dripping shower, fix didn't work

[TimR]

I have had a steady drip from the shower. At first turning it off harder s topped it, then that stopped working.

So, I took it apart. It's a two faucet shower, unknown brand. The washer on the end was chewed up, and the seat had a nick in it.

I'd have replaced the whole assembly, but nobody in town had one. So I rep laced the seat and the washer, new packing, etc.

Turned the water back on, and it still dripped at the same rate. I took it apart again and swapped out the cone washer for a flat washer from a rebui ld kit, but it made no difference at all. It still drips. Aside from the drip everything works fine. The water turns on and (mostly) off smoothly, no leaks, etc.

I'm not sure what to try next. There isn't easy access to replace more par ts, but really the stem repairs should have done something.

[David L. Martel]

TimR,

By two faucet I presume you mean two valve. You found a worn out faucet washer and a damaged valve seat. You also replaced the packing. What work did you do on the other valve? If you turn off the water to the valves does the faucet still drip? Is it the shower head or the tub spout which drips? Do you have a valve which switches the flow from spout to head?

Dave M.

[Bill]

Itmay be comparing apples or oranges, but on my *sink*the rubber parts that I replace to fix a drip are UNDER the stem. Sorry, I know no more.

[recyclebinned]

stopped it, then that stopped working.

r on the end was chewed up, and the seat had a nick in it.

eplaced the seat and the washer, new packing, etc.

it apart again and swapped out the cone washer for a flat washer from a reb uild kit, but it made no difference at all. It still drips. Aside from th e drip everything works fine. The water turns on and (mostly) off smoothly , no leaks, etc.

arts, but really the stem repairs should have done something.

Same questions as David L. Martel plus:

Did you put Teflon tape around the threads of the seat that you replaced? Could your stem be bent that it doesn?t compress the washer evenly agains t the seat?

[TimR]

It's a two faucet shower, and I only worked on one side. That may have bee n a mistake. However, there was a reason. The cold water side seemed to b e the one causing the drip, because for a while turning it off harder stopp ed it. That seemed confirmed when I took it apart and saw a damaged washer and damaged seat. It also seemed confirmed when I left the house water tu rned on, but turned the hot water supply off at the tank, and the drip did not change. (I don't have a whole house shutoff, I have to use the curb st op, but there is a shutoff on the hot water tank.)

I did not use teflon on the seat, and perhaps that was a mistake. Do you t hink it could leak around the seat enough to drip? It was very hard to get the seat started without crossthreading, and I didn't tape it being pretty sure the tape would come off in the process. It's tricky to get that seat way inside the valve body.

If that is in fact the problem, then it means that the old problem (bad was her and seat) is fixed and a new problem (leaking around the seat) cause ex actly the same symptoms.

[David L. Martel]

TimR,

Take apart both valves. Compare the parts. Someone may have used the wrong parts in the valve that you repaired. Maybe try a flat washer if the stem is long enough. I'd rebuild the cold valve, new washer and packing.

Dave M.

[TimR]

Thanks. We're thinking along the same lines. There are several parts now different from the original. I changed the seat, which was dinged up, but they could not match it exactly. I also changed the washer, and the cup th at held the washer was split, so I ground it down and added a replacement c up. Too many variables at once.

Today I took the old seat to the fourth plumbing supply in town, they can't match it. I'll have to drive up to the next big city.

Meanwhile, I removed the cup and went back to just the cone washer. When I turned the water back on, no drip. Temporarily. But once the shower was turned on, turning it off left with a drip. Arggh. But that suggests it m ay actually be the seat/washer interface rather than something I'm missing.

So, one last try. In very good light I found the markings on the old flat washer and matched it exactly. Right now the shower is not dripping - but I've been there before. I'm just going to delay testing it until someone r eally really needs to shower. Hee, hee.

The last variable is the replacement seat. I do intend to get the exact re placement as soon as possible. But, I'm very wary of crossthreading that o ne. It is deep inside the valve body and very hard to line up, and if I do crossthread it I think I'm screwed.

[TimR]

t washer and matched it exactly. Right now the shower is not dripping - bu t I've been there before. I'm just going to delay testing it until someone really really needs to shower. Hee, hee.

New data. After about an hour of not dripping, it started dripping again a t about the same rate.

I have no theory at all.

[Stormin Mormon]

Demon posessed? Call a priest?

. Christ>

[Vic Smith]

New washers on good seats always work IME. Never replaced a seat common faucet seat because none went bad. Ground many seats on Navy valves though. Only thing I can figure is what somebody else said - dope the seat threads. I wouldn't use tape. Dope. Also make sure the new seat is identical to the old, and the depth is the same after putting it in. As you've found out, sometimes it's better to replace old stuff than try to repair it. So if doping the seat threads didn't work, I'd go with a new faucet.

[David L. Martel]

TimR,

When you replaced the seat did you get a washer to match the new seat? Buy an assortment of washers and methodically try each type and size, maybe. Maybe put a metal washer as a shim between the stem and the faucet washer. As you can tell, I'm lost here. All I mcan think of is a bent stem, which probably means replacing the valves.

Dave M.

[Nate Nagel]

I'm assuming that he's trying to avoid ripping out the wall to replace the valve assy...

OP, can you determine if it is the H or C valve that is leaking, and have you tried swapping the stems for the H and C valves to see if the leak follows the stem? that's my only thought that seems plausible at the moment.

[TimR]

That is brilliant! And obvious, but that didn't make me think of it.

The cold is dripping, the hot is not. Since the handles are corroded on and extremely hard to get off, I only worked on the cold. Now you've given me another direction to go.

[N8N]

Well, if you are worried about breaking something you could just go buy a new stem... will cost you a few bucks if itdoesn't work though.

[hrhofmann]

stopped it, then that stopped working. So, I took it apart. It's a two fauc et shower, unknown brand. The washer on the end was chewed up, and the seat had a nick in it. I'd have replaced the whole assembly, but nobody in town had one. So I replaced the seat and the washer, new packing, etc. Turned t he water back on, and it still dripped at the same rate. I took it apart ag ain and swapped out the cone washer for a flat washer from a rebuild kit, b ut it made no difference at all. It still drips. Aside from the drip everyt hing works fine. The water turns on and (mostly) off smoothly, no leaks, et c. I'm not sure what to try next. There isn't easy access to replace more p arts, but really the stem repairs should have done something.

How do you know the cold is ths cu;prit. If it is a slow drip, the hot wat er may have cooled off by the time the water reaches the spout, assuming th at is where thedrip is noticed.

[TimR]

I don't have a house shutoff, so I have to kill the water at the curb.

But I do have a valve on the output of the hot water tank.

1. Shutting off the hot water does not affect the drip.
2. When the drip first started, turning the cold water off extra hard stopped it.
3. Since I worked on the cold water faucet, the drip is much much worse.

So I don't really know it's the cold water, but the evidence seems reasonable.

[chaniarts]

i would replace both. i've had it seem like a leak is in one, but really the other.

[Vic Smith]

Unless you isolate the hot water from the leaking faucet, this can be deceptive, because the tank output valve could be leaking through. But if you opened another hot water valve to relieve the pressure after the tank output, it'a good test. Since the leak worsened after you replaced the seat and washer, something's probably wrong with the new seat. The size, or your installation. Unless you somehow put major force on the stem with it outside of the valve - like hammering it to bend it purposely - it's not bent. Likewise, forget about the stem packing. When a typical water valve is closed, the water doesn't reach the packing. Either figure out the seat problem, or get a new valve. Let us know if you get the valve to seal - or don't.

[Dicky]

When reassembly the stem with a new washer into its housing make sure the valve is fully opened so that the stem seats properly before you close the valve.

Well, if you are worried about breaking something you could just go buy a new stem... will cost you a few bucks if itdoesn't work though.