# Help Identify 30 Year Old Sink Trap Fitting



## Privy Man (Mar 3, 2013)

Hello,

Here is the picture:










The fitting in question is the one on the left going from the left basin into the "Y". The other side is the disposer drain for the other basin. This photo is for fitting identification. The real issue is an identical fitting to the left one in the picture on the left but is in the lavatory.

The one in the lavatory is seeping at the joint of the conical section and the horizontal trap pipe. I would like to do professional job replace the whole trap assembly into the wall fitting. The problem is I can't figure out if and how this fitting is supposed to come apart.

I would have expected the conical section to unscrew but so far it has not budged with a fair amount of force. This makes me wonder if this is not a screw-off cap on this fitting. The other interesting thing is that the conical piece has no ribs to engage a wrench adding more doubt that this is a screw-off cap. Something tells me that this is supposed to be (or was) some kind of slip fitting for the tail piece of the trap assembly. I can't believe that this was a glue on fitting but someone may have glued it.

Can any of you positively identify this fitting and if and how it is supposed to come apart? It is up close to (in) the wall and with very little clearance for the horizontal trap tail so there is no room for cutting and splicing. Now would not be a good time for making matters worse by forcing and breaking something.

Thanks,

Privy Man


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

I just made sweet sweet love to this thread.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

You usually have to get it with an 18" pipe wrench, they are a bear to get apart. You can try a little bit of wd-40 or any kind of penetrating oil (ky works too.) once you get that conical nut off (ballcock) you can slide the trap out. I recommend you go to the supply house and ask them for an inch and a half copper adjustable trap because that pipe is old and they just don't make it anymore. Home Depot and big box stores do not sell the copper traps so don't even bother trying there.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you!

I forgot to add, if the penetrating oil doesn't work you can try a little heat to work some of that sludge holding the nut on. If a torch isn't handy, possibly a food prep torch or butane lighter?


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Man, your screwed. That's heavy lead content ABS it is big time illegal now(f-ing panzies at the EPA). What ever you do don't call a plumber he will want to tear your whole house down to get rid of that stuff. I would go with electric tape, that sh!t is great.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Don't be scared big fella! Ain't nothing to it, reach in there with a torch and unsolder it, then take the whole mess with ya to the fire dept to explain how you burn't your trailer down!


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## Pac Rim Plumber (Jun 23, 2010)

I would follow 504plumbers suggestion, it has always worked for me. If the WD-40 does not loosen it up though you can always try a product called rector seal, brush it on nice and thick and let it sit for 30 minutes to soak into the threads, make sure you don't go light on the application.


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## SHAUN C (Feb 16, 2011)

It's got reverse threads, if the heat doesn't work use a 24" wrench. Your welcome..


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## johntheplumber (Feb 11, 2013)

I have sometimes had to pour some acetone or rubbing alcohol on the fitting. You need to apply it kind of regularly as it likes to disparate. Do this for 3 minutes then use a torch to "warm " it up. Should slide right off.


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## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

make sure you go to the city to pull a permit for this. Take your picture and they will know what permit you need.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Dynamite works every time.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Sillycone sticks to that black plastic really well. Apply a liberal coating then wrap it with toilet tissue paper before the sillycone sets. The tissue will stabilize the sillycone and make a durable seal that won't crack or peal away.

Once you have it well sealed you don't need to fix it


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Privy Man said:


> Hello,
> 
> Here is the picture:
> 
> ...


Now would not be a good time to expect free information from men who learned this business starting on the business end of a shovel. You don't apologize for coming on a "Professional Plumbers Only"page uninvited, you just start posting. You think we're going to walk you through it? Kill yourself slowly.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

You young kids and your heat -- All of us Old-Timers know that the only way to break apart that old lead based ABS is with liquid nitrogen and a 36" pipe wrench.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Omg u have got to be joking. Some people are so f n stupid. I swear. People think hey il just go online and find out any thing I need to know do ta do da da doo ta do. Morons. Hire a real plumber. Get lost. Man. Cuz if u wer a plumber ud 1 have gave an intro and 2 known wtf ur doin and not waste our time with this stupid crap. Or 3 you could be a 21 year old cheerleader and model and in that case plz stay but the likely hood of that is about as good as me bein president of USA and we all know who that loser is and it sure ain't me. Peace out!!


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## Hoozycoozy (Apr 26, 2011)

You need a new water heater, that'll fix it.


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## JPL (Feb 8, 2013)

Privy Man said:


> *I would like to do professional job* replace the whole trap assembly into the wall fitting.


Well I want a toilet made out of solid gold, but it's just not in the cards now is it?


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## johntheplumber (Feb 11, 2013)

JPL said:


> Well I want a toilet made out of solid gold, but it's just not in the cards now is it?


Here you go.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Listen, all these guys are just messing with you. That's an old style ramneck trap. You need a ½ horsepower reciprocating circle jerker to remove that effectively. I have fought those things many times over the years and that's all that will work. Home depot has plenty of those circle jerkers around. You should easily find one. Good luck!


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Haha. The "Y" fitting. Just caught that.


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## plumberpro (Jan 1, 2013)

you need to open wall and cut every thing out then call a licensed professional plumber to repipe it for you


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

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