Pesky and stuck pilot air jets

[DrewGS]

Maybe this has been repeated over and over on the forum, but I had trouble finding an answer, so in case someone is ever struggling with those deeply recessed but narrow pilot air jets, this is what worked for me...

I used a Dremel to grind the sides down on one of the bits from my impact driver (the $10 one from Harbor Freight). A bench grinder would have been better, but it didn't take long with the Dremel. This resulted in a snug fit. After warming up the area a bit with a heat gun, the jets each came out with a couple smacks of the hammer. I was very happy not to resort to drilling!

[steve murdoch]

Glad that method worked out for you, Drew.
I would have also added a generous amount of penetrating lubricant. PB Blaster or Kroil have worked for me.

[Nessism]

The air jets don't gunk up. I'd leave them in place if they don't come out easily.

[DrewGS]

Yeah - I didn't mention PB Blaster, but that was the first thing I tried...multiple shots.

Good to know they don't absolutely need to come out in the future. They did look pretty clean compared to everything else.

[Who Dat?]

I have never had the air jets not come out. Pilot jets and mixture screws, sure, but not the air jets.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

The best way to deal with a pesky pilot air jet is to first locate it. It is the most common air jet to get clogged and prevent your toilet from refilling..

Again, I don't think we're discussing toilets.

Martin, you some sorta bot?

[Grimly]

Again, I don't think we're discussing toilets.

Martin, you some sorta bot?

Bingo on that. (more characters)

[Grimly]

The best way to deal with a pesky pilot air jet is to first locate it. It is the most common air jet to get clogged and prevent your toilet from refilling. The problem with fixing it is that it is generally buried in the bowl, so you'll need to reach in there and find it! You can use a flashlight to help you identify it. Once you've located it, you can try to clean it with a pin, or a toothpick. If it is clogged with a large piece of debris, you may have to remove it with pliers.

You can fish around in the toilet bowl if you like, but maybe bots like that sort of thing.