How to fix a dripping Moen shower faucet?

**walds11** · 11-30-2009, 04:40 AM

Thanks for the advice everyone. I emailed my son's soccer coach who is actually master plumber. He claimed that 90% of the Meon catridges that he has worked with come out without the puller tool. We shall see.

I took the handle and the sleeve off to check things out. I can see the retainer clip. Now I have a good feel for what I need to do.

Anyway, I plan on doing the job this weekend. I will buy the puller tool as well. If I don't need it, then I will return it. Stay tuned...

hj · 11-30-2009, 05:09 AM

All of the discussion may be acedemic, because the picture seems to show a plastic stem which will usually extract somewhat easily.

**krow** · 11-30-2009, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by hj

I guess my 60 years of experience, (in Chicago, Michigan, and Arizona), tops your 30.

Whats your point?? are you going on a pissing contest or what?

**jimbo** · 11-30-2009, 05:36 AM

I'm with hj. Can't top the 60 years!! But in my much more modest experience, I never had a brass moen come out easily. Part of the problem is that it is such a good design! It works and is left alone far past the point where some "preventive maintenenance" would have helped, hence by the time you take it out, it is stuck in there good! The hard water in San Diego doesn't help.

**walds11** · 12-05-2009, 11:39 AM

I picked up the parts today at Home Depot today. I bought the puller and some silicon grease as well which the guy at the store recommended. If I don't need the puller, then I will return it. Someone else said that Moen over-greases the cartridges and recommended that I take cartridge apart and wipe off grease. If I do not, the faucet will open by itself due to heavy grease and water pressure. Is this true? Stayed tuned for the results...

hj · 12-05-2009, 02:18 PM

Yes, some of the plastic stems do turn on by themselves. I once was working at my sister-in-law's house and noticed that her shower valve was VERY hard to turn on, so I replaced the stem. That night she called and asked if I had repaired her shower valve, because when she grabbed the handle and gave it the tug she usually had to, it moved so easily she almost went through the opposite wall. YES, Moen valves, especially the brass stems do work LONG past the time when they should be serviced, but the user just gets used to them needing more and more effort to turn them on.

**walds11** · 12-06-2009, 07:44 AM

The job was a peice of cake. I did not need the puller, so I will return it. The old cartridge came out very easily. Anyway, I am still getting a little drip after installing the new cartridge. I even noticed a slight drip after I turned the water off at the meter. Does the new cartridge need to break itself in? The drip with the water off at the meter tells me that the problem is not just the cartridge. Ugh!

**Terry** · 12-06-2009, 11:47 AM

A tub faucet will continue to drain for 35 minutes after the valve is pushed off.

**walds11** · 12-06-2009, 11:52 AM

Thanks Terry. I know there is always some drip right after you turn the faucet off, which may have been what I saw, but it appears fine now. Maybe it was some extra water that was left in the piping?*

**Terry** · 12-06-2009, 12:11 PM

but it appears fine now. Maybe it was some extra water that was left in the piping?*

You can time yours.
Most take 35 minutes for all of the water to finish dripping out.

Most people don't notice, but for those that do, it can be an annoying plumbing call to babysit the tub faucet and explain that water sticks to the inside of a pipe, and takes that long to finally drip it's way dry.

Been there, done that.

**walds11** · 12-07-2009, 04:37 PM

No dripping

My master bathroom shower has the same handle (no tub, just handle and shower head). Same Moen 1225 replacement cartridge?

**krow** · 12-07-2009, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by walds11

No dripping

My master bathroom shower has the same handle (no tub, just handle and shower head). Same Moen 1225 replacement cartridge?

Yup, same rules apply

**Doherty Plumbing** · 12-07-2009, 08:21 PM

I have never needed a puller to get a stuck cartridge out. I had to use WD-40 once to help break one free. But then again I'm 6'1 and 225 lbs.

**walds11** · 12-12-2009, 11:14 AM

I need to replace the cartridge in the master bath shower as I stated a few posts above. I pulled the handle and collar off just to check things out. Yep, it's the same Meon 1225 cartridge. I put the collar and handle back on. The handle spins all the way around and does not stop in either direction. I never noticed this before. The shower is still fully functional with the hot-left and cold-right, butthe handle spins all the way around. Could I have put it back together wrong? May not matter because I am going to buy a replacement cartridge soon.

**krow** · 12-12-2009, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by walds11

I need to replace the cartridge in the master bath shower as I stated a few posts above. I pulled the handle and collar off just to check things out. Yep, it's the same Meon 1225 cartridge. I put the collar and handle back on. The handle spins all the way around and does not stop in either direction. I never noticed this before. The shower is still fully functional with the hot-left and cold-right, butthe handle spins all the way around. Could I have put it back together wrong? May not matter because I am going to buy a replacement cartridge soon.

It could be that the tabs in the handle have broken off or the handle is the wrong one for that particular faucet.
ie: a lav faucet handle will fit the shower, but it will not sit at the right depth for the tabs to engage the stops