bathtub won't fill

[John Keith]

Almost always we only shower in the bathtub but today I needed to fill the tub with water. The stopper would not keep water in the tub. I found a old posting from this group in 1999 and it had the following suggestions:

- remove and clean the plug

- lengthen the rod

- remove the drain screen and remove hair

I have done all three. The plug was actually fairly clean. I also ran a small sink snake down the drain (through the trip lever opening) and removed only a very small amount of hair and then I tried a brush designed for cleaning sink drains, again with very little crude retrieved. (Both the snake and the brush were smaller diameter than the pipe so I might not be getting a good cleaning action.)

What else should I try?

If the brass plug is not attached to the trip lever is there a danger of having it fall down the drain such that it can't be removed? I'm assuming there is an "optimum" depth the plug should be at and if lower than that point it will not properly work.

When the stores are open tomorrow I guess I need to go in and see exactly what the plumbing looks like behind the tub so I determine what I'm dealing with but duggestions would certainly be very welcome right now!

John Keith [e-mail]

[Speedy Jim]

exploded view.

No, the brass stopper can't "fall in".

Hang the stopper from a long coat hanger/hook. Grease the stopper with vaseline or crisco. Lower it in place till you feel the weight taken off the hanger. Run water and see if it holds. Measure the length needed if that works.

Jim

[James]

Usually if a bathtub will not fill (see Subject heading) it has nothing to do with the drain.

--James--

[Oren]

Of course it does. Subject line did not exclude a water supply.

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

[James]

Nope, impossible. If a bathtub won't fill, there has to be something wrong with the supply water. The hot and cold taps.

NOT THE DRAIN !! THAT IS WHERE THE WATER GOES OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--James--

Of course it does. Subject line did not exclude a water supply.

[John Keith]

Thank you Jim.

That is exactly what I finally did. For unknown reasons the plug was not going into the "T" fitting. The coat hanger allowed me to adjust the insertion depth easer than with the trip lever mechanism and I did find the depth that stopped the exit of the water form the drain. I then reattached the plug to the trip lever mechanism, took about three adjustments to get the depth correct and all seems well right now.

John Keith [e-mail]