Help Removing Moen Part from Tub/Shower Valve (picture included)

Just to the left of the cold stop is what I assume to be a strainer. I already removed the brass plug to show the "strainer". How do you get this out? There is buildup that is constricting the flow of cold water. This is a Moen valve.

Thanks for any advice/insight.

Are you sure it is a moen? and shower valves don't have strainers. It may be a balance spool?

How about a picture of the handles and the cartridge?

jimbo said:

and shower valves don't have strainers.

Click to expand...

Maybe Moen, but my Grohe has a screen on both the hot and cold inlets...

It is more likely something like a Delta ScaldGuard and that "thing" is the balancing spool with the cap broken off. It is DEFINITELY NOT a Moen valve. Your task, if you should choose to accept it, is to use a hook of some type and pull that piece out of the valve body. It is probably stuck so you will have to rotate it first to break it loose. If it were NOT stuck, it would have come out when you removed its cap instead of breaking off of it.