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armcomdes · Mar 5, 2007, 08:07 PM

I have a circa 1965 AS Heritage in the wall 3-handle tub/shower fixture. I believe it's a Hertitage Model "N 1012" or N 1020". The diverter works spoaratically - the water flows to the shower, but then abruptly stops. With the diverter arrow pointing down for the tub water flows just fine. The diverter knob to the shower only points to 10 o'clock. That's as far as it'll turn.

I've removed the shower head. I've removed all the diverter chrome parts. I removed the outer collar and large retaining nut. Flooded the stem with white vinegar to remove the calcium crud. I can't, for the life of me, pull the stem out to fix/replace the part. Since I don't have proper instructions, I don't want to just yank it out, and it doesn't seem to screw out.

Please help me to remove the diverter stem.

doug238 · Mar 5, 2007, 08:25 PM

Kissler & Co., Inc. go here and look at the handles then come back and say for sure which faucet you have. Most stems are tiled in. the hot and cold get repaired but the diverter never gets attention. It could still be tiled in.

armcomdes · Mar 6, 2007, 04:45 AM

I checked the Kissler catalog and didn't find the handle style. I believe the model is Heritage and Monogram Trim – Aquaseal (Standard or American Standard).

See: http://www.geocities.com/armcomdes/i...es/Handles.jpg

Does this help?

doug238 · Mar 6, 2007, 06:51 PM

Aqua seal is a nice faucet. Have you used wrenches to loosen the main nut on the diverter, not the bonnet nut. Is the tile close or tight around the diverter stem? Then large washer on most diverters can swell or get distorted and you just got to pull firmly until it comes out. Make sure that no pieces are left inside.

armcomdes · Mar 10, 2007, 06:44 PM

Thanks. To get the stem out, I tapped the stem sleeve lightly inward with a piece of copper tubing. The I locked Vise Grips on the stem. I grabbed the Vise Grips adjustment nut with a pliers and hammered the pliers outward until the stem came out. Actually it was very easy.

doug238 · Mar 10, 2007, 10:09 PM

Good job. Did you lubricate the new stem? What did you lubricate it with?

armcomdes · Mar 12, 2007, 08:13 AM

Good question. Before I reassemled the fixture, I cleaned the cavity with white vinegar (someone told me Coke or Pepsi works just as well if not better). Then I reassembled everything only to find that everything was so tight I could barely turn the knob. So I undid the assembly and lubricated everything with plumber's valve and faucet grease. It's still pretty tight. I thought I'd give it a few weeks and go back and regrease. I was also told to use a fine plumber's sandpaper to smooth down the stem, but we'll see in a few weeks.

doug238 · Mar 13, 2007, 08:55 PM

All of the newer stems these days have a rubber washer instead of graphite under the bonnet nut now. You have almost garranteed to buy a new stem. You can not use any petroleum based lubricant on rubber. It causes rubber to swell. You must use a non petroleum lubricant or silicone grease.

guyinsb · Jan 20, 2012, 06:35 PM

The comments in this thread have helped. I was able to remove the diverter stem, but only after much trepidation.
I bit of waster water from the tub spout during showers is a minor issue; wrecking the shower body means replacing it,
Plus installing new tile ($1000?). At any rate, I found a safe way to remove the diverter stem (the obstacle is the tight fitting
Barrel). I guess others have been able to just yank it out by re-attaching the handle after removing the main locking sleeve
And bonnet. My technique was to use screw leverage. I removed the handle and escutcheon, then loosened the main locking sleeve about 3 full turns
(but you must leave the main locking sleeve well within its threads).
Then I slipped the locking sleeve and bonnet from one of the faucet stems over the diverter stem; then inserted a screw with big washers
In the end of the stem. Now you can just untighten the bonnet, which applies pressure to the washers at the end of the stem. It just takes
A full turn or two to dislodge the barrel, at which point you remove everything from the stem and yank it out.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112652995081934659158/MaintenanceStack#5699884034768783154

guyinsb · Jan 20, 2012, 06:38 PM

Dance Perfect Match part 06033 is an exact replacement for the diverter stem.
But I am still looking for a seat replacement (replacing just the stem did not solve the problem).

guyinsb · Mar 14, 2012, 09:14 AM

I found seats:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112652995081934659158/FinishPlumbing#5706185301758824930

Getting the old seat out was a challenge. I had to tap the seat wrench pretty firmly with a hammer to get
It to "bite" into the old seat; but they did provide enough purchase to torque out the old seat.

However, with all new parts installed, too much flow still runs out the spout, or dribbles out the shower head.
There is something special required to get the diverter to function correctly: alignment of the holes in the diverter barrel? Lubricant in the diverter threads? Washer in the seat (it is currently metal to metal contact)? Guess I need to investigate and fully understand how the diverter is supposed to function.

hkstroud · Mar 14, 2012, 10:46 AM

Did you install the diverter with it in the open or the closed position? Divdrter should be installed in the open position (tub). Otherwise the stem washers comes into contact with the seat before you have screwed the body of the stem in completely. Remove and reinstall with stem in open position.

mgm35 · Jul 19, 2012, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Did you install the diverter with it in the open or the closed position? Divdrter should be installed in the open position (tub). Otherwise the stem washers comes into contact with the seat before you have screwed the body of the stem in completely. Remove and reinstall with stem in open position.

I had the same problem, but now I have water gushing out the front of the new stem. It seems that the replacement stem is just a hair smaller than the original and is not hugging the sleeve tightly. Any suggestions?

guyinsb · Jul 19, 2012, 09:00 AM

Even if the barrel fits a bit loosely, there are two other washers which can be tightened to prevent such leakage:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112652995081934659158/FinishPlumbing#5699884034768783154

mgm35 · Jul 19, 2012, 09:04 AM

I'm sorry, but the link you sent me isn't helpful. What do you mean by tighten a washer? Which washer are you referring to?

guyinsb · Jul 19, 2012, 09:26 AM

The stem is held tight to the valve body with the "bonnet" nut (actually the large part that extends along the stem to the barrel).
There is a washer or o-ring associated with the bonnet nut.
There is also a "packing" washer which goes around the stem and into the bonnet; it is held tight by the packing nut.
It sounds like the packing washer (or graphite packing material) is missing, or the packing nut is not tight.

mgm35 · Jul 19, 2012, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by guyinsb

The stem is held tight to the valve body with the "bonnet" nut (actually the large part that extends along the stem to the barrel).
There is a washer or o-ring associated with the bonnet nut.
There is also a "packing" washer which goes around the stem and into the bonnet; it is held tight by the packing nut.
It sounds like the packing washer (or graphite packing material) is missing, or the packing nut is not tight.

OK, I think I understand now. Thanks, I'll check it out tonight.