Stuck screws

[dgreen729]

Hi,

Bike (rf 600 '93) won't start at all... A few days ago I got it started (after numerous attempts) with the choke, but as soon as I let it off it died out (unless I opened the throttle). Did a bit of reading on here and diagnosed the problem as being clogged pilot jets.

So today I'm trying to clean out my carburettor, but the screws holding the float bowls down are absolutely knackered.

Not sure of the best way to get these out as I can't get vice grips around them, any suggestions?

And about balancing after cleaning, will I have to or might I be lucky and get away with not having to do it?

I know its a basic and crappy question, but everybody starts somewhere....

Cheers, Dan.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Small mole grips, plumbers pliers or an impact driver. Trouble is normally that the heads are very soft and round off easily. If needs be then cut a slot in the heads (watch out for sparks with the recently full of petrol carbs).

All the best

Keith
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[Phoenix]

If they're not already totally chewed up then get the best fitting screwdriver you can and some crossheads don't sit as deep in the screws as they should, those multiple interchanegable heads you get in drill bit sets usually have the best fitting ones, get a nice chunky handled screwdriver and give it a few taps with a hammer before pushing down really hard and twisting, never failed me yet even on the most stuck float bowl screws. If that still doesn't work then an impact driver will do it, if the heads are chewed off compleetely then you'll need to use mole grips if you can get at all the screws with them.

Carbs shouldn't need balancing afterwards, all you're doing is cleaning the jets out. May aswell check the main jets while you're there and clean the float pivots and needles if they're dirty. Check the bowls for leaks after you refit them and run it, sometimes the gaskets are so hard and compressed that they don't seal properly again, just had to swap the ones on my VFR as they were presumably 21 years old and 2 of them were leaking after rebuilding the carbs.

[ZRX61]

You can *kind of* reform the heads by clouting them with a suitably sized pin punch. 1/4in will do. This will push some of the metal back where it was so you can get a better grip/fit with the impact.