your local plumbers, many keep the fixtures that they remove
you might luck out on a 2nd hand bowl

 

[SHR]

Why not replace the whole toilets with new? New toilets almost all flush better than 18 year old Kohlers. That was not a good time for Kohler performance. Entire new toilets will cost about the same as a "legacy" bowl if you can find one at all...

 

[markg2]

I will try one last product: NYCO PRODUCTS COMPANY GIDDS2-211410 Calci-Solve Mineral Buildup Remover Concentrate, 32 oz

If that product fails, I will then purchase new.

 

[SHR]

You are spending way too much time and effort to try to rejuvenate outdated sub-standard fixtures. Remove and replace with new.

 

[markg2]

As no surprise SHR was correct. I spent the $ and the product was useless.

New fixtures are a certainty. However, there's a huge problem.

If the cause of bowl scale is not resolved, then buying new is throwing money out.

Let me give you facts as they stand:

1. We live in the CO mountains--granite rock--hard water.

2. Since we moved here in '99 we have had a Kinetico water softener.

3. I just tested the water with a Hach kit at two locations, opposite ends of the house. Each test vial required 1 drop for the test sample to go Blue. According to Hach, <1 drop is soft water. The water coming in from the well requires 7 drops to go Blue. The softener is working.

4. Our neighbor has hard water and no softener. They have never had a scale problem. Another friend in the same town the same--no softener, no scale. It seems logical that 'softening' the water does not have anywhere near a 1:1 relationship with scale. Something else is at work causing scale.

5. Years ago I had the Kinetico fellow to the house to check the system. The output was soft. I asked the obvious: 'how can I have soft water yet have scale?' He had no clue.

At a loss!

Mark