howto: remove a stripped Phillips screw
in [Toyota Camry]
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From: mrdarrett on 2 Apr 2007 12:37 Hi all, Over the weekend, I removed my throttle body, cleaned with throttle plate cleaner solvent, then proceeded to remove the idle air control (IAC) valve for cleaning and inspection. There are four brass Phillips screws holding the IAC valve to the throttle body. (Why, oh why, couldn't Toyota make them hex bolts?) Three of the them came out fairly easily. The fourth one, I stripped badly, while trying to unscrew. Major panic set in. Do I now have to buy a new throttle body + IAC, just because I stripped a screw? After a call to AutoZone, asking what they recommend, they suggested 1) using a screw remover (some sort of weird bit), 2) drilling it out (which I had tried, unsuccessfully) and 3) using a Dremel tool to make a long slot for a regular screwdriver to fit into. I went for the Dremel method. Worked like a charm. Posting this here, just in case this is helpful to anyone. Michael
From: HLS on 2 Apr 2007 17:26 <mrdarrett(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1175531843.825237.222700(a)y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com... > I went for the Dremel method. Worked like a charm. > > Posting this here, just in case this is helpful to anyone. Drilling is usually a BAD fix, especially if you are not well experienced. The Dremel fix is often quick, relatively safe, and effective. You can certainly remedy the problem by going back in with Torx, Allen, or any other type bolt you wish to use. You can even use studs, which in some cases are the best fix of all.
From: Jason James on 3 Apr 2007 00:07 <mrdarrett(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1175531843.825237.222700(a)y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com... > Hi all, > > Over the weekend, I removed my throttle body, cleaned with throttle > plate cleaner solvent, then proceeded to remove the idle air control > (IAC) valve for cleaning and inspection. > > There are four brass Phillips screws holding the IAC valve to the > throttle body. (Why, oh why, couldn't Toyota make them hex bolts?) > > Three of the them came out fairly easily. The fourth one, I stripped > badly, while trying to unscrew. > > Major panic set in. Do I now have to buy a new throttle body + IAC, > just because I stripped a screw? > > After a call to AutoZone, asking what they recommend, they suggested > 1) using a screw remover (some sort of weird bit), 2) drilling it out > (which I had tried, unsuccessfully) and 3) using a Dremel tool to make > a long slot for a regular screwdriver to fit into. > > I went for the Dremel method. Worked like a charm. > > Posting this here, just in case this is helpful to anyone. The screws were flush with the fitting? If they weren't and offered some meat to get a purchase on,.a sharp pair of side-cutters used at 90 degrees to the screw-head. The jaws bite into the head 180 degrees apart, then twist.. Have extracted many a minced out posidrive screw using this method,..tho the Dremel method sounds good too. Jason
From: mrdarrett on 3 Apr 2007 01:29 On Apr 2, 9:07 pm, "Jason James" <h...(a)work.1.0> wrote: > <mrdarr...(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > > news:1175531843.825237.222700(a)y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com... > > > > > Hi all, > > > Over the weekend, I removed my throttle body, cleaned with throttle > > plate cleaner solvent, then proceeded to remove the idle air control > > (IAC) valve for cleaning and inspection. > > > There are four brass Phillips screws holding the IAC valve to the > > throttle body. (Why, oh why, couldn't Toyota make them hex bolts?) > > > Three of the them came out fairly easily. The fourth one, I stripped > > badly, while trying to unscrew. > > > Major panic set in. Do I now have to buy a new throttle body + IAC, > > just because I stripped a screw? > > > After a call to AutoZone, asking what they recommend, they suggested > > 1) using a screw remover (some sort of weird bit), 2) drilling it out > > (which I had tried, unsuccessfully) and 3) using a Dremel tool to make > > a long slot for a regular screwdriver to fit into. > > > I went for the Dremel method. Worked like a charm. > > > Posting this here, just in case this is helpful to anyone. > > The screws were flush with the fitting? If they weren't and offered some > meat to get a purchase on,.a sharp pair of side-cutters used at 90 degrees > to the screw-head. The jaws bite into the head 180 degrees apart, then > twist.. > > Have extracted many a minced out posidrive screw using this method,..tho the > Dremel method sounds good too. > > Jason I tried pliers to twist off, but not a whole lot of room to get a hold on. (This is the Idle Air Control Valve, after all...) Pliers did nothing for me. Didn't think to try side cutters though. If only Toyota had used hex bolts there... Good thing my neighbor had a Dremel set I could borrow. I'm going to Harbor Freight tomorrow to get a bunch more tools. (local importer of really low-priced tools.) ;-) Michael
From: Jason James on 3 Apr 2007 02:48
<mrdarrett(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1175578186.128883.113010(a)p15g2000hsd.googlegroups.com... > > > > The screws were flush with the fitting? If they weren't and offered some > > meat to get a purchase on,.a sharp pair of side-cutters used at 90 degrees > > to the screw-head. The jaws bite into the head 180 degrees apart, then > > twist.. > > > > Have extracted many a minced out posidrive screw using this method,..tho the > > Dremel method sounds good too. > > > > Jason > > > > I tried pliers to twist off, but not a whole lot of room to get a hold > on. (This is the Idle Air Control Valve, after all...) Pliers did > nothing for me. Didn't think to try side cutters though. > > If only Toyota had used hex bolts there... > > Good thing my neighbor had a Dremel set I could borrow. I'm going to > Harbor Freight tomorrow to get a bunch more tools. (local importer of > really low-priced tools.) ;-) A worthy addition to the "whoops!" emergency tool-kit... Jason |