Topic: Stuck Dowel Pins

[pjlogue]

I wanted to pass this trick on to everyone.  I was replacing the cylinder heads on my GL1000 (info is pertinent for all mechanics) The heads have two dowel pins in each head.  3 of the four were frozen into engine case.  I first tried using a drill that just fit into the dowel and tapped it up-down-left-right to no avail.  I then got the idea to slightly crush in an edge of the dowel with a 1/4" drift to start exposing the inside of the hole the dowel sits in.  I then got a 3/16" drift and ground the end at a 60 deg bevel.  I then took the ground drift and aligned the tip into the crack I exposed with the 1/4" dowel.  Ground side of the 3/16" drift pointing to the outside face of the dowel and unground face of the drift against the wall of the hole in the engine case.  I carefully tapped the drift into the hole and doing so caved the dowel in.  Once the drift was all the way in I carefully wiggled the drift back out and then took a set of channel locks and twisted the dowel right out.  The small drift collapses the dowel enough to shrink the diameter of the dowel. 

The hole the dowel went in only needed slight dressing to remove the small burr the drift made.  Other than that the dowel hole was like new. 

Hope this helps someone.  It worked 3 out of 3 so far.  I don't think it would work on small dowels but the larger (8mm and above) it worked well.

-P.

[Flyin900]

Interesting way that worked for you on those dowels with some more fiddling than the one that has worked for me in the past.

Heat the dowel with propane torch since they are usually corroded or crud is holding them in there. With a tapered punch tap it tight into the dowel opening and once secure in the dowel twist the drift to loosen the stuck dowel. Heat is the key to breaking the bond and the tapping of the punch also helps there too. This will work on both larger and smaller dowels.
If all else fails still use heat first then a drill bit that fits snug inside the dowel opening and vice grips to grip the outer dowel surface then clamp onto the dowel and twist it out. This usually destroys the dowel from further use. The good news is the dowels are still available from Honda parts for cheap.

[Oddjob]

I'm sure I spotted a dowel remover some months ago, you choose the size of the remover bit based on the size of the dowel, fit it over the dowel and hit the remover, bit like an impact driver. It's supposed to remove them without damaging them, the downside was the cost, wasn't cheap but might be a worthwhile investment for a mechanic for instance.

Might have been this one.

[Cevan]

I thought you were going to give us a trick to remove them without resorting to getting out a drill.  I’ve got two in the head of my 500 that need to come out.  Hoping heat will do the trick.

[Don R]

 I've had some luck using hose clamp pliers made for the old wire spring type hose clamps, they grip with a V shaped notch. They squeeze from four points and more evenly than other pliers.

[pjlogue]

I thought you were going to give us a trick to remove them without resorting to getting out a drill.  I’ve got two in the head of my 500 that need to come out.  Hoping heat will do the trick.

Using the drift punch and collapsing the dowel all the way down its length is what worked.

-P.

[MRieck]

I'm sure I spotted a dowel remover some months ago, you choose the size of the remover bit based on the size of the dowel, fit it over the dowel and hit the remover, bit like an impact driver. It's supposed to remove them without damaging them, the downside was the cost, wasn't cheap but might be a worthwhile investment for a mechanic for instance.

Might have been this one.

Goodson = $$$$$

[Oddjob]

Really?? I'm in the UK Mike so no idea whether they are good tools or just expensive tools.

[pjlogue]

Really?? I'm in the UK Mike so no idea whether they are good tools or just expensive tools.

They are good quality and expensive.  I have a Goodson valve grinding tool with different stones and the quality is top notch.

-P.

[seanbarney41]

Yeah, I have purchased lots of abrasive consumables from Goodson and they sell the best of the best.  This stuff can be had cheaper elsewhere, but you will be using it up faster because it is a bunch of crap.

[malcolmgb]

My method which I was taught involves finding the largest tap which will thread into the dowel, in the case of a 6mm clearance use an M8 tap, after creating the thread drop in a ball bearing then screw a bolt in, that bolt will react against the ball bearing and pull out the dowel, no damage to anything.

[lash]

My method which I was taught involves finding the largest tap which will thread into the dowel, in the case of a 6mm clearance use an M8 tap, after creating the thread drop in a ball bearing then screw a bolt in, that bolt will react against the ball bearing and pull out the dowel, no damage to anything.

👍

[newday777]

My method which I was taught involves finding the largest tap which will thread into the dowel, in the case of a 6mm clearance use an M8 tap, after creating the thread drop in a ball bearing then screw a bolt in, that bolt will react against the ball bearing and pull out the dowel, no damage to anything.

Great idea!

[Oddjob]

What if the dowel is the solid type?

[bryanj]

They are useually only between case halves