# Shower faucet leak when diverted



## Apuck (Apr 20, 2012)

I have a three knob shower, hot, cold, and a center diverter knob. Everything works fine except when I divert the flow to the shower head, water continues to POUR out of the faucet. I wouldn't really care if it were a small trickle, but it really seems like a huge waste pouring out like it does.

I have recently changed all of the stems, seats, gaskets, handles, etc. but no noticeable difference. Help!


----------



## Apuck (Apr 21, 2012)

2nd day bump.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Apr 21, 2012)

Try changing the faucet.


----------



## Apuck (Apr 21, 2012)

Not sure what changing the faucet would do, but I did change it when I changed everything else. Water still pouring out.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Apr 22, 2012)

I mistook your faucet for one of those with the lift handle to divert water flow. Guess I should clean these bi-focals a little more often. When you divert water to the shower head, does the shower head work or does all the water still flow to the tub?


----------



## Apuck (Apr 22, 2012)

Shower head works fine (no noticeable loss of pressure or anything)  but about 50%-ish still comes out of faucet.  The shower head itself is fairly new too, I removed the flow regulator to see if that was causing the problem, but no change, so I put it back in.


----------



## Apuck (Apr 23, 2012)

Anybody have any ideas?

Bump.


----------



## dthornton (Apr 23, 2012)

Obviously, the diverter isn't sealing all the way. If you changed the seat and seals (the Middle one) and it still leaks, I'd contact the faucet manufacturer (Delta, Moen, etc). Also try not turning your water on all the way. If all else fails, replace the faucet assembly.


----------



## joecaption (Apr 24, 2012)

Is there a deverter that's on the faucet it's self. It's a knob that get's pulled up where the water comes out for the tub.
If there is just change it.


----------



## Apuck (Apr 25, 2012)

dthornton said:


> Obviously, the diverter isn't sealing all the way. If you changed the seat and seals (the Middle one) and it still leaks, I'd contact the faucet manufacturer (Delta, Moen, etc). Also try not turning your water on all the way. If all else fails, replace the faucet assembly.



I'm sure it's not sealing all the way that kind of goes without saying, I just don't know why. Like I said the stem, seat, gaskets, handles etc are new. I guess I'll just replace them again, if it doesn't work then I guess I can take the stuff back. IF all goes properly should any water come out of the faucet when it is diverted? In other words is it normal to get say a trickle of water, or should there be nothing at all coming out?


----------



## dthornton (Apr 26, 2012)

If the diverter is working properly, there should not be any water leak by at all. It is  possible that you were given the wrong stem and seals for your faucet. That's why I suggested contacting the manufacturer  ... they can furnish you with the proper part numbers. Do you still have the ORIGINAL parts? If you don't know the manufacturer and model number, you can try to match them visually (but they must be EXACT, not just similar).


----------



## Apuck (Apr 27, 2012)

I see. Well that makes sense. Of course I don't have the original parts anymore. I took them with me to match up when I bought the new stuff, but I'm sure it's possible they screwed up. Now you have me even more curious though. I know the parts are Price Pfister (the originals were too), but other than matching up with seats, and handles and stuff does it matter what brand they are? I mean if I decide to just say heck with it and start over, Moen stems and seats and stuff would attach and work just the same and work the same so long as I matched up the stems with seats, handles, etc. right? I mean the pipes they attach to are just pipes right? They aren't anything that should be proprietary??? Sorry, if this seems really dumb, I don't do much plumbing.


----------



## joecaption (Apr 28, 2012)

Every company makes there own style stem assemblys, even within one companys products they can be differant, due to improvements over the years.


----------



## dthornton (Apr 28, 2012)

Like Joe said, each company has their own stuff, and each company has many different faucets. The offsets have to be exact, or they won't work. Your faucet has water coming in from each side mixing in the middle. The diverter is a valve just like the hot and cold. When it is  open, by default the water flows down out of the spout (even under pressure, water follows gravity). When you close the diverter valve, the water flows out the top hole into the shower. For this to happen, the bottom hole must be closed off. The valve and stem both must be the right diameter and length, our it won't seal (why you still have water coming out of the spout). These dint normally have replaceable seats  ... Those are usually machined into the body. If you know the model number of your faucet,  Price Pfister can give you the part numbers you need. If not, you may just want to replace the whole faucet assembly.


----------

