Hello
I'm new to this so I apologize if I do anything that I'm not supposed to. I ran across this site while surfing the internet and thought there might be a possibility that the masses might be able to help me out with a little road block. I am in the process of replacing the kitchen sink drain piping that was completely rotted out and noticed that the pipe that goes into the wall appears to be "leaded" into the cast iron/galvanized in-wall plumbing (don't know for sure which it is and I assume that it is cast iron because it seems to match the old school cast iron - lead connection methods). Even though the pipe looks whole towards the joint it feels very spongy on the bottom. Now I'm not a professional plumber by any means but I'm no noob either! I've completely re-plumbed a couple of houses, done toilets, water heaters, etc. etc. This is a bit different for me though but I'm sure I already know the answer. So my question is is how do I remove that pipe from the joint to replace it, heat it up, remove and re-install and "solder" new lead with new brass(chrome plated) or "stubbed" out to connect with pvc? Or do I skip that joint and cut out that elbow and install a new pvc elbow with a rubber coupling(with the stainless jacket and worm drive clamps)?

Well sorry I'm a little long winded but I wanted to get my question across clearly. Thank you in advance for any help and/or suggestions.

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Not sure I would heat the joint to point of melting lead. I think your best bet would be to drill lead out and use a fernco bushing to adapt to pvc. Or, as you suggested, just cut the old pipe off and use the rubber clamp to adapt to pvc. This would be the most quick easiest fix. Lead and okum joints take a lot more skill and time than modern methods. I would do the quick and easy modern method of cutting out cast, and adapting with rubber clamps. It will last just as long as the leaded joint. No need to make it harder than it has to be. Please let me know which way you are leaning.

I have looked at you picture several times today and am just perplexed. It does look like lead but lead can not be poured into that cavity unless the entire cast iron pipe where laying on the floor horizontally. That doesn't seem to make much sense either. I too would drill it out and use a fernco adaptor, cast to PVC. However, I am concerned that you will create a lip inside this joint that will catch this in the drain water. I think most of the pros at AMHD might think it's a good idea to open that wall and get further back closer to the stack and make your transition to PVC there.

The current plan is to cut the old elbow out and connect with pvc with a rubber boot. I will post pics when it is completed tomorrow.

Hi Tech...

Easier to cut that joint in the wall like you are suggesting. Use a bimetal sawzall blade or if you can find the new LENNOX diamond sawzall blade buy that... will make your cut in 2 minutes flat!

Then use a shielded clamp to make the transition over to plastic... just like you thought!

And Ballenger (Bob), when I was a kid we'd lay out a number of joints/pipe on the floor and pack it and pour it all with lead and then lift the fittings/pipe into the air afterward and hang the pipes. Even some plumbers would come on the jobs and wonder how we poured some of the joints that got poured... just like you were suggesting!

MARK

my question is is how do I remove that pipe from the joint to replace it, heat it up, remove and re-install and "solder" new lead with new brass(chrome plated) or "stubbed" out to connect with pvc?
You have a lead and oakum poured and caulked joint. Let's get rid of that fiirst, To remove a poured lead and oakum joint take a 3/8" drill bit and drill a few holes down past the lead and into the oakum.. Push a screwdriver under the lead ring and lever it up. Once it's free you can began to peel the lead ring out. Now pick out the oakum and you can pull the joint apart and get that old rotten pipe out of there.
You may now purchase a Duel-Tite Gasket,(see images) and grease a piece of PVC and insert into the hub for a stubout. From there you can glue in a PVC trap and raiser. Good luck. Tom

Thanks for the pic speedball, this is what I was talking about when I mentioned the fernco bushing.

Ballengerb1, you are correct not to use an adapter(fernco coupling) over the fitting, as it would create a catch all spot around the rim of fitting. A bushing, or duel tite gasket would be the best way to connect new pvc to cast hub. Or as you have all suggested, just cut that fitting out and adapt by rubber shielded boot.

letmetellu, That is going to be more of a Tom Speedball1 question. I have never installed even one lead/oakum joint. New installs are mostly all PVC and ABS.

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My result.

Everything worked out pretty well except... In the first picture (far left) the first joint on the trap assembly in the foreground is leaky pretty good. I'm positive that it is pilot error and it's all because of the piping that I needed to get in order to make the elevations of the trap outlet to meet with the wall inlet. I figured if I got the low rise or low elevation trap that it would work fine which it did to an extent. The connection is of the flanged type with a plastic flanged washer. I tried all kinds of washers to rig the problem but nothing... still leaks. So what type of pipe should I use that would come out of the T fitting and mate correctly with the trap without leaking? Lol.

From begging till now on this post I definitely misread the pics.

I now see what you were dealing with. And good job on the adapting of old pipe to pcv. Now, I would suggest swapping out the complete chrome end outlet waste for plastic tubular end outlet waste. You will want a direct connect end outlet waste. This will gain you some room to use a plastic tubular p-trap.

To stop the leak in the chrome assembly, you need to make sure that the side pipe is inserted completely into the tee. With chrome, you should be using a rubber gasket that was supplied with assembly.

complete chrome end outlet waste
plastic tubular end outlet waste
direct connect end outlet waste

Could you please define these three items?