SuzukiSavage.com - Stripped carb screws

Hammy211

Ex Member

Stripped carb screws
05/27/05 at 14:04:39

Well, I stripped some more screws. This time I stripped the two smal ones inside the carb. Would a left handed drill bit work to get these out. I'm just afraid the screws will become stuck and I will have to buy a new slide. Not a big deal, but me bike has been apart for over a week already and I don't want to have to wait for more parts to be able to ride it. Any suggestions would be great.

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Max_Morley Serious Thumper Offline LT650 Luxury Touring & sidecar rig Posts: 1490 Moses Lake. WA Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #1 - 05/27/05 at 14:38:39 Go to Sears, Home Depot, Lowes or any good harware store and look in the drill accessories section. They make a special bit now to do what you want to do. Don't forget to look for the replacement screws while you are out . Max
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bentwheel Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ride free, citizen Posts: 658 Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #2 - 05/27/05 at 14:48:09 I feel for you Hammy, those are tough screws to remove. Try a good quality penetrating fluid (not WD40) to both ends of the screws, and let it sit for a bit. Try a pair of needle nose vice grips on the screw head. This is a case where only quality tools will work . A cheap nn vice grip will flex and slip off.
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Clark

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Re: Stripped carb screws
Reply #3 - 05/27/05 at 14:50:39

While many people here rave about the white spacer change, none seem to caution people about what can happen if you try it. I had the same issue with the same M3 screws. The small philips head stripped out very easily. While trying to get them out, I punctured the diaphram. I ordered a new diaphram assembly, plate, screws, and lock washers over the internet for about $90 total. I drilled out the screws to salvage the plunger, spring, and infamous spacer. After shaving the spacer I reassembled it with the new parts. Putting it back together is very tedious due to trying to keep the plunger down, half spacer in, plate aligned, lock washer on the screw, the screw on the screw driver, and finally this is all happening down in a tube. Very frustrating. I don't know how one would do it without a magnetic screw driver bit.

It helped eliminate 80% of the backfiring with the half spacer in. I am tempted to take more of it out, but am afraid to try again.

It is worth the change, but the change is not always as easy as many would tell you.

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Michael Ex Member	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #4 - 05/27/05 at 15:06:23 Must be a inferior made screws. Same story here, and I hardly even touched them. Even the drain screw head on the bowl stripped, with the slightest twist. cheers Michael
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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #5 - 05/27/05 at 15:36:50 Here's a tip for putting them back in, take a small piece of electrical tape, wrap it around the screwdriver tip and jam the screw onto he screwdriver. The electrical tape will hold the screw on the tip of the screwdriver till you can get it lined up in the hole. Ed L.
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Stripped carb screws
Reply #6 - 05/27/05 at 15:41:20

Clark wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

While many people here rave about the white spacer change, none seem to caution people about what can happen if you try it. I had the same issue with the same M3 screws. The small philips head stripped out very easily. While trying to get them out, I punctured the diaphram. I ordered a new diaphram assembly, plate, screws, and lock washers over the internet for about $90 total. I drilled out the screws to salvage the plunger, spring, and infamous spacer. After shaving the spacer I reassembled it with the new parts. Putting it back together is very tedious due to trying to keep the plunger down, half spacer in, plate aligned, lock washer on the screw, the screw on the screw driver, and finally this is all happening down in a tube. Very frustrating. I don't know how one would do it without a magnetic screw driver bit.

Therein does lie a trick to the trade. Don't have a magnetic screwdriver? Make one by dragging it over a strong magnet a few times.

Quote:

It helped eliminate 80% of the backfiring with the half spacer in. I am tempted to take more of it out, but am afraid to try again.

It is worth the change, but the change is not always as easy as many would tell you.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Stripped carb screws
Reply #7 - 05/27/05 at 15:43:22

Ed L. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

Here's a tip for putting them back in, take a small piece of electrical tape, wrap it around the screwdriver tip and jam the screw onto he screwdriver. The electrical tape will hold the screw on the tip of the screwdriver till you can get it lined up in the hole. Ed L.

Another good one...and few ever think of a little bit of duct tape to keep a nut in a socket or wrench for those awkward hard to reach places.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Stripped carb screws
Reply #8 - 05/27/05 at 15:59:42

From the number of replies concerning stripped screw heads in this topic...are people using the correct type of screwdriver to remove these screws? As happens all too often, we are stubborn and in a hurry, and we grab the tools that are the closest and just try to make do.

Hint #1 - Never use a Phillips screwdriver that is too small for the screw head. If it doesn't fit snuggly and completely, find one that does.

Hint #2 - If it slips out of the head one time, try something else. Don't do it again, or the condition will get worse. Find an impact driver if needed (or hint #4).

Hint #3 - There is a less common type of screw head called a Reid and Prince (I think that's correct). The tip of these screw drivers are more pointed and will not fit in a Phillips correctly (more blunted).

Hint #4 - If a screw seems too tight, stop and find a small hammer and a worn out screw driver. Hold the driver firmly in the screw head and give it 2 or 3 good solid smacks with the hammer. You'll be surprised how that can loosen tight screws....especially steel screws in aluminum.

Hint #5 - Replace worn phillips screw drivers, and if possible replace the screws with allen or hex head.

And BTW - I did strip one screw in the diaphram cover of my carb a few years ago...so it can happen to all of us.

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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10607 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #9 - 05/27/05 at 17:22:25 More reasons for switching to stainless steel allen head screws. Also a good reason for switching to an aftermarket carb...much less expensive and good quality screws.
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red2k1 Ex Member	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #10 - 05/27/05 at 19:07:08 Hint # 2 (impact driver) and Hint #4 above work for me every time.
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Savage_Rob

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Re: Stripped carb screws
Reply #11 - 05/27/05 at 21:10:22

Same here: when I first saw they didn't want to budge, I tried my impact driver... too big to get it in there. So I used a screwdriver and hammer instead and just tapped it a couple of times before trying again. Worked like a charm.

And I really should replace them with some stainless allen screws next time I have it open. I did for the main eight screws on the outside of the carb but not those two inside.

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klx650sm2002 Serious Thumper Offline The more I learn the less I know. Posts: 2041 Cumbria,England Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #12 - 05/28/05 at 02:38:50 On My FCR all the screws are allen screws as standard. Clive W
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #13 - 05/28/05 at 06:01:34 klx650sm2002 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05: On My FCR all the screws are allen screws as standard. Clive W I wonder why phillips are so common? Are they easier to install from a production point of view?
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Stripped carb screws Reply #14 - 05/28/05 at 07:08:06 Phillips head are less expensive. Savage is sold at bargain basement price. -WD
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