If you turn on your Moen faucet for a relaxing bath only to find water spurting out of your shower head, you might have a problem with the Moen bath faucet diverter. These fixtures send water to either the bath faucet or the shower head, depending on which way the diverter valve is turned. Moen uses a device called a cartridge inside the diverter that channels the water in the appropriate direction. Replacing a Moen bath diverter cartridge should solve any problems you have with the diverter. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Turn off the water supply for the Moen bath faucet diverter that you want to replace. In a newer house, you should be able to find a water cut-off valve for the bathtub somewhere in the bathroom, perhaps behind an access panel or in a cabinet. If not, you will have to cut off the water supply for your house at the main valve. This is usually located next to where the water meter is installed.
2. Close the bathtub drain. Place old towels on the bottom of the tub to protect it while you are working.
3. Remove the diverter handle. How you do this depends on the age of your Moen faucet diverter. Newer models have the handle attached by means of small Allen wrench on the underside of the handle. Loosen the Allen screw and pull the handle off to remove it. In an older Moen faucet, use a flathead screwdriver to pry off the temperature indicator cap, which conceals the faucet screw. Unscrew the faucet screw with a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the handle off the faucet.
4. Unscrew the escutcheon. This is the decorative plate that covers the diverter body. This is either held in place with a small screw, or it screws onto the faucet body. Remove it by unscrewing counterclockwise.
5. Remove the retaining clip on the top of the Moen faucet cartridge with the needle-nose pliers. The retaining clip is a small metal band that crosses the face of the cartridge. Pull the clip straight out of the cartridge. Take the faucet removal tool from the Moen kit and snap it into the end of the Moen faucet cartridge. Grip the faucet removal tool with the pliers and wiggle it from side to side until it slides out of the diverter.
6. Apply the lubricant included in the Moen repair kit to the outside of the new faucet cartridge, paying special attention to the area around the O-rings. Align the cartridge so that the mark indicating "top" faces the top of the diverter. Slide the faucet cartridge into the diverter until secure. Replace the faucet retaining clip.
7. Slip the escutcheon back over the diverter and secure it. Replace the faucet handle and faucet handle screw. Restore the water supply and test the Moen bath faucet diverter.
Tags: Moen faucet, bath faucet, faucet cartridge, faucet diverter, Moen bath, retaining clip