'81 GS750E: stripped fuel mixture screw head

[ToddStyles]

I'm rebuilding the carbs on my bike. Here is my original long post about the whole affair:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=98116

The PO really hosed up the fuel mixture screw head on carb #4. There literally is nothing to grab onto. Any suggestions on how to extract this? Here is a picture from the carb rebuilt pictorial that shows the area I'm talking about:



Any ideas?
thanks.

[ddaum]

I had this happen to me on the very first set of carbs that I ever rebuilt. The screw was stuck and I tried too hard to turn it and stripped the head of the screw leaving me no way to turn the screw.
The only option I found was to:
1. Wrap the carb in a rag and put it gently into a vice to steady it.
2. Get some good lighting, good drill bits, and some of the smallest extractors that you can find.
3. Slowly drill into the center of the screw head. (This will take some time because the bit will want to roll around in the remaining screwdriver slot on top of the screw head.)
4. Drill just enough to get your screw extractor in and remove.

This worked like a charm for me with no damage to the very fine threads in there. Just take your time and keep your hands steady.
You might also try a left handed drill bit. That way, as soon as the bit gets a bite on the screw, it might turn it out for you.

BTW - I noticed on your other thread that you didn't think you could get a small enough screw extractor, well, you can. I got mine at the local True Value Hardware Store. You don't need a drill press either if you keep your hands steady and work slowly. You can DO iiiiiiiit!
Good luck.

[Suzukizilla]

If you can get your hands on a Dremel tool it would make it easyer to drill.

[ToddStyles]

Thanks for the pointers. I've got a dremel and a bench-top drill press, I'll stop by the hardware store on the way home from work and pick up some good bits and an extractor. I feel a little better about the situation now.
Todd.

[demark]

Sounds like you had the same problem I did.

I handed it off to a friend of my father-in-laws and he milled the screw flat (since I damaged the top and drilled the hole off-center) and then did a proper screw extraction.