Stop-cock weeping along shaft

[yottie]

I've just replaced the main washer in a stop-cock as it was weeping slightly along the tap entry shaft. The washer had stopped the cold supply OK but there is still a weep along the shaft as before. The tap is 1970 vintage and difficult to get at for full replacement. I was wondering if the new washer needs to bed in to stop the weep or, is it possible to replace the 1971 screw out unit (leaving the original pipe fitting in place) with a new unit, ie is the thread the same and is the seating compatible.
thanks

 

[75pete]

Should be possible. Can you not add some stuffing to the gland..ptfe
Turn off tap, back off gland, add ptfe into gland.
Pete

 

[JohnD]

more likely to be the gland, if there is a thin nut round the top of the spindle you can tighten it a bit. If it was the washer it would just be letting by a bit instead of sealing tightly when turned off. BTW try not to turn it off with enormous force, just screw it down enough to stop the water. When it is open, back it down half a turn so it is not at the end of the thread, to prevent jamming.

If it was me I would have polished up the spindle while I had it apart to change the washer. Green nylon pan scourer is good for that. If there is an O ring you should lube it with silicone grease and/or renew it.

You can take up a little looseness by wrapping a few turns of PTFE tape round the spindle, but take it off and polish away any roughness first.

The good news is that there is a very good chance, if you buy a new stop-cock that looks the same, that you can unscrew the headworks from the new one and they will screw straight into the old body.

edit: too slow!

 

[ChrisR]

The "body" is likely to be exteemely tight on the valve, so can difficult to undo in situ.
As above but,
if the spindle's all scaled up start with descaler before you undo the nut.

The "ptfe" thing is to use a few inches of ptfe tape, twisted/rolled sideways so it makes a string, lift the nut up the spindle and wind it round, then put the nut back in. There will be a washer of sorts under where the nut goes, but they're not very good.

 

[75pete]

You never new how much good info you would get back for a little water leak.
Pete

 

[yottie]

Yes I did Pete, I've always had good info on this forum !