Question about sewer cleanout pipe cover

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LBrandt

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Hello,

My neighbor, who is in his 80’s, has a pvc sewer cleanout pipe in his front yard, but the cover is missing, and he doesn’t know what happened to it. The cover is supposed to screw into the top of the cleanout pipe. I’ve tried to help him find a replacement, but even though we’ve been to several plumbing supply shops, we haven’t been able to find one that fits. He wants one that sits at ground level, so that his mower won't damage it.

Everyone that we talk to says that the cleanout pipe is normally a 4 inch pipe, but when we measure the threads at the top of his, we get about 4 5/8 diameter thread to thread. The ones that we’ve bought and had to return are about 4 1/2 inches across (thread to thread), and they just won’t fit.

His house is about 38 years old, but I assumed that the sewer cleanout pipe was of a standard size.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Louis
 

JLM34

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Sounds odd to have that much trouble finding a plug. If all else fails, dig out around the pipe, take a hacksaw and cut down below the whole top section (the fitting with the cap) until you have just the 3 or 4 inch pipe sticking up, then go buy you a whole new cleanout adapter and plug. Shouldn't cost but $5. I would advise against putting it at ground level, but it's his yard. The ones at ground level tend to get covered up over the years somehow and then the next homeowner is going around cursing trying to find a cleanout. Or - it gets mowed over because it's "hiding". I leave mine exposed a few inches.
 

Themp

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Sewer cleanout ruined

I had a PVC threaded cap on the sewer cleanout and when the plumber came out to snake the line for a blockage, he told me up front that the interior threads on the cap were going to be ruined. And sure enough they were, so I just cut off the cap and added a plain 4" PVC pipe with a rubber Fernco cap just below the height of the mower blade.
 
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hj

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Quote; he told me up front that the interior threads on the cap were going to be ruined. And sure enough they were

Either he was NOT a very competent drain cleanor, or he did not have the proper machine, because THAT is the only place I normally snake from and the "interior threads" are NEVER damaged. A photo of your pipe might help because there is NO "normal" plumbing fitting that would measure 4 5/8"
 

LBrandt

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Quote; he told me up front that the interior threads on the cap were going to be ruined. And sure enough they were

Either he was NOT a very competent drain cleanor, or he did not have the proper machine, because THAT is the only place I normally snake from and the "interior threads" are NEVER damaged. A photo of your pipe might help because there is NO "normal" plumbing fitting that would measure 4 5/8"

When I say 4 5/8", I am referring to the distance between the threads at the surface. As far as the fitting below the threads, I can't measure that.
 
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