removal of damaged screw

[mark_gober]

Hey everyone, need some advice from some seasoned mechanics. I've got a phillips screw that refuses to budge on a carburetor. It's a #6 screw so it's fairly large. After damaging the phillip portion trying to remove it, I decided to purchase a damaged screw remover set from sears. I've never had much luck with the type that reverse thread (similar to the grabit you see on TV), so I purchased one of the types that look like a socket set. They are supposed to grab around the outside edge of the screw and remove it. No luck. All it did was dig into the metal. It never bit into the metal. Today I was at Lowes and purchased a grabit (pro version because I figured it would be stronger). In addition, I purchased a 20 degree swivel for use with a power drill so that I could gain a more straight on angle. I was unable to go directly onto the screw without it. Unlike previous versions of this type of tool, my grabit immediately took a nice healthy bite into the screw. I thought I was finally gonna hit pay dirt and then SNAP, the grabit broke into the screw. So now I have the bottom portion of the grabit firmly imbedded into my screw and the screw is still stuck. So my questions are these....

First, anyone got any ideas on removing the broken portion from my screw. I've considered fracturing it and removing it piece by piece, but with it being hardened steel, I'm not sure how to do that. (In other words, I'd need hardened steel to break it...what would keep the new tool from breaking instead)

Second, assuming I can remove the grabit, anyone got any fool proof methods for damaged screw removal. This is the third time I've had similar problems and I've not been successful once. At this point, an expensive tool that actually worked would suit me just fine.

Mark

 

[cannonfodder]

Re: removal of damaged screw

I have had good luck with welding a washer on the head of the screw and tapping it out with a chisel. When the weld cools the screw shrinks and comes out easily Sometimes!! Hope this helps

 

[Chris1956]

Re: removal of damaged screw

That is a tough problem. Can you back out the Grabit with a vicegrip? A better question is do you really need to get the screw out? It sounds like you applied all the muscle the screw can take w/o results. You could drill off the screw head, but I wonder if you could get the balance of the screw out.

Can you remove the gas and fumes from the carb and use some heat and PB Blaster? Heat the screw pretty hot, remove the heat and spray it with the oil. It should suck some in when it cools. Repeat and then try to remove it again.

 

[mark_gober]

Re: removal of damaged screw

That is a tough problem. Can you back out the Grabit with a vicegrip? A better question is do you really need to get the screw out? It sounds like you applied all the muscle the screw can take w/o results. You could drill off the screw head, but I wonder if you could get the balance of the screw out.

Can you remove the gas and fumes from the carb and use some heat and PB Blaster? Heat the screw pretty hot, remove the heat and spray it with the oil. It should suck some in when it cools. Repeat and then try to remove it again.

Chris,

I might be able to use the PB blaster w/ some heat. The carbs have been dry for several years, hence the reason for the rebuild. I am not able to remove the grabit from the screw head. It is pretty firmly embedded into the screw head. I was trying to fracture what is in there and take it out. I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to fracture it. Whatever it is will have to be hardened harder than the drill. If I could get the grabit out, I have no problem drilling the screw head off., but getting it out is going to be the problem.

Mark

 

[bustermin]

Re: removal of damaged screw

Chanced are somebody put loc-tite on it. take a punch and hit it in the center to try and knock it loose, if that doesnt work you will need to heat it and hope the didnt use the red loc-tite. good luck

 

[ridefst]

Re: removal of damaged screw

Use a Dremel with a grinding stone to get rid of the Grabit.
Just last week I broke off an EZ-out, which is harder than any drill bit:redface:
I used a Dremel 953 stone, with high speed and low pressure, took a while, but it did work.

I highly reccomend an impact driver to remove screws like this. If there is any phillips cross left after grinding, try that. If not, use the dremel and a cutting wheel to cut a slot and use that bit. The combination of impact and torque is great for removing small screws without stripping the head.
I've had no problem with the $6.00 set from HF, works great every time I need it (and I use it a lot, any time I think the screwdriver might slip, I just grab the impact and start it that way, saves a lot of trouble)

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: removal of damaged screw

Have you tried?

1: A hacksaw and make a straight cut in the head so you can use a straight screw driver?

2: Go to Sears and get one of their screw extractor sets, Good Stuff.

 

[just-relax]

Re: removal of damaged screw

soke the bolt with pb buster or wd 40 overnight ,next day drill through bolt and ez-out broken stud , they sell ez-out kits in all hardware store or home centers

 

[jmburock]

Re: removal of damaged screw

If you got this far with the Grab-it breaking in the screw, I can almost guarantee an Ez-Out will break in the screw as well. Agree with one of the posters about the Dremel- the carbide tip or diamond tip at the fastest possible speed will eat up the rest of the screw and the Grab-it. If you damage the threads, no big deal, just drill it out and put in a Heli-Coil and problem solved. Don't waste time and money on Ez-outs, grab-its or any of the other junk that doesn't work and causes a bigger problem. If you have access to a Tig/Mig welder, welding a nut to the top of the screw works, but it would be difficult to do on something as delicate as a carb.