We bought a place that has a Kohler "Single Control Kitchen Faucet". It's a "Fairfax" model. Here's a link to the installation guide. Keep in mind we have the unit with the sidespray.

http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatal.../1004617_2.pdf

Here's the actual catalog picture:



Ok, problem: Water frequently just stops coming out of the spout altogether, even when the faucet lever is open full either hot or cold. It's almost as if there is an air lock. I truly think this is related to the sidespray, because if I use the sidespray at all, the water flow does not revert back to the main spout output after I'm done with the sidespray.

Note: this flow cutoff occurs even when the sidespray isn't being used.

It's driving my wife crazy, too, and now she's clamoring for a new sink, faucet, et. al. Being the practical one, I'd like to see if I can be Superman and fix this problem.

Here's a scenario: We go to use the faucet (not the sidespray). The water might come out fine at first, but all of the sudden it will just stop. Sometimes moving the faucet handle to and fro will bring the flow back, but I think that's just coincidence. But almost EVERY time the sidespray is used, the water will not return to the main water spout when the sidespray use is curtailed. It takes a minute or two before water will return to the spout.

There is no sign of leakage anywhere, and the main water valves to the faucet are fully open.

Is this a diverter issue? How might I repair this problem? Tks.

Slikkster

Anyone?

speedball1

Sorry! I've just had surgery and I'm recovering rather slowly. It sounds like you have picked up some trash and it's affecting the dirverter. Page 6 on your instructions tells you how to open up the valve to the cartridge. Unfortunately it does not give us a exploded view so you will have toi shut the water off under the cabinet and and pull the cartridge. Once the cartridge's out remove what's left and check for and clean out any crud that you see in the valve body. Before you reassemble place a pan over the open valve body and turn the water back on for a second or two to flush out the supplies. Let me know what you find. Regards, Tom

Slikkster

Thanks, Tom. I'm at work and won't be able to look into this until later, but here is a Parts page from Kohler (slow to load at times) that has exploded views. Any hints on how to proceed?

http://www.serviceparts.kohler.com/o...prod_num=12172

The "Valve Service Parts" page shows the diverter valve.

(If you click on the link for the various parts pages vs. just hovering, they will open in a separate window full screen.)

speedball1

I can see no other way to address this but to remove everything including the diverter and clean and flush it all out. Good luck, Tom

Slikkster

Ok, here's what I found. First, an annoyance. The hot water valve under the sink never fully shut off all the hot water, no matter how tightly the valve was closed. That limited the amount of time I could spend on the faucet, because without the ability to fully close that valve, there was always some water dribbling through the faucet housing and along the countertop. Argggh!

Now, I did manage to get all the parts off to where I could get to the diverter valve. The diverter looked very clean to me, actually. No gunk or crud around it. Gaskets looked like they were in good shape. Is it possible it's still a failed unit?

However, a larger valve that sits right under the single faucet handle felt quite greasy, and underneath it was calcification. Here's a large view of that valve:

http://www.lockeplumbing.com/detail....48&r1=&r2=&r3=

This valve is what directs hot/cold/mix to the spout. Could this valve be my problem?

None of the water inlet ports were blocked on the metal housing that the valve rests in, however, and when I turned the water on full to flush out those ports, there was no obstruction (I'm talking again about the metal portion of the faucet housing, not the valve itself).

Unfortunately, as mentioned, I didn't have a lot of time to mess with this larger valve because I couldn't get the water fully shut off under the sink.

Anyway, when I put everything back together after a flush, the only time the water didn't come out of the spout was when I used the sprayer. To be clear, I would use the sprayer, but when I released the sprayer handle, all water flow stopped. No more water from the sprayer, and none from the spout. Prior to my disassembly, the water would start to come out of the spout and then trail off or abruptly stop, even if I hadn't used the sprayer.

One note about the diverter valve: Because I couldn't fully close off the hot water valve under the sink, there was always some hot water coming into the faucet assembly. Water was leaking out of the diverter valve hole, even with the valve in position. Fortunately, there was no leaking when I reassembled the faucet assembly en toto. Is that normal, though?

So, I guess some small measure of success, but hardly enough to please the wife. Any thoughts on where to go next, Tom?

speedball1

That "valve" is the cartridge and if you can't clean the buildup off it I would replace it. Since you are having a problem shutting off the hot water angle stop why not shut it off at the water heater. Good luck, Tom

Slikkster

I live in an apartment building, so there is no water heater, per se, to cut the water flow off at. And I don't see a master set of water valves in my apartment.

Anyway, the latest update is this: The flow through the spout is definitely stronger and stays on now on both hot and cold. No abrupt stoppages UNLESS the sprayer is activated. My wife says she never wants to use the sprayer, anyway, and now says she's happy the spout flow is consistent and strong. (I did backflush the aerator while I was doing maintenance on the faucet).

Of course, I'm positive the sprayer (w/diverter) was probably the main culprit in this problem, so I don't see this as *fixed*. I hate to leave something not totally repaired, but there is the "wife is happy" factor. Decisions, decisions. Thanks for the help.

Bryan Jacob

For what it's worth, I have this EXACT same faucet and am experiencing this EXACT same problem. I have ordered a replacement diverter valve. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Slikkster

Ok, Bryan. Please report back on how replacing the diverter valve worked out.

My only update here is that ever since I took the assembly apart and cleaned the "cartridge" while flushing water through the metal assembly (and backflushed the aerator), I get steady water out of the faucet all the time. That is, UNLESS I use the sidespray. If I use the spray, the water shuts off completely when I release the spray handle. But the intermittent problem of water turning off even when the spray wasn't used has been remedied.

I have not, as yet, replaced the diverter valve.