The Y is leaking at the top joint (between short piece and painted 45 before exiting the panel on right).

What is the proper technique to replace the Y?
Should I remove the PVC at the cast hub and start fresh or should I couple a piece?
Is the PVC connected to the cast iron there with a male adapter?

My plumbing woes increase daily, please help... my anxiety level is thru the roof!

yes, that is a male adapter at the cast iron. there is no good way to fix a leak other than cut it out and replace it.
put a cleanout tee below the new "Y".
clean off all the paint and use primer before the glue is applied.

So your saying don't touch the male adapter? Am I asking for trouble starting from the hub?

Also in regards to the cleanout.... there a cleanout at the end of that lateral to the right of the photo... the main cleanout is also 2' below this joint.... do you think I still need a cleanout in the photo?



Edited 1 times.

I just like a lot of cleanouts..
if the male adapter is not leaking then leave it. just cut a short distance above the 45 glued into it.
there is no secret to making a proper joint in PVC pipe. clean off the old paint, apply primer and while the primer is still damp, apply the glue. turn the fitting back and forth slightly to evenly distribute the glue. hold it for a couple of seconds to make sure it doesn't come apart..

If I do change it from the cast iron, in regards to the male adapter... theses are the two I have on hand:

Mueller 436-015



or

NIBCO 4804



WHICH ONE SHOULD I USE?

AND AGAIN, do you feel I am asking for trouble (ie damaged female threads) if I remove the male adapter?

if you are strong enough to ruin female cast iron threads with a male plastic adapter, you can make some money on TV.
no, you won't bother the threads.
both fittings are the same. I would remove the old adapter and try both of yours to see which fits better. use plenty of pipe dope on the male threads. I wouldn't use Teflon tape in that situation.
lastly, make sure your PVC cement is nice and fresh not thick and globby.

That Y is an addition made after the original pipe was installed. Since there is nothing to show HOW it was inserted, the assumption is that a longer piece than necessary was removed and the Y "jacked" in and then positioned so that it made contact with both ends. If so, it is not fully inserted on the top side, which is why it leaks. Cut it out and insert a new Y properly.

a cleanout between the Y and the main stack would have absolutely no purpose.

And HOW to you propose that he "insert" that new Y in the "rigid" section of piping?

Don't use either, unless you think removing the paint to make a joint is too much work. If you do either one will work. Although the bottom one IS a DWV adapter, in this instance it is irrelevant which is used.

"And HOW to you propose that he "insert" that new Y in the "rigid" section of piping?"

To the right of the photo, in the other room on the same horizontal length of pipe I need to repair an inlet to the lateral. I was thinking of glueing one end there with a coupling and using a banded coupling on the other end.

Will I have suffient lateral movement?

"a cleanout between the Y and the main stack would have absolutely no purpose."
..........................
my code calls for a cleanout at the base of every stack. the section below that "Y" is a "base of a stack"..

a banded coupling will give you some additional movement. cutting a little bit of that pine paneling away will also help.

Not in my book. I should also say it is not necessary within 3' from the main line.

Putting a cleanout at the end of a branch line is ridiculous. A cleanout at the furthest point is both more practical and functional. I wouldn't call that a stack regardless, the line is horizontal, not vertical (the diagonal section is included in that)