Replaced valve stem and seat and leak is worse!

[Smiley]

Tub has had a leak for a week or so. After watching several videos on how to repair, I undertook the repair today. Took out the valve stems and found that as suspected washers were worn out. The cold water valve actually was so corroded that I had to replace it completely, which I did after taking the original part to the hardware store to ensure proper purchase. I replaced the stem and found that the leak persisted. I then took it apart again and replaced the valve seat ( after finding a big gash in the old one). I put everything back together, also replaced the washer on the hot side to be safe. Put the whole thing back together and it still leaks, although now instead of a dribble, I have a steady stream. Am I missing something?!

 

[Terry]

Did you install the new seats with a bit of pipe dope?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

quote;
Did you install the new seats with a bit of pipe dope?

I never do, and that would NOT cause a stream of water. I hope you did not install the stems improperly and destroy the valve body in the wall, but that is what it sounds like. If it was a Price Pfister faucet, that is a common result of a DIY repair.

 

[Bill Owens]

quote;
Did you install the new seats with a bit of pipe dope?

I never do, and that would NOT cause a stream of water. I hope you did not install the stems improperly and destroy the valve body in the wall, but that is what it sounds like. If it was a Price Pfister faucet, that is a common result of a DIY repair.

Tub has had a leak for a week or so. After watching several videos on how to repair, I undertook the repair today. Took out the valve stems and found that as suspected washers were worn out. The cold water valve actually was so corroded that I had to replace it completely, which I did after taking the original part to the hardware store to ensure proper purchase. I replaced the stem and found that the leak persisted. I then took it apart again and replaced the valve seat ( after finding a big gash in the old one). I put everything back together, also replaced the washer on the hot side to be safe. Put the whole thing back together and it still leaks, although now instead of a dribble, I have a steady stream. Am I missing something?!

I just went through a similar experience.
Briefly: a steady trickle of cold water coming from my bathtub faucet (you could hear a wooshing sound in the pipe).
Following the prescribed steps, I attempted to fix it.

Removed the valve stem/cartridge. Guy at hardware store said they looked OK.
Replaced the rubber gasket.
When I replaced it, the trickle became a steady stream - it got worse.
By experimenting with loosening the nut a bit on the cartridge, I got it back to a trickle...so far.

I was going to replace the seat (although on visual inspection, it looked alright), but
HJ's comment has me a little leery.

 

[hj]

quote; HJ's comment has me a little leery.

A customer called one evening with the same problem after her husband tried a DIY tub repair. WHen I explained what had happened and that I would have to cut a hole in the fiberglass shower wall to replace the tub valve in the wall on the other side, then repair the shower, she told her husband, "That's it. I am taking your toolbox away from you".

 

[Reach4]

I was going to replace the seat (although on visual inspection, it looked alright), but
HJ's comment has me a little leery.

HJ was not suggesting that you not replace the seat. He was saying that he would not use pipe dope on the new seat.

 

[hj]

Actually, if what I am describing is what happened, the seat may just be lying loose inside the faucet, along with the membrane it is screwed into.

 

[lynnstargazer]

I have a similar problem as described by the original poster so many years ago...

I had a dripping shower head for months. After researching I determined it would be best to replace the old handle valve diverters and to go ahead and replaced the seat washers. I purchased identical ones with the help of a licensed plumber at the hardware store. I purchased the seat washer tool. I did the repair after watching some tutorials used the lubricant grease on the threads as instructed by the plumber. It all went fairly smoothly other than some corrosion making some steps difficult.

...Now the drip is gone (when the handle is turned completely OFF)...BUT when I turn the handle ON now I have a much larger GUSH/STREAM of water that comes out the handle whereas before the drips only came from the shower head above. I thought perhaps some of my threads may have not caught properly so I uninstalled the whole thing again and tried my best to be sure everything was flush before screwing. There was a weird moment when screwing in the seat washer all 3 times I did it, where it seemed to get tighter then loosened then got tight again and fully tightened. I also was not sure when installing the diverter valve what position to have that in (closed or open) so I opted for closed when putting it in and laso when putting the handle with attaching screw back on.

I'm afraid I may have damaged the body valve or perhaps it was already damaged behind the seat washer. I did have to tap on the seat washer tool with a hammer gently to get it to grip tightly enough to remove the old corroded seat washer...could that have caused damage to the body valve behind the seat washer or to the threads that the seat washer screws into?!?

Before doing this repair we had certainly noticed the shower was temperamental getting the water adjusted to the right temperature and that when any other water is used in the house the shower pressure changes. That leads me to believe we might have already had a problem with this shower's body valves. I would imagine the valves are very old since the house was built in 1978 and has had little to no renovations done in that shower. I had already replaced the shower head and used plumbers tape on the threads up there when putting the new one on (is that correct to do or could that tape have been causing the drip?!).

So it seems like I have to call a plumber? and I should expect them to have to knock out the drywall on the other side of the shower to access and probably replace the whole body valve apparatus attaching to the shower handles. If that's the case could anybody give me a reasonable rate to expect for such a repair. I saw rates between $310 and $600! I live in an expensive city so I assume already I'll pay double what my rural friends would. I have the parts for them to finish the handle repairs so he won't have to supply those. I am fine with them not repairing the drywall since I want to have an access panel there for future repairs anyway.

Or perhaps is there something I'm missing that I could still try??!!

 

[Reach4]

...Now the drip is gone when I turn the handle completely off, BUT when I turn the handle ON now I have a much larger GUSH/STREAM of water that comes out the handle whereas before the drips only came from the shower head above.

Flow from the handle area when the valve is open would be flow around the stem-- because the packing is not good. Packing can be replaced or supplemented with packing cord. How about a photo under the knob, where the stem disappears into some nut(s)?

 

[lynnstargazer]

ok so you surmise the two threads are not sealing properly? It would appear so, but how come after replacing the seat and the diverter with brand new parts this would happen? Those threads inside the body valve that attach to the seat washer would be damaged and corroded by time perhaps?

So I just need some packing cord??

Was really hard to get a picture that was small enough file size to upload...

water definitely spraying out at base of the long stem that sticks out.

Thanks for trying to help!

 

[Reach4]

Whoa. I was not expecting water flowing at nearly that rate. Is that water spewing between the nut in your photo and the stem/shaft?

You will find that .jpg photos are usually smaller than .png photos byte-wise. The max is 800 pixels and 200 KB.

 

[lynnstargazer]

I replaced the whole apparatus with what you see in the new box here. I never removed the stem from the nut. (This is the Hot side) the second pic shows me pointing to about where the water seems to be spraying from.

Could it just be a bad part?!?

Also I figured out the proper way to upload images so quality should be better

 

[lynnstargazer]

oh goodness I feel so foolish! There was the base nut that I was tightening when installing it, but there was a second nut around the base of the stem (from where the water was spraying) that just simply needed to be tightened. First time doing plumbing work so I missed that obvious fix Otherwise I'm so relieved to have saved myself $100's of dollars!

 

[Reach4]

When you screw in seats, those should use tape and/or pipe dope. If that were a problem, then you would get dripping when the valves are off. So no need to re-do that if not dripping.

It may be the packing nut (the nut you are pointing to) was not tightened down. Or could it be that they left the packing out? Do both hot and cold sides squirt, or just one?

Did your shower valve wrench set fit the nuts OK?

 

[Terry]

I'm glad you snugged up the bonnet nuts where the stem passes through. Out of the box those often come very loose, and need to be "adjusted" with a wrench or pliers. Good job with the repair.

 

[PlumbNuts]

I agree with Reach4's assessment, the packing should be tightened or perhaps was never placed inside during manufacturing.

The area that you are pointing to,,, you can see the the two areas that are designed to be held with wrenches; holding back pressure on the innermost fitting try snugging up (do not overtighten) the packing by tightening the outermost fitting.
If this does not resolve it then you may have a defective part.

 

[lynnstargazer]

Thank you everyone you were right on the money with what was wrong and thanks to your tips I figured it out! Resources like this are invaluable to those of us who don't have $100's of dollars to spend on a plumber during these especially difficult times. Thanks for your time and advice.