# Shower cartridge 1222 leaking. New one won't fit?



## bobbyjo (Feb 11, 2007)

I have a real problem with a shower cartridge leaking. It seems to be Moen Posi-Temp Faucet
Model 1222. I say it seems to be. Because the one I took out was not easy.
Even with a puller tool, It broke off. So I had to get it out in small pieces.
I cleaned out the hole making sure their was no more debris in it.
Bought a new Moen 1222 from Lowes. When I tried to fit it in, I found it was 1/16 inch to long?
I found this out after removing all seals, so that it would slide in easy. There is no way I was able to get the clip in? I have replaced many cartridges in the past, mostly 1225's. And never came across one like this? I had an old Danco 1222 & filed the back of it down 1/16 inch. It went it easy & I could get the clip on with ease. So I went back to Lowes to buy a new Danco 1222. Filed the back of it down. (You can't file down a Moen, their's has no room on the end, because the valve is right at the end) Fitted it in & turned the water back on, to find it still drips? I pull it out again to check the seals are in the right place, they were. So put it back in, to try again & still it leaks? I just don't know what to do next.
Why did I need to file it down to fit? 
And why is the new cartridge leaking?


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

bobbyjo said:


> I have a real problem with a shower cartridge leaking. It seems to be Moen Posi-Temp Faucet
> Model 1222. I say it seems to be. Because the one I took out was not easy.
> Even with a puller tool, It broke off. So I had to get it out in small pieces.
> I cleaned out the hole making sure their was no more debris in it.
> ...


I never had one break. And I never had to modify one - that just sounds wrong. If it's Moen, the trim plate will say so. Look carefully. Sometimes you have to push the body that extra little bit. Instead of removing the gaskets, lube it with plumber's grease first. Did you have calcium deposits or something in the valve body? Inspect with flashlight and see how clean it is.

Edit: Ugh, if you took it out in pieces, maybe you scratched the inner surface - not good.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

yes, plumbers grease is a must with these valves.

You're probably rolling the washers up with the tight friction. Easy to damage as well.


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## bobbyjo (Feb 11, 2007)

The inner was already marked up from the last plumber that replace it. The owner said he had a lot of trouble too. Not sure how long ago that was, may be 6 years or more. But that said there is no way a Moen will fit back in, only the Danco after filing the back down. I have cleaned it until the cows come home inside. And like I said, I have removed all the seals so I could push it back as far as it will go. But you still can't get the clip on, it just seems to long.
Thanks for all your replies, I'm thinking the only way to go is to replace the whole valve body.
But this means tearing up the sheetrock on the back side of the bathroom.


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## Blueline (Oct 14, 2014)

Hey, I joined this forum to respond to your issue. I'm a GC (but I'm taking my state plumbing test on Wed). I just went through this ordeal.
Cartidge fell apart and my extractor was no help. Had to chip it out bit by bit. 
Filing the back down seems undoable, is your replacement plastic bodied? Mine was. Had to struggle to insert the tong back in place. I remember having to make sure the plastic tab on the upper face of the cartridge was dead center in its receptacle. Then I used the white plastic centering cap and a hammer to drive it home. You're right. It was out about 1/16th.
Kind of rattled my faith in engineers. Good luck...


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## [email protected] (Nov 10, 2014)

As many times as I've worked on a Moen valve, I still don't hesitate to pick up the phone and give them a call at 1-800-289-6636 and hit prompt 4. That gets you to the Pro line which rarely has a hold time and gets you through to the most experienced service reps. Do this before tearing out the old valve, or continuing to file down import parts. They have every troubleshooting technique in the book, and have heard/seen it all.

Justin


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> As many times as I've worked on a Moen valve, I still don't hesitate to pick up the phone and give them a call at 1-800-289-6636 and hit prompt 4. That gets you to the Pro line which rarely has a hold time and gets you through to the most experienced service reps. Do this before tearing out the old valve, or continuing to file down import parts. They have every troubleshooting technique in the book, and have heard/seen it all.
> 
> Justin


Yep, and you should be calling anyway...parts are warrantied for life they comp you replacement parts. I've already went through two cartridges at my house and both were free.

Not my favorite valve that's for sure and they are a bugger getting in and out.


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## MoabJohnson (8 mo ago)

Blueline said:


> Hey, I joined this forum to respond to your issue. I'm a GC (but I'm taking my state plumbing test on Wed). I just went through this ordeal.
> Cartidge fell apart and my extractor was no help. Had to chip it out bit by bit.
> Filing the back down seems undoable, is your replacement plastic bodied? Mine was. Had to struggle to insert the tong back in place. I remember having to make sure the plastic tab on the upper face of the cartridge was dead center in its receptacle. Then I used the white plastic centering cap and a hammer to drive it home. You're right. It was out about 1/16th.
> Kind of rattled my faith in engineers. Good luck...


I fought with this over multiple days and was running into the same problem. It just wouldn't go in another 1/16 of an inch. I then also used the white plastic centering/removal? cap that came with the new cartridge and before grabbing the hammer, just gave it one more shove and it went in perfectly! I'm hoping that reviving this old thread, I could help yet another would be plumber out there in the future!


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## Porterfarm (Apr 1, 2019)

Yeah, 

I played with one last month. The cartridge did break upon removal. It took awhile to get it out.

I replaced it with a Danco replacement. The condo unit was empty and going up for sale... 

When the water would run it sounded like a freight train and the shower would run while the tub filed, especially in the warm setting. '(Stack Leak). 

Replaced the cartridge a second time with a Moen cartridge. The water flow was quiet with the Moen.

Cut the wall open to see what was going on....

The whole controls tub spout and shower head were installed without attention to Moen's specifications for distance to spout and shower head.

Also the tub spout and controls were connected using 1/2" pex, connected to copper with Shark bit slip locks. 

Replacing the pex and fittings with 1/2" cu almost completely corrected the stack leak. If the distance to the shower head increased and the distance the tub spout reduced, the stack leak would no longer exist.


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## Loomba (3 mo ago)

MoabJohnson said:


> I fought with this over multiple days and was running into the same problem. It just wouldn't go in another 1/16 of an inch. I then also used the white plastic centering/removal? cap that came with the new cartridge and before grabbing the hammer, just gave it one more shove and it went in perfectly! I'm hoping that reviving this old thread, I could help yet another would be plumber out there in the future!


 I had the same problem. Ultimately a bit of soft hammering and plumber grease did the trick. Thank you MoabJohnson and Blueline for your suggestions.


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