This page will help you fix a Moen Chateau faucet, and Show You How to replace Moen
1200 series cartridge.
Follow the step by step instructions
below to replace Moen cartridge and if you run into any problems when trying to fix a Moen faucet you can get my help.
First things first Make sure you have turned the main water valve to your house off.
Then Open a faucet (if possible at a lower level then the faucet being repaired) and make sure it stays open.
This will prevent any water that is getting past the valve or is just in the
lines from running in to the wall .
This is your basic Moen shower valve.
The same cartridge is used in Kitchen and lavatory faucets. This one is leaking Bad.
Click On any Image to view full size image.
First remove the Handle. remove the plastic cover and remove the screw.
Note if you are repairing a Moen Kitchen faucet, you will need an Allen wrench key 7/16" to remove a set screw located behind the little Moen nameplate, or just a blue and red hold cover, this can be removed with your thumb nail, once removed insert the Allen wrench and turn it counter clockwise till the handle is loose enough to lift off of the cartridge stem.
Note: Removing the front plate is not necessary. The faucet can be repaired with out removing the chrome plate.
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Then remove the pin that holds the cartridge in. Just pull up with needle nose pliers. Note the position of the cartridge. This can be a point of no return. If you are not sure you should continue Call a professional. or use my 24/7 Help Line.
There is a tool for removing the cartridge but I just put the handle back on and use it to pull the cartridge out.
Note: Sometimes a cartridge will not come out no matter what you do, If this happens you may want to stop and call a professional
This happens more when you have very hard water.
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The old cartridge out. It is not worth the time and trouble to try to repair this cartridge. just replace it. In some cases Moen will replace if for free.
Before putting the new one in, clean out the inside of the faucet and apply a little plumbers grease to the walls of the faucet and on the new cartridge. then slide it in. Make sure it goes all the way in.
I received an email today from a visitor that was installing a new cartridge in a Moen kitchen faucet, he said he followed
my instructions by adding a little more grease to the cartridge before installing it, as it turned out adding the extra grease was not a good thing,
because it caused the faucet to shut off by it's self do to the weight of the faucet handle. The cartridges come pre greased, so if you can get it to slid
back in with out adding the extra grease, you should do so especially if you are repairing a kitchen or lavatory faucet.
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Note the position of the cartridge, It must be in this position.
Replacing the pin. This must be done
right, It has to go straight through and into the bottom slot.
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It must look like this all the way
in and not bent at the bottom. Now you are done. put back the sleeve, the chrome plate. and turn the water back on, But before you put the cover over
the handle screw test to see if the hot is on the left or not if it is on the right remove the handle and turn the stem 180% (you don't need to remove the
pin or cartridge to do this) Then put the handle back on and you are done. Good Luck. Feed back is very important
to me Please take the time to send feed back
View all full size images with instructions
Also see the Moen PosiTemp instructions
Great Deals on Moen Cartridges
Please post all questions or comments on the plumbers talk forum.