I took off the old tub spout and am replacing it with a new one... just a simple universal one that has a diverter. Thought that this would be an easy task, but the pipe stub isn't square with the wall, so when the spout is installed, there is about a 1/4" gap on the top between the wall and the spout. I think that the gap is too big to caulk and would actually prefer not to have such a large gap anyways. There is only about an 1/8" gap between the pipe stub and the tile so there isn't much room to work with the pipe. Other than tearing out the tile and redoing the pipework, does anybody have an easier solution?

First check for a removeable access panel behind the diverter. Sometimes it's placed in a closet..

Is your new spout a slide on spout or a screw on? Is the pipe coming out of the wall galvanized steel or copper?

The new spout is a screw-on. The pipe sticking out of the wall is copper. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Are you saying that the pipe sticking straight out of the wall is copper but it is threaded at the end?

There are no threads at the end of the pipe sticking out of the wall. The spout kit came with a plastic thing that slips onto the pipe and then the spout is screwed onto the plastic thing. So maybe it's not a screw-on spout? Also, there is no access panel to the pipework. Thanks.

Could you upload a photo of the stub-out?

Not that I like this idea, it's possible. Get a small piece of acrylic or lexan that you could cut and sand uneven to make the spout caulkable.

First sand a piece of plastic at the appropriate angle. Delrin might work nicely. Source: Industrial Supplies (http://www.smallparts.com).
Cut with a hole saw using soap and water as a lubercant, a little smaller that the spout.
Enlarge the center hole.

Install with plumbers putty and caulk the seams.

It would save tearing out the wall. I'm suggesting sanding while the piece is large and your able to hold it.

DIY, I have only installed one spout like you have descrided, it was designed for mobile home use, is that your appliaction? I guess just because I have not seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Most spouts are threaded for installation on a threaded galvanized pipe. Others are designed to slip over a copper tube and are set by a O ring and a set screw. Maybe I need to get to the store more often.

No, the spout isn't a motor/mobile home application. Sounds more like the latter kind. It has a plastic thing that you slip on and then you slip on an O-ring between plastic thingie and pipe. Then you screw another plastic pipe-looking thingie onto the first plastic thing which gets clamped down by a screw on top that goes through a metal ring and both plastic things to the pipe. And finally the spout gets screwed onto plastic pipe-looking thingie.

I don't have the ability to take a picture of the pipe, but it really isn't that hard to visualize. Ceramic tile wall with a hole in it and the smooth (no visible threads) copper pipe sticking out (downward because it's not square) about 2-3 inches.

Maybe what I need to do is just bite the bullet and tear off a few of the tiles and remove the copper stub and solder on a new one that is more level and square with the wall. :-P

Is this not flat up and down or is the gap off on one side? Just wondering since that pipe should go back to an elbow that almost has to be straight up and down. Before you tear off any tiles try this. Shut off all supply lines and open a faucet to blow off pressure. Install you plastic pieces and the spout but cause them to be about 1" too far out into the room. Try lifting with both hands on the spout, the copper may flex, hopefully without cracking the sweat connection insoide the wall. Turn your water back on and test the connection, if it leaks you may not hear/see it immediately so be cautious. This is a kind of last resort approach and certainly not what Speedball or Iamgrowler would do.

Yeah, when I install the spout it's not flush with the wall... there's a big gap on the top and then it tapers inward on the side and touches the wall on the bottom. It is obvious that the pipe leans downward. I tried pulling up on the pipe, but it doesn't want to budge, and of course, I don't want to damage the integrity of the pipe either.

Making the spout more caulkable is an interesting idea... I was thinking about doing something like that, but wasn't sure about the aesthetics or the sealability.

The shower isn't the living room, but I know what you mean. I like things to look nice. You might see for 15 min/day and your guests might see it too.

You can effectively seal twice. Seal the pipe gap to the wall. That's the one that matters.

The other "seal" is an aesthetic one s well as a mechanical one. You don't want the spout to wiggle. If you don't like the result, you can go to "Plan B", remove tiles etc.

The old one must have looked OK.

You can also look at other spouts and/or stuff around the hardware store and see if there is something that you can use with minimal effort.