Shower Diverter Stem Stuck

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Jibu

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My shower Diverter is not diverting all of the water to the shower. It is a 3-knob Diverter. I got down to the stem (picture attached), but I have been trying without luck to get the stem out. I tried a pipe wrench and a valve socket wrench. The stem won't turn at all and now it's just starting to wear down the stem. I also tried spraying PB blaster. Any idea on what I may be doing wrong?
 

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Terry

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You may need to tap out more tile to get to the eight sided portion of the stem that the socket will fit over.
Shine a light in there and see what is back there.
 

FullySprinklered

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That pack nut is looking pretty good there. Reminds me of a consult I had with my proctologist after my divorce.

Yeah, Terry's spot on; you need to get a grip on the stem with the right tool, and back it out of there. The tile people aren't plumbing people, so you may have to enlarge the hole a bit to allow the socket to go in there and grab the stem so that it can be removed. Chip the tile away carefully with a hammer and your least favorite screwdriver in small increments until the socket fits down in the wall. When you get the right socket on the right spot, try to unscrew it CCW. When it becomes abundantly clear that you're about to round it off, stop and try it the other way, as absurd as it may seem. Then try it CCW again.

I hate to revisit this, but last time I had a problem removing a stem, I had to go purchase a 15/16 deep well socket, saw off the stem so the socket wouldn't bottom out, and take my 18" 1/2" breaker bar out of my van that I use for my lug wrench. Worked like magic.

Getting in a hurry pretty much guarantees failure.
 

Jibu

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Thanks for your quick responses. I tapped out some more tile, but it just looks like a circular shape inside. I've attached a photo.
 

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Jibu

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Hope you have a closet on the other side of the wall.
It's a bedroom wall on the other side. The closet (and access panel) is actually on the other side of the tub side wall, although the access panel only really provides access to the drain. What do you think I will need to do?

By the way, if I have a plumber come to do this, what would be a reasonable estimate, at this point?

Thank you.
 

Smooky

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Could it be reverse thread and you are turning it the wrong way?
Do you know what the faucet brand is?
 

hj

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One mistake you made was removing the packing nut. That would have kept the "sleeve" from distorting when you put the wrench on it. I am not sure where it comes apart because we cannot see all the way into the wall, but IF that sleeve is the point, then it has to unscrew. There are NO "left hand threads" except for some cold water stems and they have absolutely NOTHING to do with taking the faucet apart.
 
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