# Mystery toilet part **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507 "2007-03-11T19:54:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/21 "2007-03-14T18:36:59Z")
A thread that coarse is almost certainly not a fastener of any kind…it would never stay tight. It appears to be the worm part of a worm drive. I can’t think of a single reason why a toilet would have such. Oscillating lawn sprinklers, garage door openers I can see. I’m going with the “somthin’ a fool kid done” theory myself. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/22 "2007-03-14T20:22:39Z")
So no-one can see any reason this would be part of the fill assembly? It will be curious to see what happens when I put the toilet back. ---
**Author:** ![bonitahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@bonitahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonitahi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/23 "2007-03-14T22:54:47Z")
proceed and stuff it ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/24 "2007-03-15T01:41:36Z")
That’s not a part of any toilet I’ve ever serviced. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/25 "2007-03-15T03:35:39Z")
Well, that’s good to know. If it had indeed fallen out of the fill tube, I am sure someone would have recognized it. My wife was dismantling everything in the room prior to painting, and although I cannot imagine it did not come from the toilet, I am begining to think I am wrong. My thoughts were predicated on the fact that it appeared on the plastic on which I placed the toilet and was not seen until after it was moved. If I ever figure out what it is and where it came from I will let everyone know. Should be a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/26 "2007-09-24T00:40:16Z")
Did you ever figure this out? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/27 "2007-09-24T00:52:02Z")
No, I never did figure it out. I reinstalled the toilet without it and it has been working just fine ever since. I guess it was just something perhaps under the toilet left over from construction. I just don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/28 "2007-09-24T02:09:39Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Did you ever figure this out? [/QUOTE] I read that whole thread think I’ve seen that picture before, thinking I’ve seen that picture _here_ before, in this context even. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/29 "2007-09-24T02:10:22Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Did you ever figure this out? [/QUOTE] I read that whole thread thinking I’ve seen that picture before, thinking I’ve seen that picture _here_ before, in this context even. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507/30 "2007-09-24T03:20:05Z")
Joey P I see you had to do a double take on that one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-toilet-part/395507.md?page=1)