Dribbling carb screw: 90-degree screwdriver?

[TeeCat]

Guys, I discovered that one of my bowl screws on my single Mikuni VM36 is weeping a bit. The carb and gasket are both new as of last October, and the bowl has only been off about three times. I put a little petroleum jelly on the body side of the gasket (on the recommendation of someone here) to make the bowl drop easier, and the gasket looked good when I last put the bowl on.

I still have the original phillips screws in there, but I think the one just might need to be tightened a little. But it's the rear/innermost one and I can't reach it with a normal driver. Before I loosen and rotate the carb, does anyone know if something like a 90-degree phillips that would work in these tight instances? I knew I should have replaced those damned screws with allens when I had the carb off.

Incidentally, I took my bike to the company picnic today. She ran great, though she took a few more kicks than I'd like to start from cold after sitting for a few days. I think it might be me, though, doing hot kicks before she's primed quite enough, because she fires up immediately when warm/hot.

I was thinking of taking her to work tomorrow, but then noticed this carb bowl screw dribble and want to get that sorted.

Thanks!

TC

 

[Maddog Marty]

TeeCat: RE: 90 degree screwdriver. I have seen low-priced ones (think Sears) and then MotionPro makes one for just what you want to do, but kind of pricey:
http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/motionpro90degreescrewdriverreview.shtml

Good luck!

 

[pyrocentric]

I just chopped a screwdriver with the grinder.

You could also switch to allen screws like most new bikes have.

 

[TeeCat]

Marty and pyro, thank you muchly. I do recall having seen that Motion Pro one advertised somewhere before.

I suppose this weekend, though, I'll just take the time to rotate the carb and replace the phillips screws with allens like I did on my BS38s. I should have done that when I did the jetting.

My carb sits at a slightly rearward/downward angle because of the design of the intake manifold, and one of the rear bowl corners is what seems to be weeping. Hopefully it just needs snugging up, and that will be easier with allens. Maybe Home Depot will have a suitable stainless metric allen screw.

OYEE! Just thought... maybe I'll try one off one of my BS38s for fitment! They're anodized - rather have stainless - but I'll see if they work in terms of thread, pitch, etc.

TC