Most shower valves have renewable seats. The seat is the part that
the washer pushes against when the valve is shut. The renewable seat
looks like a ring with a raised surface on one side and threads on the
other. Some have a hexagaonal hole, others have a round hole with
four notches. A seat wrench willremove either one. The wrench is L
shaped, with a series of hex surfaces on one end and square sapes on
the other. Turn off the water, remove the valve stem and bonnet as
you did when you replaced the washer. Look inside the body of the
valve,you'll see the seat. Insert the appropriate side of the seat
wrench and unscrew the old seat and screw in the new one. Reinstall
the stem/bonnet and turn the water back on.

In the off chance that you have a valve old enough that it doesn't
have a renewable seat, you're still not out of options. The same
hardware store will sell you a seat surfacing tool. It's got a small
cutter attatched to a tee-handle, insert it and turn it a few times to
dress the seat. Reach in with your finger and feel to make sure it's
smooth, repeat as needed until it is.

You don't have to worry about replacing the wholevalve until you've
exhausted these options. I had the same thing with the hot side in
the master bath of my house, which was built in 1958. Used the seat
dresser 8 or 9 years ago, haven't had to touch it since (he says,
knocking on top of his wooden head).

Kent

(Harry Avant) wrote in message .. .
I have a 50 year old house and one of the bathrooms has a shower using
Kohler componets. Recently the cold water would not shut off after a
morning shower. I was lucky in that it was a week day so I was able to
get to my local hardware store. They told me all I needed was a new
rubber washer which I bought. That stopped most of the leak but I was
left with a constant driping. Back to the store where they suggested I
needed all new stem and associated parts. Installed that and still
have the drip. In other words I can't completely shut the flow off.
Suggestions? Tearing out the tile and replacing the entire valve
isn't what I want to do. Is there some special trick to reinstalling
the stem?

Thanks,
Harry