pilot screws

[jtziggy]

Good morning,
I just needed to say to all people who dont know what you are doing please stay away from screw drivers, or anything else that could cause damage to things that you have no idea what they do or how they work.
This morning I thought I would rebuild my carborators and low and behold the pilot screws are so buggered up I am going to have to drill and use an easy out to remove them.
this could have been avoided if the P.O. had any sense at all.
Please, Please, PLEASE, use the right tool for the job, and dont touch it if you are not sure you know what you are doing.
thank you, I feel better now.

 

[5twins]

It's very hard to find off-the-shelf hardware store screwdrivers that will fit the screwdriver slots in the carb jets correctly. That's because they are metric sized slots. I've taken to custom grinding those 1/4" screwdriver insert bits to get properly fitting ones .....

The loose bit on the left has not been ground and as you can see, it is a sloppy fit. Grind and fit to a brand new jet, not an old one with an already buggered slot.

 

[jtziggy]

Now that is screwdriver bit poetry.

 

[fredintoon]

- - - This morning I thought I would rebuild my carborators and lo and behold the pilot screws are so buggered up I am going to have to drill and use an easy out to remove them. - - - Please, Please, PLEASE, use the right tool for the job - - -

Hi jtziggy,
you are absolutely right & 5twins custom-ground screwdriver bits are just about essential for working on those soft as butter carb jets.
BUT
the easyout/drill salvage ain't the best way neither. Easyouts are glass-hard and tend to snap off in whatever part you are trying to remove and then you'd best have a "Bro with an EDM"
Left-hand drill bits work OK although you are stuck with using a hand-held drill because I've not yet seen an affordable drill-press that'll run backwards.
What I do with cratered out carb jets is put a "nearest fit" screwdriver bit in my drill press, keep it forced down hard into the jet with the drill feed arm and turn the drill chuck backwards by hand. That trick ain't failed me yet.

 

[5twins]

A T-handled bit holder works well. You can really push down hard on it .....

For installing, I only use a stubby or this little thumb wheel bit holder. This gets them tight enough but not too tight .....

 

[gggGary]

Run don't walk to the local home and garden, buy a Stihl carb screwdriver, problem solved. They are a convenient shirt pocket size and a perfect fit for the Mikuni pilot/idle jets. For some deep in a hole jets you might have to grind it a bit narrower.
From a guy who tried it once never attempt to use an easy out type extractor on a jet.....

 

[gggGary]

this thread post #7 I've done this succesfully several times now.

 

[jtziggy]

WOW, thats why I love this site, I cant thank you enough, if it weren't for the NASCAR race I already would have tried the easy out.
Thank you GGGary and 5twins, and fredintoon

 

[angus67]

I have three custom ground flat bits in my carb tool box. One for mains, one for pilots, one for mix screws. And a modified #2 phillips as a stand in for a jis bit for the small screws that hold the needles in my suzy