Bathtub faucets

I replaced my bathtub faucet washers but the water will not shut off. I tried 4 different washer sizes, 0, 00, 1/4, 1/4L and 3/8. These were flat washers. I even tried some cone shaped but still won't shut the water off. I have to use the shut-off valves in the basement to turn the water off. Do I need new stems? How do I know which washer is the right one? Any help would be appreciated! It's a Holiday, so I didn't call a plumber.... - Thanks, Dan

Usually, the correct ( or incorrect ) washer size is obvious. Now, inside the valve body is a seat, the part the washer seals againgst when the valve is shut off. These seats go bad, and usually can be unscrewed and replaced.

washers

I don't know how you could use those four sizes in the same stem. The recess for them is so vastly different that only the right size should have fit into it.

Thanks

Thanks for the information....I'll see if I can r&r the seats, although I don't see how they can be unscrewed......as for the washers, the stems had like 2 different diameters that would allow for the sizes of washers....

leak

The only stems I have ever seen that had two different sizes were American Standard, and the smaller one was not for a washer. The faucet seats are sized for a particular washer size. You cannot use small ones with a large seat, although you could do it the opposite way if you could figure out how to get the parts to fit together.