I have a dual handle Eljer lavatory faucet in which the cold side stem leaks when turned on. I assume there is an O-ring, washer or something similar that needs to be replaced inside the housing.

My dilemma is how to get inside the housing. After I remove the plastic handle, there is a chrome piece that looks like an upside down cone, but I can't figure out how to get the cone looking piece off to get to the O-ring, etc. There doesn't appear to be a screw in the center holding the cone on. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

 

I'm pretty sure you will find that the "upside down cone" unscrews, allowing you to get to the replacable cartrige and the seal below it. Check with a local plbg. supply or at one of the big box stores FIRST and see if you can get a drawing of how the faucet is assembled.

 

Does your lavatory faucet look like this one:




or this one?



The inverted cone you describe, may just be the escutcheon, as shown (part #3) in the second diagram, and it may be just sitting on their with some old plumbers putty holding it in place.

If this does not help, post back and let me know how far apart the handles are?

 

Rick,

Thanks for your input. My faucet looks more like the second diagram, except the handles are made of transparent plastic and are octagonal shaped on the bottom. This octagonal part fits over the escutcheon. The handles are 8 inches apart.

There is a small hole in the top of the escutcheon in which the screw for the handles screws into; however, I don't see anything inside the escutcheon to unscrew.

If the escutcheon is held on with plumber's putty, what is the best way to remove it? Thanks for your help!

 

First make sure the escutcheon is not screwed on, by turning it counter-clockwise to see if it unscrews. If not, I use a special tool I made, which is a screwdriver, which I heated with a torch and bent at a 90 degree angle about an inch and a half from the tip. This gives me a great tool for many uses, but if you file down the tip, it is good for removing the escutcheon. Stick the tip under the edge and bend up, and bingo, it pops off. Without this tool, I'd find a screwdriver with a thin point, stick it under the escutcheon, and use a pencil, eraser, or small block of wood for a fulcrum, and pop it off.

There will not be anything "inside the escutcheon" to unscrew. It is UNDER IT!

Does your faucet look more like this one:



If not, I am out of pictures!!