Leaky faucet help, please

December 29, 2019 5:36 PM

I've got some 30+ year old Eljer sink faucets that have begun to leak. Problem is, no one can tell me how to remove them to get at the guts to see if I just need new washers or what. Called a plumber who tried and failed, so I'm asking here. Pics within.

Here are the faucets. Eljer doesn't sell these any more and even their "discontinued" catalog doesn't have them. And I can't find these on ebay or any where else. I'm thinking if I had new ones to examine (or, better yet, directions), it would be easy to understand.

There are no set screws or other obvious methods to get the top of the faucet off.

I did find a clue on a boating site. They mentioned a little slot to be found under the faucet head, with a tab can be pushed in that might allow the top to be lifted off. Here's a pic of the slot/tab. The plumber tried pushing it in with me trying to lift the piece out, and vice versa. No joy. I've doused the area with lubricant, metal cleaner, solvent, etc., but it just doesn't want to budge.

It makes me think there's more to this than just pushing in the tab and lifting off - some trick or technique that someone must know. Have any of you dealt with this kind of design. What worked for you?

posted by Right On Red to Home & Garden (16 answers total)

Well, at least we can start with the obvious: That tab suggests it would line up with something to allow access, but since it's on the moving part of the handle, it might not be in the correct orientation to do whatever it does. If it's open all the way, can you try doing whatever with the tab then? Or possibly somewhere in between.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:41 PM on December 29, 2019

Response by poster: That's a good thought. The range that the knob turns is about 270 degrees. I've just tried pushing the tab in with the knob at 0, 90, 180, and 270. It sems to make no difference.
posted by Right On Red at 5:51 PM on December 29, 2019

What does the underside of the sink look like? A bunch of my faucets are held in place from underneath the sink, not above.
posted by mhoye at 6:20 PM on December 29, 2019

Response by poster: Here is what the underside looks like. It's a tight space and I don't know if this pic is good enough for you to see what you need. According to the plumber, who gave these connections a good look, I might end up simply removing the faucets entirely by disconnecting these lines, without ever being able to diagnose the leak.
posted by Right On Red at 6:30 PM on December 29, 2019

(I think the OP is asking how to remove the top cosmetic bit of the faucet that conceals any gaskets or other replaceable/serviceable parts, not how to remove the entire faucet itself, which would usually involve loosening some sort of nut under the sink.)
posted by cnidaria at 7:00 PM on December 29, 2019

Clearly the slot/tab is the key.

Imagining what the locking mechanism might look like under that knob, I think you should try pushing down on the knob, maybe fairly hard, holding it down and then pressing inward on whatever that is behind the slot, and see if that makes it release.

If it's any kind of hook shape holding the knob on, you are locking it in place by pulling up on the knob.
posted by fritley at 7:16 PM on December 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

I think you're going to have to turn off the water to the sink and disassemble the entire apparatus from underneath - starting with those two exposed bolts in that retaining bar - to figure out why it's leaking.
posted by mhoye at 7:18 PM on December 29, 2019

The thing is, you can get a better performing faucet at hardware store X, than the hassle of fixing that faucet. The handles just pry up. By they’re cheap metal that corrodes over time and might not survive - that is the rust keeping them in might be stronger than then metal that is itself corrupted.

So my answer is DTMFA
posted by From Bklyn at 7:34 PM on December 29, 2019 [6 favorites]

That tab looks as if it might not hold the handle on quite firmly enough if it were a lift off design, so I'm wondering whether it could made to screw off when the tab is pushed in.
posted by jamjam at 7:36 PM on December 29, 2019

Last time I dealt with faucets that old, they were the simple kind that has an actual visible nut holding the handle to the stem. Even so, I needed to use a pretty decent wrench to crack the corrosion in the nut threads and an actual gear puller to get the handle to come off.

I would not even begin to attempt to take the handles off something that old with any kind of fancy recessed catch, because over 30+ years, anything that started out even vaguely fancy in the way of catches and slots and tabs and whatnot will now just be one great consolidated lump of verdigris and the only tool that will help you get the thing apart would be an angle grinder.

So if those were mine, I'd detach them from the pipes from underneath, and replace them with something for which I could still get parts.
posted by flabdablet at 7:59 PM on December 29, 2019 [3 favorites]

There's this on an old newsgroup and the model matches yours:

There is a slot on the side of the handle. This will be under the mushroom. Just stick a screw driver in the slot & push. Then the handle will lift off.

So if you can't lift off the handle when you push, chances are that whatever's making it stick is pretty terminal.
posted by holgate at 8:00 PM on December 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

(I suppose you could try, um, whacking it with a mallet.)
posted by holgate at 8:01 PM on December 29, 2019

It's a fun puzzle and all but I have to agree with the peeps who say this is not worth your time, especially since the real problem and the parts it may need and the availability of said parts is yet unknown.

If replacement cost is an issue, look for a Habitat re-store or a building supply outlet. Plenty of people (ahem) buy a faucet from, say, Amazon and get a dimension wrong (say, a deck hole of 1" instead of 1 1/4", just saying) and donate it instead of a re-stocking fee.
posted by Dashy at 8:52 PM on December 29, 2019 [2 favorites]

Looking at that slot, it looks like it is already loose. That does suggest it is just corroded.

A new faucet is actually pretty cheap. Just make sure you know the measurement between the holes on the sink so you get one that fits. Of course, the expensive part is the labor, so if you’re paying a plumber my observation is not really correct. Good luck.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 10:47 AM on December 30, 2019 [1 favorite]

If it’s already supposedly loose, you could turn the water back on and see if the hydraulic pressure will blow the handle off. Or it might just do that anyway.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:07 PM on December 30, 2019

Let’s assume you want to keep the sink part of this. Second assumption: the handles have to come off so the rest of the assembly can be detached from below. This is common sink assembly logic.

Before anything-try the tab with more leverage. Using a block of wood and a proper pry bar AND a hammer. Put the wood down to protect the sink top, even several layers of cardboard works, then with the short end of the bar under the sink handle and then push the tab in with the screw driver. Put tension on the pry bar. Put everything you got on it. Tap it with the hammer. Try for a minute or you tire. Rest and repeat a couple of times. Try tapping the handle down a few times to encourage it.

You can stab someone with that screwdriver and everything can break so take a moment to set up.

Possible Removal solution one: if you have a torch I would heat up that handle till it glowed and then try prying it off the tab. Gloves and an open window (burning gaskets) and a piece of wood to pry against so you don’t wreck the sink top. High heat is great on non co-operating bits. The plumber should have tried this.

Second option- if you have a drummel get a whole bunch of cutoff wheels and cut the handles off. Tape down some heavy paper or cardboard to protect the surrounding area. I would cut a seam from the bottom up to that damned tab and then use a screw driver to pry the handle sleeve wider.

Third option- grinder. Find yourself that one fried who has an angle grinder AND eye protection. Not the friend with just a grinder- that person can’t be trusted. Bribe the smart one to come over. Try and enjoy the fireworks in the bath room. Turn the water to the sink off first.

Fourth- price out a new sink. Acquire a much larger hammer. Wear jeans and eye protection. Drop the hammer on the sink. Repeat.
posted by zenon at 7:58 PM on December 30, 2019 [1 favorite]