stripped float bowl screw, how to remove?

[stan]

the previous owner stripped out a screw on one of the float bowls, but im afraid to cut it / file it to be able to remove it with a flathead. i figure the gas fumes will catch fire if i do that. is there a simple way to get this stripped screw out without risking flaming carbs, and without having to take teh carbs off the bike and let them sit to evaporate clean for a day?

[mossy1200]

Grab it with the tip of side cutters and get allen key bolts to replace them all.

[haro504]

did you try to grab it with some channel locks or needle nose

[KASH]

if all fails just drill it out

[reelrazor]

Vise grips

[yamaha_george]

the previous owner stripped out a screw on one of the float bowls, but im afraid to cut it / file it to be able to remove it with a flathead. i figure the gas fumes will catch fire if i do that. is there a simple way to get this stripped screw out without risking flaming carbs, and without having to take teh carbs off the bike and let them sit to evaporate clean for a day?

Yeh miriacles happen every day, If you go thro the arcive of this site it is litterally literred with sob stories of broken bolts that people were too lazy or inexperienced to remove properly.

The carb must be removed from the bike and preferably from its bank. I will assume that the other bolt holding the float bowl is removable, remove the float chamber & pref the float to stop accidents like punctured float or bent pivot pins or busted pivot bosses.

Now you can put the carb in a vice use soft jaws or rag so you do not bugger the carb surface up.

File the offending screw flat ( being soft the metal will not spark & cause the fire you are afraid of.)
once flatish take a JUNIOR hack saw with a NEW blade and cut a slot. Use ascrew driver that wil FIT in the slot with as little sloppy movement as possible (hence the use of a junior hack saw(thinner blades since you are only dealing with 4mm to start with))

If that does not do it then you remove all the palstic & rubber bits from the carb
pop it in the kitchen oven which is set to the max setting of Mark 1 for about 15 mins turn it off the oven BEFORE you pop the carb in to dry it out.

This amount of heat just may be enough to break the corrossion on the thread so try the screw driver again.
IF THAT does NOT work.
You then tack weld a piece of steel rod (either in a T shape or L shape ) to the offending screw , the weld heat def will break any corrosion and the screw will now come out easily.


Drilling is a no no as the broken surface is now a hard crystaline surface that a standard drill bit will skid across into the carb body. If using side cutters to use as a grip the blunter & older the better or you will cut thro the screw it is only 4mm after all

One word of caution use CopperCOTE anti seize when putting in new screws ESPECIALLY if they are stainless steel.

[JohnnyO]

Vise grips

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