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fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

The cold tap on the bathroom sink stopped working suddenly. Now when it is turned on just a trickle of water runs out, if you turn the tap on fully or pull the tap handle up (as opposed to twisting it) the pipe makes a loud bang.

All the other cold taps work (including the bath taps). I assume the banging is an airlock, but could be wrong. I took the tap apart, cleaned it, made sure it worked (as far as I could tell) and re-assembled it but still have no water.

Does anyone have any suggestions please.

straker1966 · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 164 Location: cambridge

when you took the tap apart, did it have a copper circlip that sat in a groove of the tap spindle? these copper circlips lose their springiness over time, come off and the spindle goes down into the body.

once that clips had it, you dont wana muck about. take the guts of the tap to the local merchant and theyll have a replacement... the crucial part is the splines where the taphead sit. you wana make sure these look the same else you may have to buy a pair of em em with matching heads.

"adaptatap" do a nice set...

fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

Hi,

circlip seems fine, still attached and spindle hasn't dropped into tap body. But I've noticed that if you put the tap body back in the tap but don't tighten it down fully, the tap works OK (except for some water escaping from where its not fully tight.) I was going to try swapping the insides with the hot tap but cant get that one apart.

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4416 Location: Bath

Unscrew the middle bit after you have turned the water off, the bullet should be fully screwed in by turning the spindle

fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

I replaced the tap body and turned the water on then turned the tap fully on, still only got a trickle of water. Then I turned the water off and unscrewed the tap body to see if the bullet was fully screwed in, but when I got it off the rubber washer on the end of the bullet had fallen off and disappeared inside the tap. Strange thing is though is that the tap now works properly. Do I need to tap the whole tap off now to get the washer out?

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4416 Location: Bath

Can you not dig it out, or carefully turn the water on and see if you can flush it out

fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

no luck getting it out, can't even see it, could it have gone into the spout of the tap and got stuck?

fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

finally managed to get the washer out. If I put it back on the tap will it just fall off again? It seems quite tight and doesn't fall off when I turn the bullet upside down?

If the tap worked without this washer does that mean it needs a new washer or is the tap likely to be knackered?

fendr63 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Location: BEDFORDSHIRE

OK, must be the washer. I put the tap back together without the washer in place and it works OK. So I guess I just need to replace the washer? or could it be something else?

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4416 Location: Bath

You need to get the bullet right in as far as it goes, an smigin of vaseline will help