Trouble removing carb drain screws

I'm putting my recently acquired 82 XJ650J away for the winter. I went to remove the carb drain screws, but they are real stubborn. Before I strip them with the wrong tool, is there a special bit that I should be using? I tried the closest Phillips and flathead that I could find, but I don't think these are fitting well enough --- or else the screws have just been in there for a very long time. I bought the bike used about a month ago and I have no idea if the PO ever had them out.

Charlie

 

welcome
no special tool, squirt some penetrating oil on the screw head and in the drain nipple and let it set a day or two then get your rabbits foot or other lucky charm and have at it
consider you have to put something back in there in the spring
maybe put some Seafoam in the gas and the shut off the gas and run it empty
next step would be pull the carbs........

 

Thanks! Having the same problem (same bike even) and hadn't thought of that as a way to get some oil to the threads.

I pulled the fuel line and ran her until the fuel was used up from the carbs. I will be pulling them and giving a good soaking before trying the screws.

Is an impact screwdriver an appropriate tool to break these screws loose?

 

impact driver ?
i don't know, it might work but be careful how you hold it
a broken screw extractor and a drill press can do it

 

NO! NO! NO!
Impact driver will only damage the carbs! And possibly whang up your float setting as well.
After soaking with penetrating oil for a day or so, get a really good #2 Phillips (new is best) screwdriver....preferably name brand, i.e Snap On, etc....with a long shank (12"or better). Dip the tip in Permatex valve grinding compound. Work the tip into the screw, i.e wiggle it back & forth, now twist CLOCKWISE (yes, tightening direction) then counterclockwise. Unless the thing is totally stripped, this should crack it loose. Rinse, lather and repeat.
A magnetic screwdriver with replaceable Apex bits works great for this application....especially the ACR (anti-cam-out) bits. Good luck!

 

Don't use a Hand Impact Tool unless you pull the rack, remove the float bowl's and "Tag-team" removing the drains with the Impact Tool.

First, fabricate a tool. Try sacrificing a Phillips to make a Special Tool. Grind a > very slight < amount off the tip to get the screwdriver a good bite.

Press your "Good-biting" Special Tool into the slots with ample force to keep the driver tip engaged with the slots.

Apply firm twisting torque along with steady, heavy pressure applied to keep the tool centered and firmly engaged in the drain screws slots.

With moderate twisting torque and heavy pressure to keep the tool head engaged ... apply a sudden, very dramatic increase on the twisting torque and drain screw should break loose and come free.

Who ever holds the float bowl should brace the float bowl against an immovable object, and be strong enough to keep the float bowl "axis" positioned for you to all you to transmit as much energy as you have into the sudden motion to break the screw free.

The person holding the bowl should be wearing leather work gloves.

The Mission is:
Get the thing OUT.
Once its OUT ... you can decide to make new slots or discard it for a new drain screw.
Treat the threads with AntiSeize. Don't come back to this problem, again, if you can avoid it with the dab of AntiSeize.

 

Wow, and here I was thinking that I was the only one who knew that to break reluctant screws/bolts/etc. loose, you first turn them just a smidge clockwise (like you're tightening them) and then loosen.

The extra little bit of tightening torque always seems to break the metal-to-metal contact enough to allow the fastener to break loose. Also, that first bit of tightening engages the opposite turning face of the screw (with the screwdriver blade surface) and "saves" the counterclockwise contact face points of the screw for the full-out CCW assault that's about to come.....

 

Hi.
I tried everything to get them out of my Hitachi's including oil - heat etc but they were rusted in so bad that I had to use an easyout to shift them. Ordered a new set from one of the parts dealers then found one of the blokes on here make's them in stainless steel and sells them a lot cheaper.
They are a little too long but do the job perfectly and I don't think I'll have a problem when next I remove them.
I've lost the fella's address but I'm sure Robert has it.

Faighaigh.

 

Right. It's usually the "OUT" faces of the screw slots that are chewed up. Most people don't strip screws putting them in. (Most people!) The tightening action serves to break the bond loose, and the valve compound usually gives enough bite to walk 'em out once the bond is broken.

 

Thanks for all the posts. Being a newbie (and only for a few weeks) I haven't taken a dive into the carbs yet, but it's a good time of year to do it --- next ride is probably 4 months away. Maybe next weekend if the honey-do list isn't too long!

 

I bought a set of replacement screws from Arizona Steve. I haven't put them in yet since I am still riding when I can. Th ePO really buggered up the screw heads on these and I plan to use one of these http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... Cookie=Yes

to get them out. I have used them in the past and they work ok as long as you can put some pressure on the screw. Kroil and heat help as well.

 

Here is the link you mentioned Faighaigh:

http://www.mesanet.netfirms.com/CarbDrainScrews.htm
Here's a link to a guy who makes new ones with hex heads.
Steve C (stevec5000@yahoo.com or stevec5000 @ gmail.com) is your guy for
float-bowl drain screws. I think they were $10.00
His work is here: www.mesanet.netfirms.c...Screws.htm

Very reasonable price, I gotta ask Santa for a set or two in the stocking.

 

I have some of Steve's drian screws on my carbs and I highly recomend them! Highly! Another way of loosening drain screws is to heat them by boiling. I put some water in a coffee cup, microwaved the water and then placed the bowl in the top of the cup. This had the screw submerged and the bowl hanging on the edge of the cup. Finally got those buggers out!