Stuck Moen Posi-Temp shower cartridge components

[Mark Ezrin]

Hi,

I'm not even sure what to title this. I've got an old Moen shower head (moved in 2001) that leaks. I'm sure it is the cartridge. When I take apart the handle (single handle unit), i get to a few parts that prevent me from getting to the cartridge. Please see the attached pictures. How do I pull out these components so I can get the cartridge out? I've tried twisting and turning with no luck. I'm sure it is obvious but I can't figure it out.

The front component is a metal and right behind it is a white plastic piece.

Thanks.

 

[hj]

It looks like you have removed the screw from the metal piece. Now you have to pull it off, and after that long a time it may be corroded to the extent that you will either have to pull it very hard or cut it off. Removing that piece may be the easy part. Removing the core, after you extract the clip, may be MAJOR task by itself, although you might be lucky and it will slide right out, (like it is supposed to, but seldom does).

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I can easily put the screw back into the unit. Does that change anything? With the screw in place, how do I remove that component? There are literally no videos or instructions that show this unit and that component. Moen is of zero help. One person I came across thought the metal piece is threaded on and I need to just keep unthreading it.

Any ideas?

Can you clarify about that screw? And the plastic behind the metal piece?

Thanks.

 

[Terry]

A handle puller may help with that.

For the cartridge.

 

[hj]

You have to remove the screw so you can pull the metal piece off the stem.

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Hi Terry. Thanks for the reply.

Is the handle puller a tool to get off that metal piece? Using your picture as a point of reference, that metal piece sits before the plastic white piece that your picture shows. See my picture I just attached.

Does that metal piece need to have the screw removed to pull it out? Does it come straight out? I just can't find any documentation.

When I spoke to Danco, the tech was insistent that the metal piece rotated counterclockwise and screwed off. However, when I looked at it, I could see it won't rotate past the white piece because the metal has a small extension that hits it and blocks it from going further.

 

[Terry]

Screw 94791 holds on the Adapter Kit. That must be removed first.
The Temperature Limit and the top ridge prevent the handle from spinning. If you were to remove those, then you could spin it forever and it would never come off. It just spins.
The Adapter Kit pulls off from the cartridge and then you will be able to remove the temperature Limit, the Stop Tube and then remove the Retainer Clip and the Cartridge.

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Hi Terry,
As you can see from my pictures in the original and follow up post, I've removed the handle and the screw that goes into the metal adapter. Just to be clear, the metal adapter is what attached to the handle and when it rotates, it turns on the water. Mine looks a little different from your picture.

I've used some force and can't get the metal adapter to come free. I've sprayed a lime/calcium remover and poured on white vinegar. I still can't easily get the metal adapter free. Does it just literally pull forward from the temperature limit? How much force is too much force? I'm afraid of breaking something.

Thanks.

 

[Terry]

Yours is the old metal adapter. The new ones are plastic. They pull off. If you can't, it will need to be cut or drilled off.

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Ugh. Is there anything special in how I pull or spray it?

I assume it is supposed to come straight out once the screw is removed and you pull it?

I'll get the puller tool you mentioned above. Does it wedge in between the plastic temperature limit ring and the metal adapter or after the temperature limit?

Thank you for your patience.

 

[Terry]

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Hi Terry,

I got my parts from Moen, and after lots of elbow grease, I changed the cartridge. Moen sent me all new parts and installed the new stop tube, temperature limit and adapter.

When I turned the shower back on, I still have a very minor drop coming from the shower head. :-(

If I put some pressure on the adapter, the drip seems to stop. I'm at a loss on what I might have done wrong or what the issue still is lurking in there.

Moen had me put a small amount of grease on the cartridge ovals. When I put the cartridge in, the black rubber sides (the ovals) started to come off the cartridge. I put them back in place and continued to install the cartridge. Much more slowly and it fit and looked like the ovals were in place.

When I play with the on/off adapter plate and turn it a little counterclockwise, the drip lessens a lot.

Any other ideas on the issue here?

Thanks for all your time and attention.

 

[Terry]

Is the cartridge in all the way with the retainer clip in place? Perhaps there is a scratch or rough surface inside the barrel of the valve body.

 

[Mark Ezrin]

Yes, I was able to get the cartridge all the way in a full engage the retainer clip. Prior to replacing the new cartridge, I did take my finger, paper towels and toothbrush and clean out the copper area where the cartridge goes. It felt fine to the touch. Is that the valve body you're referring to? What is odd to me is the calibration - the on/off adapter needs to be turned a little to further minimize (but still doesn't stop) the drip.

 

[Mark Ezrin]

I never closed this out and I'm not sure where I close this out.

The repair is done.

I recleaned the area where the cartridge goes into the pipe/barrel. I installed a 2nd new cartridge I received from Moen. Not sure if the 1st cartridge was bad, the issue was my cleaning (although I felt and saw nothing) or just messing up the installation w/the off/on. The interesting thing is the HC is on the bottom. All I know is I've got hot/cold water and no drip.

Thank you again for your feedback and patience.