Stripped screws


 
J

Joel Isen

New member
Ok, so I got impatient with my second rehab and didn't wait to apply the lube on seized valve screws over a period of several days. Wound up stripping two of the tiny screws on the valves. What would be the best way to get these out? Drill them out, buy a tiny screw extractor? Open to good suggestions as I still want to service these sticky valves.
 
I found that most of the valve stickiness comes from the corrosion on the outside of the stem anyway. Just clean up your valves and they should work a lot better.
 

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Is WD-40 really the best second choice?

Will it start clogging things up later?

I am working on a two-burner where only 1 of the 4 valve screws comes out readily, in spite of using my best screwdrivers. I haven't pushed it so far as to strip the others. I have them soaking in PB Blaster right now, but I am not highly optimistic. On this grill, both valves work, just not nice and freely as I would like. This is a rehab for a friend, so I definitely don't want to stick him with trouble waiting to happen (nor would I want to do that for anyone). I have a feeling the external lubrication would probably do the trick. I am just not sure about what to use or how much to apply. I do NOT want to strip the screws or do any drilling out, etc. That would probably mean a new regulator in an already non-profit job!

Should I use WD-40, something else, or leave things as they are?

@Larry Michaels can you way in here?
 
My 3 go-to's are WD-40, PB Blaster, and silicone spray. Silicone may be the best option of my 3, but it is in the basement and grill was in the garage. My Broilmaster has sticky valves. I will shoot some silicone and let you know.
 
Well the silicone did not do much for my sticky valves on the Broilmaster. I will try some WD-40 next. If that does not work I will tear them down some time. Not an urgency as I am having fun with the Napoleon.
 
Silicone is never a good choice as it migrates all over the place. WD40 MEH. Believe it or not a drop or 2 of ATF (auto trans fluid) no particular brand is great. It's got good cleaning and anti corrosion, will withstand the heat present in the area. I have been doing it on my Wolf as the screws on those valves are hopelessly stuck. So when the valves stiffen up I just go in there with a drop of ATF. Disassembling is always the best way to go but when you can't ATF will do well
 
So I took the advice of those above who have a lot more experience than I do and just put a drop of WD 40 into each stuck valve. Definitely helped. If they get sticky again, I will try the ATF trick. Trying to get the tiny screws out may ruin the valves.
 
IMO, WD40 is a crummy penetrant, and you need to be careful with it as it tends to gum at temps around freeze. It's really a water displacer, it's good for semi-waterproofing electrical connections.

Listen to what @LMichaels says..... I keep a sealed squirt can of the cheapest ATF fluid I can find, and acetone. It's a 50/50 mix, and this stuff lets me turn out suspension bolts in the Midwest. I showed this to a local mechanic several years ago who was doing some brake work for me (not furn working outside at around 0 F.) I'd hosed down the bleeders, the banjo bolts and the mounting bolts on the front calipers for a couple of days. Every single one of them turned out easily.
 
LMichaels said:
Silicone is never a good choice as it migrates all over the place. WD40 MEH. Believe it or not a drop or 2 of ATF (auto trans fluid) no particular brand is great. It's got good cleaning and anti corrosion, will withstand the heat present in the area. I have been doing it on my Wolf as the screws on those valves are hopelessly stuck. So when the valves stiffen up I just go in there with a drop of ATF. Disassembling is always the best way to go but when you can't ATF will do well
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Larry,
Thanks for weighing in. If the screws won't come out tomorrow, I am going to try the ATF idea you described. Makes good sense to me!
 
The 50/50 ATF is also much cheaper to if you need a large amount. Mixed up a half gallon to free up the rusted solid slides in a hay baler last summer. Took two days of soaking them but they finally broke loose.
 
Have you ever heard of Kroil? It's a penetrating oil that has gotten me out of many tuff situations during my working years.

 
Mike P. said:
Have you ever heard of Kroil? It's a penetrating oil that has gotten me out of many tuff situations during my working years.

Click to expand...
I've gone through a can..... the 50/50 mix of weasel pi** works darned near as good and a whole lot cheaper.
 
Kelly C said:
Larry - exactly where should the drips of ATF go?
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Right on the valve stem where it enters the top of the valve. Does not take much. In this operation having the acetone mixed in is not needed really. Maybe in some applications but what the acetone does is simply allow the ATF to be thinner and flow into smaller spaces. Don't go overboard. Honestly just a drop. If the valve is actually "stuck" then the acetone trick will help it penetrate.
As for Kroil. It is quite the stuff Here is good old Project Farm with a few tests. But understand penetrating fluid is not really always needed in this application.
 
Thanks for putting all those video links together. I previously saw I think 2 but missed the rest. After I finish the large can of Stinky PB Plaster I have, I will probably go back to Liquid Stench or try the Seafoam one.
 
Yeah that PBlaster really does smell badly LOL. But I have been using it since I actually was in the business. My late partner turned me on to it
 
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