How to Repair a Rotor Sprinkler

Turn the ball valve on the main sprinkler line 90 degrees counterclockwise to shut off the flow of water. The main ball valve is likely located inside a basement or crawl space.

Remove the dirt around the body of the sprinkler so your hand can wrap around it. Dig down with a shovel until you see the base of the sprinkler.

Unscrew the sprinkler counterclockwise from the base of the riser that holds the sprinkler to the supply line underground. Pull the sprinkler free from the riser to inspect it. If the exterior of the sprinkler body shows signs of cracking, you will need to replace the sprinkler with a new one.

Insert the rotor head key into the slot on the top of rotor, turn the key 90 degrees clockwise to lock it in place and pull up the nozzle assembly.

Unscrew the top of the nozzle assembly counterclockwise. Inspect the small plastic filter inside the nozzle. If the nozzle is damaged, you will need to replace it by inserting a new one into the base of the nozzle.

Inspect the small plastic nozzle inside the sprinkler. Most rotor sprinklers contain removable nozzles. If your nozzle shows signs of damage, pull it out from the base of the nozzle and replace it with a new one from the same manufacturer. You must release some rotor nozzles by inserting the sprinkler key into the nozzle release hole before pulling it out.

Place the sprinkler back onto the riser after you have finished the repairs, and turn the sprinkler clockwise by hand until tight. Turn the sprinkler ball valve 90 degrees clockwise to turn the water back on, and replace the dirt around the base of the sprinkler.