3" Cast Iron Cleanout (in Wye? Removal

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CapstanRec

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My main cast iron stack ties into an upside down wye which connects to a hub and piece of cast entering the ground at a 45 degree angle. This ties into my main sewer line somewhere downstream. The straight side of the wye had a cracked (in half) cleanout cover. As a result, from time to time I've been able to smell sewer gases.

I want to remove the cleanout and the small piece cast iron nipple in the hub. I carefully removed the lead and okum in the wye hub. I can now see down around the nipple into the hub. But the piece won't budge. The inner wall of the nipple is very rusted and hard to see exactly where it stops and where the inner wall of wye starts. Any ideas how to get the cleanout nipple out?

It was too dark to take pictures last. Will do so today or tomorrow.
 
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hj

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If you removed ALL of the lead and oakum, the piece just lifts out of the hub. What do you mean by an "upside down wye"? A cleanout is typically a "cleanout adapter" with a brass plug screwed into it.
 

CapstanRec

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It's just wye oriented to accept the vertical stack into the wye part of the fitting. So the wye enters the ground at 45 degrees. The straight part of wye has the cleanout adpater in it. It did have a threaded cap but the part of the cleanout adapter that accepts the screw is entirely rusted out. This must be some kind of service wye. There is no hub on other end.

Perhaps I didn't remove all the okum. All the lead on top is definitely removed. I didn't want to beat or bang on the adapter. From what you're saying, it should just slide out.

Thanks.
 

CapstanRec

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I spent another 10 minutes today and was able to remove the cleanout adapter.

Before.jpg

After.jpg

Also, I had my house shored and leveled roughly 2 years ago. I had the shoring company cut the vertical cast iron before they raised my house. After raising, there was an inch or so gap. I temporarily put that no hub connector in place so I could use my bathroom (I only had one in my house). I called a local plumber and he said it'll work ok but it'd be better to splice in a section of PVC with no hubs on each end. Do you agree? Or should I dig out the vertical piece like I did the cleanout and tie back with a nohub and a donut. Thanks again.

NoHub.jpg
 

CapstanRec

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It's been several weeks but my bathroom plumbing is complete and everything is working great.

Just wanted to say thanks for the help !!!

The tie into the cast iron was the most difficult. The 3" in picture picks up the lavatory upstream via 3"x2" wye; which is exactly what hj and others told me to do. I also have a cleanout on the 3".

I know this wasn't the most difficult plumbing project out there, but it sure is nice to have a new 1/2 bathroom downstairs. Cheers.

I sure hope you guys don't see any more mistakes because it's all cemented up. :)
 

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