Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Hello!

I have a destroyed philips screwhead in a bad place, where the only way to reach the screw is from up. The screw is a 3.5 mm woodscrew, screwed into a plastic engine mount. Its almost round.... :confused:

Greatful for ANY help!!

Best regards

Nokke

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Sounds like you need to sacrifice a dremil bit. Maybe remove the motormount from the firewall. If you can do that, then a fiber cutting wheel would easily do it. BTDT. Worst case would be to destroy the motor mount and buy a new one. Use allen head machine screws with a washer and this wont happen. Not the button head.
Edwin

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Sears has a screw out set that might work. The cost is around $20. It's the one that Bob V. demo's on his TV commercial. They come as a set of 3 or 4 the small one should be able to get it out.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Get a drill bit just a little larger then the size of the screw threads. Start drilling the head off the screw. Just plug all openings on the engine before you start to keep metal shavings out.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Sometimes using a drill bit that cuts the opposite direction will help loosen a screw or stud that won't come out.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Go to the hardware store and ask for an "Easy out" with the proper drill bit. I was able to get stubborn Phillips head screws out of a motor head once this way. The Easy out looks like a screw with its threads running the opposite direction. You first start with a hole you make with the drill bit so that the Easy out has something to grip into. Then turn the easy out into the hole counterclockwise using a pliers or a vise grip. The farther it goes in, the better the grip it will have. Just don't drill so deep the head of the screw breaks off. These have never failed me. Good luck.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Another option is to use a sanding wheel on a dremel to turn it into a flathead screw, but the easy out seems like a sure bet.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

The only problem with the easy-outs is that they need a depth of at least the width of the hole, and that's if you're using the very tip.

I'm talking about the regular, tapered easy-outs... Snap-On and a couple other
large tool companies make some better ones, that aren't as tapered,
and have multiple sharp reverse flutes... they can take a bit more shallow hole.

If we're talking about a 3.5mm screw with a tiny head, it just ain't happening.

The idea to turn it into a flat head was the best, if you can get to it to do that.

Like someone else said, you may just end up trashing the mount here.

In the future... use better screws and/or better (or the right) tools.
I've been bitten by this one a few times myself ;)

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Try this...

Get a small drill that you can dispose of (or anything that's made of tool steel)

Using the shank end, grind a "flat" like a screwdriver then point the tip

Next, grind the tip to an angle that will cut when rotated counter-clockwise.

What you have made, in escense, is a spade drill that will bite into the screw head and (hopefully) screw it out.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

One of my favorite tools!

http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summ...id=00952154000

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

All the above are good ideas on getting the screw out. Personally I only use socket head screws or bolts when mounting a motor. Using anything else is asking for a stripped screw head!

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

and even hex screws can strip! I had one that I barely got out off of a muffler on my .53 Irvine.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Socket head screws are definitely the real answer. I replace all kit and arf screw hardware when it comes to engine mounting, with socket heads. If you can get the whole mount off at the firewall, maybe just cutting the screw with a Dremel cutoff wheel might at least free the motor. Try the slotting technique first. Good luck.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Nobody has mentioned C4 plastic explosive here and I'm surprised. If you put a chewing gum wad size of C4 over the bolt head and then insert your remote igniter into the C4 plastique explosive. Leave the room or go a very safe distance away and detonate and this almost always gets the screw out or at the very least leaves the screw and removes everything around it. Of course I am just kidding. Could not resist :)

PHS
 

I've found that if you threaten the screw it will usually back out on its own, or get really mad at it and bite the head off...

seriously, what about using a dremel cut-off wheel, cut the head off, remove the other screws, remove the engine then grab the remaining threads with a pair of needle nose vice grips..? :stupid:

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Take the rest of the screws out and grind the head off of the rounded one. Slide the engine off the remains and then get out the pliars to get the rest of it out....................John

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

well duh?!? I was a bit late on that one or either i didnt read the last post.......oh well...I agree with Bagostix!!!

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Ok! Thank you everyone!

I'll see which one of your solutions will work best, and let you know afterwards.

Many thanx

Nokke :)

Screw removal
 

Try a small needle nosed vise grips or a needle nosed pliers. Try grabbing the screw head to rotate it. If the tool doesn't slip off, this usually works.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

OK, here's another idea. Put a drop of CA into the damaged Phillips screw head and put your screwdriver in that you have dusted with some accelerator then place the screwdriver into the hole vertically and let it bond. Come back in an hour and see if you can very carefully turn it. Wacky idea, isn't it? Might work, make sure the hole is clean first. Good luck, Tom

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Throw your hands up in disgust and be thankful that you've got twenty people working on how to remove a stripped screw. At minimum wage, that's one expensive screw. I would try to get "that" screw out without destroying it, and put it on display. Possibly even develop an online "museum" devoted entirely to this famous item. You'll need a logo first.
If you soak the area around the screw with gasoline, then carefully light it, you can burn away the material around the screw. Most of the charred stuff should come right off of the screw. May take a small amount of polishing though.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Well, I couldn't resist adding one more idea. I personally would avoid trying to Dremel, file, grind, gnaw, etc. on the screw with the engine in close proximity. One slip and you start Dremeling, filing, grinding, gnawing, etc. on your engine.

I would sacrifice the mount. Get a Dremel fiber cutoff wheel and cut the nylon mount from the opposite side right next the screw shank. When you get deep enough into the mount, you can break off the mount arm and pull the engine/screw free.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

See, now you're getting sensible and mature about this whole thing just when we were starting to have fun. PARTY POOPER!!! Sheeez.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

I was thinking along the lines of the CA concept but I was thinking more along the lines of 20 minute expoxy. I think the CA will let go but the epoxy might do the trick.

Destroyed Philips screwhead
 

I don't think I'll be able to sleep until I figure out a way to help old nokke get his destroyed Philips screwhead out.

I'm thinking the glue idea isn't going to work.

So how about if you arc weld a screwdriver to the destroyed screw by placing a lead on the part of the screw that protrudes under the mount and put a lead on an old screwdriver and just weld the screwdriver to the screw? Wait until it cools and just screw out. Easy. Good luck, Tom

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Heh, that is if you have an ARC WELDER handy!

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

Wait a minute, this is stupid. The screw isn't good anymore, right? So like previous replies, just drill the head off.

Destroyed Philips screwhead!
 

If he had room to screw it in he will have room to screw it out with the Screw-Out. Just spend $20 and be done with it, plus you will have the right tool to use even at the field if it happens again. :rolleyes: