carb woes

[Jeff P]

Maybe I should call the thread "screw woes".  Been taking the bike apart piece by piece for the last week or so, to get the carbs out for a rejet, replace the cam chain tensioner gasket, and do the valve check when Kerry's tools show up.  

So the first stuck screw I happen upon is one of the ones that holds the airbox to the frame.  Managed to get that out using a bolt remover.  Then everything goes smoothly (though I have no idea how I'm going to get all these little hoses hooked back up properly!) until I get the carbs out.  The little screws holding the lower part of the carbs on (with the jets, the float bowls maybe?) might as well have been welded in.  I managed to get both of 'em on one carb off, after drowning them in liquid wrench.  So I was able to replace those jets.  Not too tough.  Carbs looked nice and clean inside too.  Also got those little brass plugs out of both carbs.  

The other carb is just not happening.  I have managed to kill the two screw heads on that one.  I think I'll need to order 2 #25s from here, unless somebody knows of a readily available replacement.  So, it's off to the hardware store to get some cutting discs for the dremel, hopefully I can slot these f'ers and get 'em out with a big flat screwdriver.

I also think I managed to tear #21 from here when removing the carbs.  

Any tips?  Words of encouragement?  

jeff

[JetSwing]

have you tried the vise grip wrench yet?

[Jeff P]

Haven't tried vise grips yet.  The screw heads are pretty small, and there's not much room around them.  I do have a needle-nose vise grip, that might work.  

jeff

[TheGoodGuy]

the 4 screws that hold the carbs require an impact screw driver.

replace it with allen bolts.. check FAQ for the size.

[Jeff P]

the 4 screws that hold the carbs require an impact screw driver.

How about that.  Tell that to the ones I got off!    You mean the four that hold the two bottoms on, or am I gonna have this same problem getting the tops of the carbs off too?  

replace it with allen bolts.. check FAQ for the size.

Will do.  Thanks!

jeff

[TheGoodGuy]

the top ones come off real easy, its the one on teh bottom that hold teh floatbowl covers that are hard.

By the way drain the floats (that screw on teh side with a drain on it).. before you try using an impact screw driver.

[Jeff P]

the top ones come off real easy, its the one on teh bottom that hold teh floatbowl covers that are hard.

By the way drain the floats (that screw on teh side with a drain on it).. before you try using an impact screw driver.

I drained 'em out when they were still on the bike, so no worries there.

These 10-32 machine thread stainless bolts, should I be able to find those at Home Depot or another hardware store?

Now that I've mopped up the heads on the two remaining screws, I'm thinking that slotting the heads with the dremel then using a big flathead screwdriver is going to be my best bet.  

jeff

[The Buddha]

I would use a left handed drill ... slotting acually makes it worse ... the head with the nicely worn center part makes good center punch for a big ass drill bit put it in a rubber jawed vice, stand on the work table and use a hand drill, or put it in a drill press and drill ... 30 seconds and its history ... the 10/32 is my idea, its very very close to the right part ... I use stainless button head ... but the right bolt is 5mm and .80 pitch ... which of course are plain steel and regular allen head only ... but its 1/2 the $$$ of the SS ones ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Jeff P]

Srinath, are you talking about something like a screw extractor?  I've got a set of those, but they seem to work well only on stripped heads, not ones where they're in so freaking tight that you can't even start to turn them.  If not, tell me a little more about the left handed drill.  FWIW, my drill is a 14.4 cordless Dewalt, no hammer/impact feature.  

Sounds like a trip to the smaller locally owned hardware store is gonna be in order!

jeff

[The Buddha]

Left handed drill ... screw extractors ... that is a truly awful tool ... will never be useful on a GS or any damn bike ... its for removing the bolts you find on those Caterpillars ... minimum size of your fist ... I bought a set of drills at autozone or Advance auto ... I always get those mixed up ... took some looking and they didn't know they had it ... set of 4-5 looks like regular drills ... except its all reversed ... Titanium ones like $10 for the pack ... left handed drill ... nothing else works as well ... I only use it for this purpose ... regular drills are for holes ... and I use a regular drill, no impact needed ... gentler is better my friend ... impact ... another ill concived concept for bikes ... OK impact drivers are cool ... but those air impacts ... shaZam! ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Jeff P]

Ok, so they're just goofy reverse cut drill bits?  So I assume you put the drill in reverse, but these will actually drill in, then at some point will bite in the screw and break it loose?  What diameter drill should I use to get these sunsabitches out?  

jeff

ps. local Suzuki shop has the rubber intake assembly, be picking it up on the way home.  $23, not bad.

[The Buddha]

Yep ... drills and you put it in reverse ... they drill and at one point bite and out comes the screw ... now the biggest that wont wander will be my choice ... cos it will catch sooner and the carb body will be un harmed ... the smaller ones might go off center and eat the carb body ... yea aluminum body and steel screw ... you do the math ... the head should get eaten before the carb body gets drilled out obviously ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[scratch]

Look at the size of the "hole/indent" in the head of the screw you are removing, maybe take the carb with you to the hardware store to find/figure out what size screw extractor to use. Tap the screw extractor into the head of the screw so it gets a good bite and, yep, just put the drill in reverse.

[Jeff P]

Ok, need a little clarification.  Am I gonna be drilling down into the threaded part of the screw, or just into the head?  Just not quite sure what you mean by the "biggest that won't wander".

The screw extractor set I've got has 5 of 'em (which are basically left handed, tapered drills) with matching regular drills for creating the holes.  Like I said though, I haven't had much luck with them pulling out really tightly stuck screws.  Sounds like Srinath is saying a normal lefthanded drill will work better?

jeff

[The Buddha]

The threaded part OK You might drill into it a bit ... but If you seem to have hit the carb body ... STOP ... essentially the head is all you wanna get rid off or drill till it unscrews ... Once the head is gone ... the floats pop off and you can get it off with pliers or vice grips ... My idea is ... left handed drill ... forget scre extractor ... scratch is taking about an easy out  ... whihc also is left and also can be used with a drill ... but heck a real drill is easier and simpler ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[scratch]

Oops, yep, easy out. My bad.

[Jeff P]

Alrighty, sounds like the tool I've already got is an easy out.  (is that a brand name that's now generic, like xerox?)

Srinath it sounds like you're saying if I drill off just the heads of the screws that'll release the floats.  Then I can grab what's left of the screw sticking out with vice grips and twist it out?  

I think I'll try the easy outs first.  If they don't work, I'll pick up left handed drills and try them.  

jeff

[The Buddha]

Yea drill till the head comes off ... drill progressively larger ... no sense drilling deep into the bolt ... right about large enough as will sit in there and right till the drilled hole gets past the head  then step up 1 size ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[dgyver]

Never had much succes with easy out screw extractors. The best way is the impact driver. Make sure the carb is supported under ther screw since it requires a hard hit to knock them loose. If the phillips heads are striped, then cut a slot for the flat blade.

[Kerry]

It looks like I might be too late, but here are the screws that Manjul and I found and used.