Eric, do you mind telling me where you ordered your toilet from. Lyban, two local Toto dealers I talked with about a month ago said these "II" models were so new that they didn't know how quickly they'd come in, but based on past experience, they expected it could take 4 to 5 weeks. I thought that pressed my timing, so I looked online. (I also called Toto, which confirmed to me that the toilets were definitely in stock and had started shipping in February). The best price I got was from Ira Woods; I had ordered from them before when doing my kitchen and had a perfect experience, and they always seem to be recommended by folks on the kitchen forum. Their price was best if my total order would be $750, which would get me free shipping on the toilet; I was going to order my drawer pulls from them anyway (and eventually did), so I was over that limit. When I called them to ask about availability, they called Toto and estimated three weeks. I ended up ordering it from HM Wallace (they do business online as PerformanceToilets.com) because they promised they get a weekly truckload from Toto and would therefore get the toilet within a week and UPS it to me (free) for delivery within 10 days. Their price was about $40 higher, but since they seemed like they'd get it to me fastest, I ordered from them. Well, it turned out that my toilet "missed the truck" from Toto for two weeks, and ended up taking about three weeks to arrive anyway -- so I spent a little extra compared to Ira Woods for nothing. Oh well. I will say the customer service people at HM Wallace were nice to deal with. The toilet finally arrived Friday, and will be installed this week as soon as the wall tiling is complete and grouted. If we're happy with it, I'll be ordering another for our second bathroom project, which will start as soon as this one is complete. And I'll order from Ira Woods. One last note: when I was price shopping last month, many of the online sites didn't have all the new Toto models on their web sites, but they were all able to get me pricing when I called them. So if you don't see the model you want on a particular web site, it pays to call them. And make sure you check the shipping policies -- method and cost. (Reads the fine print: some web sites which prominently display free shipping on orders over $99 or $199 say that doesn't apply to oversized items, like a toilet. But they may offer free shipping for hitting a higher cost threshold.) I was surprised something as heavy as a 115 pound one-piece toilet could be shipped UPS, but it's standard with some of the companies. Others ship toilets via a freight line. That might make a difference if you or your contractor aren't home all day waiting for a shipment. Some ship all toilets for free; others have a pretty high cost threshold for free shipping. (If you can order your faucets or shower fixtures from the same company, it'll help you get free shipping on everything.) -- Eric

Look on the inside of your tank. You will find a water level index line either painted on or embossed in the porcelan on the inside of the tank wall. Make sure the water level in the tank is up to the water level index line. If not, adjust the float on the fill valve. Next, you will see a small tube from the fill valve that is connected to the top of the standpipe. Make sure that line is installed correctly so that all the water discharging from the line goes down the standpipe.

Judging from your description that is an older 3.5gal/flush toilet. Try an experiment. Instead of flushing in the normal manner put 3.5gal of water in a bucket and pour it directly in the bowl and see if it flushes normally? If it flushes normally when you pour water directly in the bowl both the vent and drain lines are ok. The problem most likely is that the water from the tank is entering the bowl too slowly, which is a very common problem as the bowls age. Under the rim of the bowl there is a row of small holes where the water from the tank enters the bowl. As the bowl ages those holes become partially obstructed from mineral buildup or waste material from the bowl. You can don a pair of latex gloves, then take a small diameter drill bit, just slightly smaller than the holes and go around opening those holes so the water can flow out quicker and that should resolve the problem.

Welcome to the world of water conserving 1.6 GPM flush toilets. What you describe is your dissapointment in the water surface (Wet drop zone). Without much water in the bowl or a pressure assisted flush it can be difficult to keep clean. Unless it has always been a problem where the bowl is evacuated, usually due to venting issues. You can check this by holding float down and letting the fill tube fill the bowl slowly which will settle at your seal hieght. Today when buying a new toilet, one must shop the water surface area besides, looks, rough-in, color, handle style, base, trap, and many other items.