How to identify correct stem replacement?

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Dianav

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My landlord, bless her heart, hired a person to fix my leaky faucet. It is a three handle faucet with diverter. The seat was a royal pain to find. It happens to be crane 9/16-18. Only one place I could find it. Well when I brought in the old one I brought the stem with me that I took out of the wall. The man at the counter said this stem does not go with this seat...me being puzzled asked well which stem goes with this seat. Seems relatively simple question but I guess not and since I don’t have an original I am wondering how on earth I figure out the right one.
 

Reach4

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I am not a plumber. The guy at the counter may have been wrong. The only think I can think of as to why he would have said that is that the diameters were way different. But if the old seat matches the new, and it is the same stem, I think you will need to go with what you have.

The thing that comes into contact with the seat is the washer. Those come primarily in flat and beveled. If you have a choice or are not sure, choose beveled. The washer is held in with a screw. So I would replace the washer. Replace the seat. I would use some pipe compound, such as Rectorseal #5, on the seat thread. Let us know if this fixes the leak.

If the old stem turns hard, you might look to lubricate it with silicone grease.

If there is leaking from the stem, there is something called packing. That can be added to with the white or black packing made for the purpose. I like the white PTFE myself, but others prefer the other.
 
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Asktom

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What you need to do is identify the stem, that will let you find the right seat. It is possible the last person that worked on the faucet put in the wrong seat, or a different one with the same thread and height.
 

Dianav

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What you need to do is identify the stem, that will let you find the right seat. It is possible the last person that worked on the faucet put in the wrong seat, or a different one with the same thread and height.
I have the seat right. I am wondering if I can use maybe different stems as long as it’s in fact price pfister And if The threads match etc. the other major problem this is causing is the fact that the wall opposite the shower valve body which is my dining room wall is evidently becoming soaked with water. Can a simple stem leak etc cause this kind of damage. I obviously need to replace the drywall, do I need to use the specific kind for being near plumbing?
 

hj

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SOME seats are interchangeable, to a degree. Stems are seldom so. I would have to see the seat AND the stem, because Pfister basically used a single seat for its tub/shower faucets.
 
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