Cleanout Stuck

[Brandon Halbert]

I have a 4" cast iron threaded cleanout that is stuck. It appears to be very think. Are there any tricks to removing it? I have used liquid wrench and I have heated it with a torch. What's next? If I were to try to knock it out, what is the best method to drill into cast iron?

 

[Mikey]

I'd try heating the pipe, freezing the plug, a big honking (impact, maybe?) wrench, and prayer.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

BIG PIPE WRENCH

 

[Mikey]

A really useful tool for this and other tough applications (like the anode rod in a water heater) would be a two-handled wrench, so you could pull one one handle and push on the other, and apply a pure torque to the recalcitrant nut, plug, whatever. I've seen purpose-built wrenches like that, but none for general purpose use.

 

[Diehard]

Agree with @SHEPLMBR...A big wrench that will fit over the largest diameter(the threaded portion).
And whack with a heavy hammer, to break loose, rather than just brute force.

Looks like lead threads, so something should go.

 

[CT18]

Heat up the cast iron around it. Cut it out and replace with pvc plug.

 

[Geofd]

that looks like whats called a (lead fit all plug) they are used when the threads on the cast iron fitting are rotted out or no good...so the (lead fit all) is just tapped into the cleanout so use a hammer tap the nut from side to side it should come right out....the threads are lead that's why it taps in...

 

[Diehard]

Separate subject but what is that line that looks like it's connected to that drain line?

 

[Brandon Halbert]

Thanks for all the replies! I had a 14" pipe wrench, but borrowed a neighbors bigger pipe wrench, then I put a 36" galvanized pipe over the end of the pipe wrench. Mechanical Advantage saves the day! I had heated it the day before, and put liquid wrench on the threads several hours before, but the pipe was room temp when I put the 3' leverage on the wrench. With that kind of leverage, it actually moved quite easily. Thanks @SHEPLMBR.

 

[Brandon Halbert]

Separate subject but what is that line that looks like it's connected to that drain line?

It is a simple S trap open pipe that serves as the drain for the dehumidifier that sits next to the drain. This is how I determined that the drain was clogged - because water was pouring out of this as my daughter was showering...fun cleanup!

 

[packardv8]

Congratulations. It's always better to be lucky. I've seen a cheater bar wreck an eighty-year-old run of vertical soil pipe. Leaded joints have no strength to resist lateral forces.

jack vines

 

[frodo]

ShePlbg is the Man !!!!!!!

 

[FishScreener]

This generally works for me:
ratchet strap between two pipe wrenches, keeps the weird side forces to a minimum. Figured it out one day when I was trying to unscrew a fifty year old galvanized steel waste line, running between two floor joists in a basement.

Every body seems to have a couple of ratchet straps on the truck, and the good ones will pull five hundred pounds of tension easily. I’ve known a few beefy, pure brawn, folks in my time, but none of them can generate 500-pounds.

If you use two, 2000-lb ratchets, three healthy fire kids, and a fat old man, on a pair of 48-inch pipe wrenches, you will collapse 4-inch pipes.

 

[Geofd]

that looks like whats called a (lead fit all plug) they are used when the threads on the cast iron fitting are rotted out or no good...so the (lead fit all) is just tapped into the cleanout so use a hammer tap the nut from side to side it should come right out....the threads are lead that's why it taps in...

if you look on the outside of the clean out....those threads are lead ….

 

[pickngrin]

I’ve aslo seen hammer and cold chisel used to shater cast iron ones into pieces. But good job using a persuader on this lead one!

 

[packardv8]

if you look on the outside of the clean out....those threads are lead ….

For true, but entropy is a relentless beech. Given enough time for entropy to do her work, even the best old tech (coating iron pipe threads with lead) will become immobile.

At present, I'm wrestling with a very similar 4" cleanout plug. It has lead coated threads and it ain't moving. The first attempt broke a 1" Snap-on combination wrench. A 36" Ridgid pipe wrench didn't loosen it and in the corner where the cleanout sits, there's no room for the 48" or a cheater bar. I bought a 1" square Snap-on impact socket and put a 3/4"drive Earthquake impact on it. Fifty years of doing this has taught me not to just pull the trigger and lean on it. Begin by gently rattling it in the "tighten" direction and then alternate tighten-loosen.

Finally, it began to move! - in the wrong joint. An internally threaded collar is leaded into the bell of the off leg of the 4" iron y-pipe joint; the cleanout plug screws into that. The collar and plug began to move in the lead. Only next step I can see is to remove the lead, clean and install a expansion type plug. Any other suggestions?

jack vines

 

[Diehard]

Just replace it with a test plug. As you said, an expansion type plug.

 

[CT18]

If it is a brass plug just cut it out and replace it with a pvc threaded plug.

 

[Diehard]

If it is a brass plug just cut it out and replace it with a pvc threaded plug.

I believe he said, "An internally threaded collar is leaded into the bell of the off leg of the 4" iron y-pipe joint; the cleanout plug screws into that. The collar and plug began to move in the lead.", which I believe means he's going to end up with a bell joint because the leaded in collar is coming out with the CO plug.
Of course he may still have the option to re-caulk the leaded joint with caulking chisel and hammer. But he would have to have the proper chisels and know how to do it properly.

 

[packardv8]

Of course he may still have the option to re-caulk the leaded joint with caulking chisel and hammer. But he would have to have the proper chisels and know how to do it properly.

For true; my father began work as a Steelworker's Union pipefitter in 1946 and stayed for more than forty years. I inherited all his tools, including a gas stove, lead ladle, asbestos collar, caulking chisels and even a few sticks of lead and some caulking rope. It's been a while since I helped him hang iron, but I think I can remember enough to muddle through. Might be worth the effort, just to say I did one for him.

jack vines