Stripped screw on engine case cover.....

[Guest]

Stripped screw on engine case cover. I was thinking about using an easy out. What tips or remedies may be deemed useful?

Thanks in advanced.

[azr]

I usually can cut a slot in the stripped Phillips head screw with my dremel and then use an impact screwdriver. You can't own one of these bikes without owning an impact screwdriver. Soak the screw with your favorite mixtures a bit first as well.

[posplayr]

A socket wrench with the proper fitting Phillips head works well as you can put much more pressure to prevent stripping. A dremel tool isalso indispensable if you need to cut a slot. Change out all the screws you czn including exhaust bolts with stainless hex heads. Exhaust bolts rad usually changed to studs. Get some PB blaster to soak bolts. Remember case cover bolts enter the block way below the cover so it is hard to get bzck in deep without the little straw.


a helix coil set with the extra 6mm size is real handy as it completely restores the threads better than new. I have even done it as preventative where I know I have high stress on the threads.

[CUEagle17]

Thanks for the quick reply. I will give it a try. The screw is counter sunk, so i am not sure if I will be able to get a cutting tool in there, but I will see what I can find. I will at least get an impact screw driver. All else fails, Easy out may be last resort!

[posplayr]

There are also left hand drills (Harbor Freight have them)most anything is preferred to zn easy out because if you break one of those you have to take it to a machinist to get it out

[CUEagle17]

Ill try the left hand drill bit first and while I am there I will pick up an impact screw driver.

I hope it works!

[JTGS850GL]

What ever you do, DON'T use an easy-out. If it breaks you'll be SOL.

[Devon]

I'd try the impact screwdriver before the left hand drill, when changing my chain and sprockets I had to cut slots and use the impact on all but one as the heads had already been butchered by the PO. Even if countersunk, you can use the plunge cut type dremel cutting tools carefully to make a slot, or, if the head of the screw isn't too butchered, you can get a proper JIS bit and try to lightly hammer it in there to see if you can get enough bite to turn it.

I was originally a doubter as to the superiority of properly fitting JIS bits when removing these screws, but when I finally got a set, I was able to remove screws that I thought were beyond hope as the heads were so butchered. The JIS bit will fit deeper into the fastener, hopefully below the damage done by improperly fitting phillips screwdrivers used previously.

[posplayr]

Yea if threads are bunged up you want to tap that bit deep into the screw head. Most often (over 90% of the time) they come out

[CUEagle17]

Well..... I never Heard about the JIS bits, but I did just research them! they seem the way to go and I will have to pick up a set (especially because I found a 1979 gs750E that I would like to make my main rider and keep my current 78 750 as a donor ) Thanks, Devon.

[CUEagle17]

As for the problem.......


FIXED!!!!

I took a chance and used easy outs....


I didn't check the forum after the first few posts and bought what I needed to fix the issue. I know it was a pretty risky move but, I took SIX screws out this way (I beat them up pretty good.... and they all needed done), here is what I did if anyone else is thinking about trying this method!


First, I used PB Blaster - I didn't just spray and let sit for a few minutes. I sprayed and let sit for hours. Then I sprayed again and an hour or two later (Repeat this process over a day) I then Sprayed one more time this morning and waited about 20 minutes prior to extracting the screws.


Easy outs - Now, when using easy outs I drilled the center then used the easy out bit. I used a cordless drill with a clutch! I would say it must have a clutch! I started on the lowest drill speed and clutch setting. I put a ton of down pressure into the screw when holding the drill and worked the clutch up one notch every time it slipped. Eventually it will catch and the screw should come out with easy! (Each screw may come out at a different clutch setting. This is why it was nice to increase by one each time.


Although I agree this should be a LAST RESORT this did work for me.


Thanks all for the help.

[tkent02]

Before you put it back together use Anti-sieze so the screws will come out easily next time.

[Ecklund]

As for the problem.......


FIXED!!!!

I took a chance and used easy outs....


I didn't check the forum after the first few posts and bought what I needed to fix the issue. I know it was a pretty risky move but, I took SIX screws out this way (I beat them up pretty good.... and they all needed done), here is what I did if anyone else is thinking about trying this method!


First, I used PB Blaster - I didn't just spray and let sit for a few minutes. I sprayed and let sit for hours. Then I sprayed again and an hour or two later (Repeat this process over a day) I then Sprayed one more time this morning and waited about 20 minutes prior to extracting the screws.


Easy outs - Now, when using easy outs I drilled the center then used the easy out bit. I used a cordless drill with a clutch! I would say it must have a clutch! I started on the lowest drill speed and clutch setting. I put a ton of down pressure into the screw when holding the drill and worked the clutch up one notch every time it slipped. Eventually it will catch and the screw should come out with easy! (Each screw may come out at a different clutch setting. This is why it was nice to increase by one each time.


Although I agree this should be a LAST RESORT this did work for me.


Thanks all for the help.

Nice job.

I snapped off a bolt on a head of a Ford 300 six. Drilled it and tried an EZ out. Probably too small because I snapped it. Had to take the head off and get the EZ out cut out with a laser. Well, at least that's what the shop told me. I don't have a machine shop back ground.

[posplayr]

Nice to know there is a safer way to use an easy out. Left hand drill probably do about the same but I guess it is probably possible to snap one of those as well. I love my Dewalt 18v clutch drill even more now.

I still ill don't think to many people are going to suggest going to an EZ out. If you beep increasing drill sizes at some point the threads just collapse and you can keep drilling and put in the heilicoil. So "last resort" ? Yes it is cause as stated you are sol if it breaks and you are off to themachinist

[Devon]

Well..... I never Heard about the JIS bits, but I did just research them! they seem the way to go and I will have to pick up a set (especially because I found a 1979 gs750E that I would like to make my main rider and keep my current 78 750 as a donor ) Thanks, Devon.

I had no idea about them either and learned of them through this forum when I started working on my bike. I doubted at first, and had a hand impact driver with regular Phillips bits, which I thought were good enough, but was very wrong. It is a night and day difference when using JIS drivers, they actually seat properly in the fastener and don't immediately ruin the screw heads, which are made of some kind of extremely soft cheese I'm convinced.