# Stuck clean-out plug



## abunaitoo (Jul 6, 2013)

First post here. 

Old house. Cast iron pipes.
I want to remove the clean-out plugs before I need to clean out the drains.
Found two clean-outs. One outside, brass plug. One inside under bathroom sink, plastic plug, 3".
Both are stuck. Soaking with Krol and PB Blaster. 
Inside one is not a problem. Comon size and plastic. Don't see a problem getting it out.
Outside one looks to be brass. 3" plug is to big. I measure it as 2 1/2". Can't find one anywhere. I don't want to break it out untill I find a replacement.

I've soaked the plug with Krol, PB Blaster, and heated it up with a propane torch. No luck. 
Any suggestions?????


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## CallMeVilla (Jul 6, 2013)

Have you hammered on the plug to help the penetrating stuff to get into the threads AND to break up the old pipe dope?  

If you heat it, use MAP gas or stronger.  Simple propane is not adequate.  Get the largest plumbing wrench you can find, put a cheater bar on the handle for added torque.

You will either get the plug out or ruin the pipe.  Sometimes, you have to pay to play.  

OH, you can also consult these two ways  ...  http://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/repair/how-to-remove-a-stuck-cleanout-plug/view-all


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## nealtw (Jul 7, 2013)

Brass expands more than Iron with heat, so cooling this as much as you can will give you your best shot at removel.


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## abunaitoo (Jul 8, 2013)

I'll probably end up cutting the inside pulg out. I have a replacement. Not enough room to put a big wrench on it.
The outside plug is a problem. It's the type with just a slot in the flat top. It's sunk in a hole in the cement driveway. No way to get a wrench on the fitting and plug. 
From the looks of it, the idiot who installed it, didn't use any pipe goop. Just cranked it down tight. 
I did try cooling it with ice. I cut out the bottom of a plastic tub to fit the fitting, filled it with ice, let it sit untill the ice was water, and tried to chisel it out. Didn't move. 
I can't find a replacement plug. It measures 2 1/2". Probably obsolete. 
It looks like the fitting is leaded in. I might just have to melt it out and replace the whole fitting.


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## nealtw (Jul 8, 2013)

I would be lookig for plan B remove toilet or find other places you could run a snake in. I have seen an old timer use a cold chisel to attempt to turn it and when that didn't work he kept going and chiseled out the plug, but I wasn't really paying attention to all of what he did.


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## Admin (Jul 8, 2013)

How much room do you have to work with? Do you have any pics?


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## elbo (Jul 9, 2013)

ice is not cold enough. Get a block of dry ice which is super cold carbon dioxide, put it on the plug and cover it with a folded over towel, leave it on for a while and try to remove it again.
There is another method call heat and shrink. you cover the plug only with the dry ice and heat the pipe around the plug. The iron will expand while the dry ice keeps the plug cold. It wont take long to work so be prepared to work fast


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## abunaitoo (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm looking for a replacement plug. I'll have to check with a plumbing shop. Only went to the box stores so far.
If I can't find a replacement plug, I'll just have to change the whole fitting. 
Not looking forward to it. 
Took a picture. Hope it post.  
No room to get anykind of wrench on it.
Dry ice idea sounds good. Hard to find dry ice here. If I can find some, I'll try it.


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## Chris (Jul 10, 2013)

A plumbing supply house should have that size although you are in Hawaii so it may take six months to get it.

Or try Ebay if they will ship to you?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1-2-Coppe...h-Or-Raised-/350302533188?hash=item518fa87644


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## abunaitoo (Jul 19, 2013)

Finally found a replacement plug.
Now the hard part.
Wish me luck.


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## abunaitoo (Jul 27, 2013)

Had some free time to work on it.
It wasn't all that bad.
Plastic one, under the sink, was harder of the two. Not much room to work. Plastic kept on grabbing the drill bit. Used a vibrating saw to cut a part of it. Wacked it a few times until it came loose. Screwed it out. 
Brass one was easy. Hardest part was drilling the hole. Drilled four holes and used a jig saw to connect the holes. Made enough room for a sawzaw blade to fit and cut as close to the sides as I could. Chiseled out about 1/4 of the cap. Wacked it until it came loose and unscrewed it.
New ones went in with teflon tape and white grease.
Picture of old plugs.


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