Stuck damaged idle mix screw removal

[kjohnson]

has anyone had to remove an idle screw with the screwdriver slot busted? I was cleaning the carbs on my XJ1100 and the screws for cylinders 2,3 and 4 came out easy. I thought #1 was coming out easy too, but apparently I sheared the slot off. So here I am needing to adjust the mixture and unable to. I remeber reading somewhere of drilling and re-tapping the hole but can not find where I saw it.

The question remains : is it a feasable thing to attempt or do I need to get a #1 carb body to replace it?

[CatatonicBug]

I'm assuming you're referring to the Air mixture screw, not the idle screw. Just soak the hole where the screw is with PB Blaster (no, WD-40 is NOT the same) for a while, then use a tiny easy-out. The screws are brass, so the easy-out will grab on aggressively. Just be careful and do it slowly. You'll definitely need to get a replacement screw though. Just hope the tip of the screw is not lodged down in the hole. Removing the broken TIP is a painful process.

[kjohnson]

The screw of which I speak is indicated by the red arrow in the pic.

I did try PB blaster (I now only use WD-40 for "drying" electrics) but may not have let it sit long enough. I also got some hints from our "master of metal" where I work to try. There is some left to the top of the screw so I may get one or two last hurrah's with a screwdriver before attempting to drill anything.

[81xsproject]

Actually, that screw controls fuel, not air. Which is why opening it richens the mixture. So, I think idle mixture screw is a good description.

[Radiation]

Me too

I had the same thing happen to me. I had to keep going back and forth until it finally came out. I renotched it with a dremel to get me by. Then I found a link on here to a place to get replacements.
https://www.carbkitscapital.com/carb...a&model=XS1100
Haven't had a problem since then.
Bill

[dbeardslee]

Might be kind of hard to notch the screw on the later model carbs as the adjusters are down in the tunnel. I had a similar problem on a set of 80 carbs. I wound up having to use a drill and and EZ out to get it out. Obviously that also required a new adjuster screw afterwards. You have to be VERY careful when drilling it - a drill press and patience works the best. My $.02.

[fredintoon]

First, unplug the drill press.

I've posted this before but it bears repeating. Find a hex.-bodied screwdriver blade that's the best fit in the screw slot and put it in the drill press chuck. Block the carb body up under the chuck. Bring the blade down onto the wrecked screw slot and hold it down hard with the drill feed capstan arm. Turn the chuck anti-clockwise by hand. If there's any slot at all left the needle should turn out with it.
Note that a left-twist drill bit will also work but I ain't ever seen a home-workshop drill press that will run backwards to take advantage of that.
Can you still get those gizmos that convert a (reversible) hand-held drill into a drill press?