Can I use Amazon or eBay shower faucet cartridge to fix my shower leak?

December 1, 2020 6:35 PM

My tub/shower faucet started dripping. A plumber said I need to replace the faucet cartridge. To my horror, I can't get a replacement part from the manufacturer, because they went out of business. I found some parts on Amazon and also similar (but not the same model) faucets on eBay. What's the likelihood I can use the cartridge from one of them?

My tub & shower faucet started dripping, up to 1 drop per second. When the diverter is down, the tub faucet drips. When the diverter is up, the shower head drips.

I asked a plumber, and he said I need to replace the faucet cartridge. Because there's no standard size of cartridge, he suggested I ask the manufacturer Fontaine. Once I can find a replacement part, it's an easy fix for him.

I discovered to my horror that the manufacturer has gone out of business. (After it went under, the brand Fontaine was bought by a company called Italia, but they do not provide replacement parts for my faucet.)

If I can't find a replacement cartridge, the plumber says he needs to replace the entire tub & shower faucet and all the parts behind the wall, which will be $1500+. Horrors!

The manual says this faucet uses "120° turn washerless ceramic disc valve cartridge". Can I use any of these ceramic disc cartridges from Amazon?

I also found three Fontaine tub/shower faucets on eBay. Those faucets are made by the now-defunct Fontaine, but they're different models of faucet. If you have plumbing knowledge, can you tell me the likelihood that one of those 3 faucet cartridges would work in my faucet?

This is the shower & tub faucet that I purchased, called the Monaco brand: faucet.

Here's the manual / specification for my Monaco faucet: manual.

Here's a picture of faucet #1 on ebay .

Here's a picture of faucet #2 on ebay, the New Haven model.

Here's a picture of faucet #3 on ebay.

Do any plumbing-knowledgeable people have advice on whether these Amazon or eBay cartridges will work? Or where I can get a replacement cartridge? Thanks!

posted by sandwich to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

I suggest getting a better plumber. You shouldn't be part hunting for them. When I needed a cartridge replacement last year the plumber came in with a little rolling suitcase filled with them and tried until he found the one that fit. He said it's one of the most common jobs he does so he always keeps a supply in his van.
posted by mannequito at 6:47 PM on December 1, 2020 [8 favorites]

If you don’t have a plumber that can figure it out, you can bring the cartridge to a plumbing supply store or even a well stocked Ace hardware and see if one off the shelf would do. If you don’t go to a plumbing supply shop, a non big box hardware store should have someone who could help.
posted by advicepig at 7:10 PM on December 1, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Doing a little sleuthing, I found this product specification for a Fontaine Monte Carlo shower, and I'm going to guess it has the same internals as your Monaco (especially since the city of Monte Carlo is in Monaco). That spec lists for the cartridge part number A507074, and a search for that brings up this where they have four in stock.

I would disassemble the faucet to confirm you have the same type of cartridge. And if so, I'd buy more than one since they are hard to find.
posted by ShooBoo at 8:46 PM on December 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

And here looks like the same cartridge at Home Depot or Amazon.

You could pull yours out and see if it looks the same.
posted by JackFlash at 9:08 PM on December 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks to everyone who answered. All the answers were very helpful. ShooBoo's sleuthing of the product specification is especially impressive!

I ordered the cartridge. Fingers crossed!
posted by sandwich at 5:36 PM on December 2, 2020