Repairing this Delta Faucet

D107

These shower faucets are working fine but squeak like crazy. Washer's gone? No grease put in on last replacement? Anyway will these take a standard seats and springs kit? I used a spare handle for the 2nd photo. I'm hoping that when I remove the front screw I can just pull the housing out.

mattmia2

A picture of the cartridge would say a lot more than the handle. looks like a delta delex handle.

If it is, take the cartridge out and slide the stem out of the cartridge, put some silicone grease on the stem and put it back together. That is where those cartridges squeak.

D107

thanks @mattmia2. To take cartridge out must I turn housing cc wise—it’s threaded right? Cover with cloth and use pipe wrench?

mattmia2

You could take a picture without taking it out. Should be able to use a big adjustable wrench or channelocks, the bonnet shouldn't be tight, it just holds the cartridge in, an o-ring seals it. You probably have to remove some trim first.

hot_rod

unless It is really old, it probably has completely plastic cartridges inside. Replace the entire assembly
Usually the squeak is from the handle rubbing on the trim piece

D107

So apparently this is the equivalent of a Delta H-22 faucet. The first of the Delta Parts catalog shot looks like the right replacement, though I don't know if the RP47422 is different from the RP25513 or RP24096. looks like it might require that extender. I'll know more when I open it up.

mattmia2

What does the stem look like?

D107

I'll have to wait until I get time to unfasten that chrome part just above the base of the faucet.

mattmia2

Just take a picture down the escutcheon while you had the handle off. I suspect it will be one of those extensions that the handle screws to and you will need some light to see the actual cartridge.

D107

So as far as I know once the handle screw is removed, the handle should pull off, but for reason--maybe encrustation, it doesn't. Penetrating oil? See photos.

mattmia2

You got one handle off but not the other? If you rock in multiple directions and pull it might come loose. Otherwise you can put a long screw in the hole or a thin rod and use a gear puller behind the base of the handle pressing on the rod or screw to press it off. There may be a setscrew on the side of the handle as well, look closely for that.(you got the other one off, right and that didn't have a setscrew?)

D107

'one handle off but not the other?' No, the other photo was of a spare handle from the old bathroom sink faucet that I saved. no other set screws on these handles. There are lubes out there like Hilco lube......I had one of these repaired about 15 years ago--originally installed probably in the 1980s. I suppose I could gently tap it with a hammer, but I instinctively feel a hammer and plumbing don't mix well. The patient, rocking method sounds best.

mattmia2

use a gear puller and a rod or long screw in the screw hole as I described if it doesn't feel like it is moving with moderate to gentle rocking. There is silicone grease in a little jar that is made for plumbing.

D107

@mattmia2 Before I continued with efforts to remove the valve, I decided to see if the noise was coming as per @hot_rod from the rubbing of the handle-piece itself against the housing pipe to the wall that it sits on. We have lime in the water here and where the handle piece ends over the trim piece there was a lot of encrustation. I cleaned it off, squirted some WD40 in there, and lo and behold, no more squeaking and all moves freely.

I recalled both those valves were replaced about ten years ago, so they should still be good, since a shower gets much less use than a sink. I can really appreciate the durability of plumbing fixtures when they're not abused. I had a leaking slop sink last year with an old standard Delta faucet that also must have been put in forty years ago, and all I had to do was clean and lube, seat, springs, o-ring etc.

Thanks for all your advice which will stand me in good stead when it comes time to replace these. It occurred to me that since WD40 is really a cleaner not a lube, that I should try to push in some silicone grease into that separation of the handle and trim; maybe use a silicone spray instead the tube.

JohnNY

I haven't read all the replies here but when repairing 2-handle Delta faucets we used to ask for "Delex" repair kits. It look like you're on the right track though.

mattmia2

When you do need to remove the handle, there is also this tool:
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Pasco-4659-Big-Yank-Handle-Puller

but a 2 jaw puller and a long screw or rod or threaded rod is more general purpose.