How I remove those pesky pilot screw plugs

[cajun31]

The easiest risk free way I have found to remove the pilot screw plugs is as follows. I use Irwin products.. only because they are readily available to me at Lowes and Ace Hardware. I take the Irwin #30 drill bit ... which is the recommended bit to use when re-tapping a 4mm x .70 hole. I then take the prescribed 4mm x .70 tap and run it into the freshly drilled plug. By the way the factory plugs ... unless I am wrong... were made of brass. Very soft so be careful when drilling. There is a very small gap between the bottom of the plug and the actual pilot screw so don't be too aggressive. A new drill bit is very sharp and goes through the brass like butter. When you run the tap into the freshly drilled hole it bottoms out on the pilot screw and gently works the plug up out of the pilot screw tower slowly but surely. They come right out with no danger of breaking the tower. Hope this helps someone. We are reaching the point of these carbs being unobtanium and the less that are destroyed the better.

[Bonz]

That’s a creative way of doing it, thanks for sharing.

[Geezer]

Back when I was working on Yamahas for a living we used to put a short piece of copper tubing over the drill bit so only about 3/16" of the bit stuck out then used a self tapping sheet metal screw and a pair of vicegrips to pull the plug. The plugs were then tossed...

Tony

[cajun31]

I have used that technique in the past but was always concerned about breaking the tower. My way eliminates that.

[Bonz]

I thought of sharing the same method, however my Spidey sense said you would come back and say yours took away that risk. With that said, I haven’t had an issue removing them with the old sheet metal screw trick, even my XS carbs. FWIW, I can’t recall the last time I heard of a broken pilot tower from removing a cap.

However the drillbit and tap method works so no reason not to do it if a person has that concern.

[cajun31]

I have seen many with the towers cracked or a portion missing. Many for sale on Ebay in that condition. With that said there is no way to say that the damage was caused by removing the plug. Who knows what folks do while working on these vintage carbs. My only concern is the limited supply of them. I would think that most folks are going to use the sheet metal screw technique because it only requires a screw and pliers or vice grips. The mantra on this site many years ago was to see who could fix or repair these old bikes in the cheapest way possible. I remember reading many threads to that effect. Nothing wrong with either way. I was just sharing the way I do it in the interest of helping someone else who might be having the same apprehension that I had.

[Bonz]

Definitely agree using a tap won’t put side torque on the pilot tower compared to the potential for that with a sheet metal screw and pair of pliers. Thumbs up!

[bikerphil]

I'm surprised you guys are actuality finding these plugs still there, every set I've ever seen, they're gone.

Has anyone had a pilot screw vibrate loose? I had one the other day on an XJ that was out about 8 turns from the 2.5 it was set at a year ago. The bike ran like crap, cleaned the plug and reset it and now it's fine.

[cajun31]

I'm surprised you guys are actuality finding these plugs still there, every set I've ever seen, they're gone.

Has anyone had a pilot screw vibrate loose? I had one the other day on an XJ that was out about 8 turns from the 2.5 it was set at a year ago. The bike ran like crap, cleaned the plug and reset it and now it's fine.

That sounds like either a defective screw or the threads are wearing. One or the other. I don't see many with the plugs still installed but there are still some out there. I had a really old set that I had stored for years. Bought them off of Ebay. They still had the plugs along with other problems not discovered until I disassembled them.

[Bonz]

I’ve been bringing back a 1970 Harley-Aermacchi scooter for a friend of mine and his wife. 660 miles on it, been in an Iowa barn and they brought it out to Colorado. Everything was a gummed up or a solid mess from sitting almost 50 years. Soaked the carburetor body for a day or so in Berrymans carb dip then used an ultrasonic cleaner. Putting it back together, the threads in the carb body weren’t crisp enough to hold a couple of the screws. Don’t know if it was the carb dip which is the newer version that isn’t as harsh as older stuff or the ultrasonic cleaner that caused it or if it was gonna happen no matter how I did it. In any case the metal did “deteriorate” during the cleaning process.

[cajun31]

Berryman's sells two different types of chem dip. One comes in a gallon bucket and the professional dip comes in a six gallon can. Both are described as doing no harm to metal. I use the 1 gallon can and have never seen any deterioration of metal parts. Plastic either for that matter. The professional dip in the 6 gallon bucket states that it can dissolve plastics and should not be stored in any plastic containers. I have left parts soaking for weeks ... most of the time I forgot they were in there with no ill effects.

[3Phase]

I used a finishing hammer and a nail to 'tilt' the cap enough to pry it out of the tower.

[Bonz]

I used a finishing hammer and a nail to 'tilt' the cap enough to pry it out of the tower.

Nice option.

[cajun31]

Nice option.

Howard, You might want to check your web page link in your rally link. It is still pointing to xs11.com.

[Bonz]

Hi, thanks on that cajun31. There isn't a 2021 rally thread yet. Once I put that information out Jerry typically puts the rally page together and then I'll post the link replacing last year's.

Historically I've posted next year's rally thread on Christmas Day however last year I did it on Thanksgiving Day.

Look for a Christmas present on Christmas day with respect to the rally.