Greg Bell

I'm in the process of doing the distributor belt, caps and rotors, leads and plugs. The distributor had the belt, caps and rotors changed and bearings checked and the car successfully started after the job was done. Next are the plug leads and plugs but I have a problem. The mush head cap screw holding the muffler carrier seen in the centre of the picture will not budge. I tried heat, an impact driver and despite my best efforts I have managed to round the inside of the hex on the cap screw.

Any ideas how I can get the sucker out?

TIA

Greg

P-daddy

Greg Bell

Hi P-daddy, I just want to confirm it was the mush head cap screw you removed with this kit, not the socket head cap screws like on the valve cover. I can't quite see how it would work, can you please explain?

Many thanks
Greg

tbennett017

There is a male version of the same kind of thing. Another option is LEFT handed drills.... you can drill into it and often the act of drilling will shake it loose. Also do you have a large enough Torx bit to hammer in there to get a grip?

BobbyT

You might try cutting a slot in the bolt head with a Dremel tool so you can use a screwdriver to turn it.

P-daddy

P-daddy

chris walrod

Yes, that is the incorrect fastener type (button head cap screw) - should be socket head. Use a chisel and hammer striking toward the side of the head in a CCW direction. Should work great. Just be sure to replace the fastener with a new socket head type.

pp000830

Use a little penetrating oil and let things sit overnight. Then try the slot idea above or a screw extractor in the stripped head socket, As a last resort drill the head off and then if the shank doesn't come loose use a small drill to drill a hole in the center of its cross section and use a very small screw extractor to remove it. Also, an old-school trick is to use left-hand drill bits, in some cases, the drilling will then simply unscrew the fastener at some point.

Endoman

Yep wrong bolt hope it's not wrong thread as well, best trick is to hammer a torx in.

71-3.0-911

Easy out would be my choice. Head already has hole in it so the bit won't walk on you. 5 mins tops and you'll have that thing out.

budge96

Greg Bell

budge96 - I am also doing the upper and lower valve covers and figured the best way to get all the accumulated gunk out from around the top covers would be to take the tinware off. I want everything as clean as I can get it before I pop the valve covers. The right hand side has to come off anyway to get to one of the spark plugs.

I ended up drilling the head of the mush head bolt off and as P-daddy noted it was the incorrect bolt. I am the second owner so somewhere in the past someone has substituted the wrong bolt - I will be putting the correct one back in IF I can get the old one out. I'll try the easy out now the muffler hanger is off and I can get a drill in close enough.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

nine9six

This is not a bad suggestion; however, it's not the shaking that would prompt the fastener to back out, but rather the pressure, heat and clamping torque of the fastener being reduced by the left-handed drill...

Pounding in a Torx bit, should be tried prior to the attempt to drill out the fastener.

I would not cut the head of the existing fastener off, as the hex head can be used as a guide to the center of a fastener during the drilling process.

Greg Bell

I tried a Torx bit but there is not enough room to get a decent swing on a hammer to drive it in.

The rounded hex on the mush head screw made a perfect guide for a large drill as it left behind a perfectly centered concave depression ready for me to attack at a later date with a small drill bit and an easy out.