Question for plumbers????

DONDALINGER

I have an older 1955??? rental house with cast iron plumbing. I am trying to remove a brass cleanout plug that is threaded into the end of the cast 4" mainline. I have a huge pipe wrench and was using a 5' breaker bar and it will not move. I sprayed it down with WD40 and will try some PB Blaster tomorrow.

Any "trick of the trade" to get this plug out or any advice? I was thinking about heating it with a torch, but do not want to melt the lead seal.

Any info/advice much appreciated.

Don

hillbille

not a plumber but I have allways had good luck with heat, try heating the plug then unscrew..................... you can reseal with silicone if needed.

bigoutside

Cast iron is an odd animal.
Wait a moment and someone smart will be along to give you good advice.

montanajoe

quote:Originally posted by hillbille
not a plumber but I have allways had good luck with heat, try heating the plug then unscrew..................... you can reseal with silicone if needed.
+1

Knifecollector

The only way you will remove the brass plug is by cutting or chieseling it out. Its pretty thin, just drill a hole in it, and make a cut in it down to the threads, then with a chiesel force it out. Replace with a PVC plug , wrap a couple turns of teflon tape on the threads to make it water tight and easily removed later.

FrancF

Try the PB- If that don't work, Saws all and a new ABS trap with a rubber/hose clamp union.

MudderChuck

quote:Originally posted by FrancF
Try the PB- If that don't work, Saws all and a new ABS trap with a rubber/hose clamp union.


X2 but I'd use an angle grinder if space allows, cast is pretty darned hard and can be hard to cut with a sawsall.

Then use a band lock (rubber hose clamp union), they make them to adapt to most any diameter pipe.

First try oil, then whacking the plug with a hammer, hard, but not to hard. Repeat a few times. Sometimes the whacking breaks up the rust or corrosion and allows the oil to penetrate better. It may come loose.

Cast can get pretty thin with age, it may look OK, but be eaten thin on the inside.

If you get it too hot the cast may explode or shatter.

FrancF

Contractors around here in CA don't even mess with it. They just cut it off and adapt new fittings.

fishkiller41

DO NOT heat the plug!!!!
Heat the pipe,just at the edge and let the PB Blaster pull up into the joint.
Allow it to cool COMPLETELY and reheat.
That plug will practically fall out.

Forkliftking

quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
DO NOT heat the plug!!!!
Heat the pipe,just at the edge and let the PB Blaster pull up into the joint.
Allow it to cool COMPLETELY and reheat.
That plug will practically fall out.

+1

oldrider

When I was working I found that I almost always came out ahead to just go to work and do what I knew how to do, and pay somebody to do what I didn't know a damn thing about!

competentone

quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41

Allow it to cool COMPLETELY and reheat.
That plug will practically fall out.


Do a total of three heat and cool cycles. The plug will heat up, but direct most of the heat to the pipe. It will come right out on the third heating.

If you don't have the time, just use a reciprocating saw -- with a diamond blade. Cut off the pipe at an appropriate location and replace with a rubber connector and PVC.