Topic: Removing Old Screws from external engine parts

[CB750 SS]

I've got an old CB750 SS 1976 that sat for years and is leaking oil.  I'd like to take the engine apart, paint it and renew gaskets.   I'm terrified of striping the philips screws on the engine.  The one for the tact is already screwed up.  Before I start I'd also like to source a HEX head replacement scew kit.  Any help is approciated.

[tmht]

z1enterprises.com

Also, get yourself one of the hand impact drivers that you hit with a hammer. Don't even attempt to use a regular screwdriver.

[rhinoracer]

Impact driver, it works even on stripped phillips.

[gold01ca]

ditto, impact driver, cheap and effective tool.
dont even think of using a screwdriver.
stainless allen head bolts available regularly on ebay from various sellers.

cheers!

[.RJ]

If the screw is getting rounded off inside, try to get vice grips on the outside of the screw, and break it free.

I have a set of allen head screws waiting to go on my engine... going to be a very long night of getting all the phillips screws out, matching up the correct length, and reinstalling them all.

[greenjeans]

Impact driver.... sears has 'em for 20 bucks.  with stripped phillips heads, I've even been able to use the flat head driver (impact driver) and gave it a bit of a smash - they came out.

[Somemonkey]

I also think an impact driver would be helpful. Although I tried using one on the screw that holds the speedo cable in place and ended up having to cut a notch in it with a Dremel. That #$%* would only come out with some PB Blaster and a flat head screwdriver after I dremeled a new groove.

[Tim.]

Get the parts manual - every one of those screws is documented with size and length.  Make a list and go to a fastener store (up here I go to Brafasco) and buy the socket head stainless replacements.

Or order a kit off ebay or something, but I find sourcing them myself to be cheaper (where do you think the guys putting the kits together get their bolts?)

[edbikerii]

Careful with the hand impact wrenches.  It is very easy to crack cam covers and stuff when whacking at it with a hammer.

After learning my hand impact wrench lesson the hard way, and replacing the cam cover on my CB550, I lean towards using a cold chisel to undo the bolts.

Use the cold chisel to make a small notch on the perimeter of the bolt head, then tap on the notch tangentially with the cold chisel and hammer to loosen it.  After loosening one or two bolts, it becomes surprisingly easy.

Of course, you should soak all of the bolts for a day or two with penetrating oil first, no matter what method you choose.

[jdigga]

Important--for the impact driver make sure you're using a Phillips #3 bit.

[andy750]

Ditto on the speedo cable screw at the wheel end -mines also stuck and the impact driver didnt help (or the spare one I had also with a stuck screw  -even after soaking in PB blaster/liquid wrench etc...)....still thinking of what to do next (even though I bought a replacement off Ebay ;-)....dont want to give up and remove the wheel just yet....

Andy

[clarkjh]

Ditto on the speedo cable screw at the wheel end -mines also stuck and the impact driver didnt help (or the spare one I had also with a stuck screw  -even after soaking in PB blaster/liquid wrench etc...)....still thinking of what to do next (even though I bought a replacement off Ebay ;-)....dont want to give up and remove the wheel just yet....

Andy

I had to drill off the head of that screw then there is enough stup left to put vice grips on to et it the rest of the way.  Then I put in a new screw that I had laying around from putting together a server rack.

James

[Bob Wessner]

There must be something about the shape of this screw or the place it is in. Mine was mangled, ordered a replacement and the next time I had the wheel off, decided it was time to swap them. I had all the same problems removing it. However, the new one did the very same thing and I did not over-tighten it. I'm right back where I started in that every removal of the front wheel continues to be with the cable still attached.

[andy750]

Bob next time you get it out use a small hex-headed screw or a simple bolt-top screw type thing - anything is better than the philips!!

cheers
Andy

[Bob Wessner]

Might just do that Andy. Having the cable flop around with every removal is sort of a pain.

[oldfordguy]

Ditto on the impact driver.  However, you don't need to wail on it enough that you crack the covers, if you do, you are hitting it way too hard.  Also, quite often I find that the driver will want to strip the head out anyway.  When this starts to happen, I use the hammer on the head of the screw to "reform" the phillips head, and then use the impact driver again.  This almost always works, it seems that the "reformation" also loosens up the threads.  Once again, you shouldn't have to hit the screw very hard (these oem screws are quite soft.) One other tip about using an impact driver: make sure that you are applying some counterclockwise force to the driver before you hit it, this pre-loads the impact driver and will put the maximum amount of "turn" on it from the impact of the hammer.  Works for me!
Matt

[Bob Wessner]

Also, make sure you have the impact driver "cammed" the right way. The one I have (30 years old, and assume they are all the same) will operate to loosen as well as tighten on impact.

[spitfire]

Bit late on this one, I always believe in trying to jolt the threads before I try to undo them, I had this T bar made up in the early 70's, put in on the screw head, hammer for a while and the philips will either unscrew or the head will break off.

Cheers

Den