Hi guys I need to remove the brass plugs from a long unused Carter W-1 and I'm not looking forward to it. Specifically I need to get at the idle circuit.
First I thought I'd soak them for a while with a penetrating oil. Maybe a mix of ATF and acetone?? I don't have acetylene so I'm thinking of heating the plugs with a propane torch as fast as I can, then dripping cold water directly on the plugs. Then if necessary, using a hand impact screwdriver.
Is propane hot enough to make this work? Or is this just entirely a bad idea?
Is there a better more successful way to accomplish this?
Yes thanks. I have watched that but note he doesn't use heat and at one point says he's whacking the impact hard enough he's worried about breaking the casting. I've heard heat works very well but have never done it, and am not sure exactly how to go about it and what to watch for.
I have failed and also succeeded at this, when it has worked I have used an exact fitting screwdriver or carter tool and propane heat. Lots of pressure to keep the driver in the slot. Mine , like yours, have been very dry old carbs. It might get exciting if gas was still in the carb!
Thanks I have a set of hollow ground gunsmith screwdrivers I might try, and might even have a few Carter tools in an old box of stuff I picked up along the way. And it sounds like propane is indeed beneficial then, so I'll use that. Probably not a good idea to soak the passages full of something flammable as you point out. :-)
I have used an hand impact tool with Carter slotted screwdriver blade matching the slotted plug to be removed on nearly 1000 carburetors. If the plug does not loosen I use propane torch to heat to moderate temperature, quench with water and try impact tool again. Most loosen on first to third try. One took 16. I have tried just heating and then the impact tool but have damaged the brass plug slot too many times. Cold brass is much stronger.
Just to be sure I'm understanding correctly... Heating to a moderate heat before I even try anything else is alright... as long as I quench with water right after so that I'm working with a cold brass plug?
That's it. What happens is the water gets sucked into the open spaces in the threads during quenching. That water expands when heated to push out material, making the space larger. That eventually cleans the threads enough to allow them to slide past each other.
When trying to break a screw or bolt free apply pressure in short twists instead of one large twist. The large strong twist more often than not will cause the tool to slip out of the slot and damage it. Or break the fastener you are trying to remove. I get hundreds of carburetors that have rounded bolt heads, tapered screw slots and other damage that causes owners to send them to me. I have only needed to drill out a few fasteners since I have the proper sized tools and used the techniques described.
Occasionally there will be so much polymerized gasoline that carburetor cleaner and penetrating oil might be needed. A little heat may may help soften the "glue" and break them free. In that case just warm the parts and don't use water quench.
The final tip is if a fastener is particularly difficult to remove try to remove and then tighten and alternate until it breaks free. That technique often is necessary for nuts that don't cover all the threads. Wheel lug nuts are a prime example.
Chips' guidance matches the things that I have determined work well with stuck threaded fasteners, especially the "try to tighten first" tip.
Chip noted that he has the proper tools. Spend the time filing a screwdriver tip to better fit the slot in the brass plugs. I even have a pair of "impact" screwdrivers. They are not near as bulky as an impact driver and much easier to control.
