Removing badly worn screw on airbox

[lokets]

Hello. I'm one of those unfortunate people who had a previous car mechanic working on my lovely Jazz & over-tighten screws on my airbox - this is the black box that holds the air filter panel.

When it comes to replacing the air filter panel, I tried to unscrew the box. There are some 6 screws, one of them refuses to come out. I tried harder and yes, the screw ("+") at the top slowly becomes a "*". Oh no...

I brought the car back to the mechanic & they service the car as well besides trying to take out the screw. When I pick up the car, the screw has turned into a "o". In other words, there's no easy way for any sane human to unscrew it any more. Urrrgghhh.... idiots...

Any ideas on how you would remove this?

I do need to remove this thing as I must change the air filter panel inside and I do not want to replace the entire airbox with a CAI or pod-filter (not interested & too expensive).

There's a company I'm told called Threadtech (in Brisbane) who seems to specialize in removing badly mutilated screws (like this one) but I am not sure their cost/service.

Next time, tell yourself, don't over-tighten that screw or you will screw up & kick yourself later when it's time to remove it. :D

[newmski]

cut the head off...
if there is some + left you could try using a hammer to loosen it by put the screwdriver as u normally woulkd and hitting th top of the screwdriver

[aaronng]

Isn't the screw also a hex bolt? It is on my airbox (Accord). If it is, then use a socket to undo it.

[ek4-guy]

where bouts in brissy are you man

[lokets]

No, the screw in question is not a hex screw, hence it cannot be removed with a socket. This is for a Jazz airbox. This screw is like a normal one, round head, with a "+" on the top for your usual Philips screwdriver to drive it.

I'm near Beenleigh, near Brisbane.

[vividjazz]

Use a screw extraction kit. They just drill it out or tap into the busted screw to give enough leverage for you to unscrew it (bit like a removing a wine cork). Surprised the mechanic doesn't have the equipment amongst their Snap-on gear.

[bennjamin]

yup get a bolt extractor - its just a drill bit with a opposite-spun guide on it to take out nuts n bolts just like this.

Costs about $10 for a bit from bunnings etc - u drill a small hole thru the said bolt with a small drill piece , then apply the extractor and twist into the hole( dont hit). use a spanner or wrench to turn it anti-clockwise and it should come out.

[ek4-guy]

there is a few methods you can use
first is check to see is the thread is visable in the wheel arche if so get some vice grips on it an turn it out.

secondly when you say the screw is round does it have a flat surface or is it like a dome. if its like a dome you can make a small cut into it with a hacksaw blade an turn it out with a flat head screw driver.

you could also just get a nice an sharp phillips head and put it on the screw an bash then see if the driver bites.

last resort is an easy out screw remover where you drill a hole an insert a taperd reverse thread tap untill it bites an due to its reverse thread it turns the screw out.
or you could always come to my place ive got a snap-on/sidchrome tool kit from hell

[lokets]

ek4-guy: the screw is a round dome type. Given the miserable amount of space I can work with in the Jazz engine compartment, it is not an easy task. What's worse is that immediately surrounding this screw are plastic housing assembly of the airbox itself. If you have a Jazz, open its bonnet, look at the airbox, and my bad screw is the one on the top-left corner - see how much leverage I can get - zilch.

I think the best idea thus far is as you lovely folks suggest: drill into the bad screw, get a bolt/screw extractor kit from Bunnings & insert the thing & turn to remove the thing.

There's also the impact hammer thing someone suggested - one of those things that you can bang on with a hammer, and at the same time, it actually turns. Wonderful but: (1) I do not have it, and (2) the miserable airbox will unlikely survive a banging screw driver with hammer, and (3) I will be so fed up that I may bang on other things inside the engine compartment, too risky... :mad:

[08ESE]

weird?

my jazz has hex bolts with screw head recesses in the top???


the screw extractors mentioned above are called EASY OUTS

also if its the one going into the metal bracket.... undo the bolt at the bottome of the metal bracket (if u can reach)

[aaronng]

And when you get replacement bolts, go for the hex bolts with philips.