Kohler Lady Vanity Cartridge Drip

[Eddie_T]

I have the Kohler Lady Vanity. It has gold plated 8 Inch spread faucets and swing spout with amber acrylic handles and shampoo sprayer. The hot water faucet has a stubborn drip even after new washer and seat installation. I am wondering whether to try a new stem assy and how to determine the right stem if I do try it.

 

[Eddie_T]

The drip has all but stopped. I have to check it and maybe turn the handle just a tad after it cools off. I am now thinking the Ace faucet washers are just slow to seat. I suspected Chinese washers but they were made in Illinois. I will try washers from Lowes next time (I am not anxious to start over right now) to see if they seat any better.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

I assume your faucet is fairly old and if so it uses a proprietary stem and seat, Buy a new Valvet stem. Your stem converts rotational motion into linear travel and ANY stickiness will keep it from sealing properly.

 

[Eddie_T]

Before buying a new stem assy I went to Lowes to try a different brand of washers. Turns out they sell Danco which is made in Taiwan. before I got in the checkout line I ran into a friend that I serve with on the honor guard, who happens to be a plumber. I told him my problem and he offered that sometimes a switch to beveled washers would help. I purchased both flat and beveled but installed the beveled on that particular faucet and the drip is stopped.

 

[Eddie_T]

My drip is back but sensitive to turnoff force. A gentle turnoff works but just a slight extra touch and it drips. I am wondering how it works since when removed I have both stem with washer and barrel with seat in my hand. What seals when I place it in the body, what does the seat press against?

 

[Jimbo]

Using a beveled washer on a stem designed for flat washers is an old wives tale, and probably causes more problems than it ever cured.\

Good luck finding a rubber washer made in the US. You could have Kohler send you washers/ 50/50 they are imported. You need to replace the entire valvet.

 

[Eddie_T]

I am reluctant to attempt a valvet replacement as I don't understand what makes it seal in the fixture. The bottom of the seat seems too hard to compress against anything for a seal.

 

[Eddie_T]

I miss rising stem faucets, that last twist ensured a seal. I have used homemade leather washers in them, but not on the Kohler valvet and Chinese washers just don't seem to compress enough to seal. Replacing valvet innards is too expensive when a ten cent washer should do the trick. Replacement washers worked well for years, must have been the made in USA years. I can't find a suitable replacement faucet set for a Kohler Ladies Vanity with swing spout and spray.

 

[hj]

The Lady's Lav basically uses a kitchen faucet with spray, however, because it also has a pop-up drain, the faucet needs a hole for it. Ergo. if you want to replace the faucet, you buy another Lady's Lav faucet from Kohler. Quit making the process so difficult and just replace the Valvet stem.

 

[Eddie_T]

That was a rather smart ass reply, I am not making the process any more difficult than it is. I started replacing stem assemblies after the 2012 problems. I purchased 5 spare stem assemblies last year just to have them on hand and have used 2 of them so far at $12 per pop. That is ridiculous when a 10 cent washer should do the job (as they used to). That's why I said I miss rising stem faucets. Kohler has discontinued the Ladies Lav and our faucet set was discontinued years earlier.

 

[hj]

Call 1-800-4KOHLER and save your $12.00 per stem. There is more to a Valvet stem than just the washer to stop leaking, which is why I NEVER just replace the washer.

 

[hj]

quote; our faucet set was discontinued years earlier.

You use the K-6962 Men's Lav faucet with the different spray head, or exchange the spray head with your old one.

 

[Eddie_T]

Talking with Kohler wasn't any help, both Man's Lav and Lady's Lav are discontinued and faucet sets no longer available. The CS rep wanted a part number but he should have access to 70's info better than me. They all used the same cw close valvets and the only difference in part numbers was for handle type and finish. I told him Flair in gold plate with amber acrylic handles but he still wanted part a part number even after saying he couldn't help.

I guess I am just stuck. I would insist upon free replacements but Kohler doesn't seem to have anything in a swing spout (they are all too tall) that would work and I am not sure if fixed spout would serve very well in the Lady's Lav.

It's all a bit depressing this was all high end when I purchased it in the 70s, 2 ea Lady's Lavs, 1 ea Fiberglass tub/shower with fixtures, 1 ea soak tub (American Standard) with Kohler wall mount faucet set and 2 ea Rochelle Closets all with gold plated finish on spouts, handles and etc. It's too bad Kohler didn't have the savvy to make a direct fit replacement cartridge with ceramic disk or whatever that wouldn't drip.

 

[Eddie_T]

Kohler customer service seemed willing to help and asked for pictures. After seeing pictures indicating a total of eight valvets needing replacement I got this reply,

"The valvet used in the shampoo faucets would be part #22932; I do apologize, this valvet is no longer available directly through us. The shower and bath faucets are also from the Flair line and the replacement valvets would be part #GP330002 ."

Turns out he GP330002 fits all my faucets. I replaced one that is dripping but it still drips, just not as much.

 

[Jadnashua]

Kohler is known (at least by me!) to have their version of the day...IOW, they change things fairly frequently. Their parts book looks more like a city phone book (if those even exist any more!). Some of the other brands tend to make changes as well, but many of their internals tend to remain the same, or are backwards compatible. As a result, I'm not a big fan of Kohler stuff. Looks isn't everything so the long-term product satisfaction becomes a bigger thing that you may not encounter in the near-term.

 

[Mr tee]

The Valvet stem is easy to replace, rather inexpensive (if Kohler doesn't send you a free one) and pretty reliable. I think if you change it you will be happy.

 

[Eddie_T]

The Valvet stem is easy to replace, rather inexpensive (if Kohler doesn't send you a free one) and pretty reliable. I think if you change it you will be happy.

. . . Turns out the GP330002 fits all my faucets. I replaced one that is dripping but it still drips, just not as much.

I do like the quarter turn of the replacement if I can just get it to seal properly.

 

[Eddie_T]

Good news, today the drip stopped. I had forgotten that years ago when I was replaced a seat in a valvet sometimes it would drip for several days until the seat conformed to the brass. The new seals are different but still require some patience. With the ¼ turn ceramic valve maybe it will never have to be disturbed again.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Yeah.. I'd just replace the faucet wholesale if repair parts are NLA. I'd replace the trip lever pop up with a push pop up and then you could use a kitchen faucet with side spray.

Seems silly to spend so much time tracking down all these parts.. But its your time to spend.