I bought the front part of a 37 hood off ebay that has the handle, and the parts I need for the hood. There are two small screws that are rusted. I need to remove them from that pot metal ornament. The screws are whole right now. Any idea as to how to take them out?? I have the 50/50 blend of ATF and Acetone on it. Can I heat that pot metal with a propane torch to try to back those screws out?? Thanks
IF heat is used, focus heat on the screws, not the pot metal...........then let them cool, use PB Blaster or like before trying to remove them. Ray
I have that also. Does not really want to move. I put a screwdriver into the slot, and gave it a rap but it is still frozen. Should I heat those screws up and then throw it in the snow. Then try to take the screws out??
hnstay has it right, you heat the screw, with a small tip on your oxy/acet torch, and let it cool naturally. the heat makes the steel expand, forcing the threads deeper into themselves, then contract when cool to give some space to move. a little "shock" with a hammer to tell the inanimate sob you are a superior being, and will win helps
And if possible, when you do get ready to try take them out, try to tighten them first. It may loosen them, and if you're going to mess up the slots on the screws, do it on the sides that that you won't need to take them out. I hope that makes sense. Tap on the end of the screwdriver as you turn it, too.
Sorry, its pot metal with steel screws. I think the outcome won't be good, but I guess you really don't have anything to loose. Heat anywhere near pot metal scares me. I wish you the best of luck. Gene
All I would offer is to not be in a hurry. It probably took 40 years, or more, to seize up. I use Kroil and spray once every 2 or 3 days. Heat it up and spray some more. If you take your time you might be better off.
Try all of what has been posted so far and then heat the screws up with propane torch and melt a wax candle on the threads. As it cools it will wick the wax into the threads. Then try to remove after the part cools.
I would try a "hit with a hammer" type impact driver with a Very snug fitting driver bit first. As said above, one or 2 taps to tighten first, then reverse to loosen. If you need to heat it, heat up a 3/8" Steel rod red hot, then place the end of the rod on the head of the screw to transfer heat Only to the screw. Hose it down with your favorite penetrating oil while it is cooling so it will draw the liquid in as it cools. Try again with the "hammer" driver once it is cooled down. If the head strips out, or breaks off, then it is time to reach for the DC Tig welder. We get a lot of broken bolts at work, and the TIG is our GO TO machine for getting them out. Get a puddle going on just the end of the fastener to be removed, and hold it there a while to get some heat into it. The idea is to put enough heat into the fastener to get the rust on it to change form (FeO2 .>FeO3 red rust to grey oxide ), and to have it shrink when it cools. If the fastener is broken off, I use a stainless tig rod to build it back up. 310 & 312 work the best. We build them out until you can weld a nut onto them to try turning them again. Patience, and a steady hand are required, but we haven't been skunked yet.
If you do use a propane torch, just get it warm enough to lay a birthday candle on the threads and let the melted wax creep in the threads, I am a believer in that method.
Take it to a machine shop that has a EDM. The EDM will make short work of Getting the screws out. It will cost a little money but it won’t destroy the part.
An old machinist showed me a trick that worked well on frozen fasteners. Buy some oil of wintergreen and apply to the screws and let it sit for a few minutes to soak in. you should be able to remove the fasteners as if there had never been a problem.
if the hood is not usable,can you cut the pieces away so you have just the handle,it would make it easier to get at the screws,maybe use a pair of vise grips to turn them?
Best trick I know is to oil up the thread and then mig buzz the head of the screw or bolt a few times to build it up and then tack on another bolt on top and give it a gentle turn. It never fails me.
Tread lightly, if you use one of those hammer slammer impact drivers; they can easily twist screws off if hit too hard. Almost seems counter productive tapping on something that begs for a hard hit; but it will get you there.
I use heat, but just the screw, gotta heat it enough to get to the threads, every time you heat it it shrinks the bolt a little, you can let cool and keep repeating till it shrinks enough to break free... IMO... don't try and break it loose while red hot, the screw expands when red hot and jams the threads, you can also strip the slot. I lay the screw driver in one end of the slot, tap it from the side with a hammer to "clear" the slot, repeat in the opposite direction... then tap on the end of the driver to sort of shock the threads... then I twist the screw in the "tighten" direction, so if it doesn't let go I don't strip the slot in the loosen direction... if it doesn't release repeat the heating prossess.... I really like sili kroil now called areo kroil... $20 a spray can........HIH.
Auto trans fluid and Acetone 50/50 is best , it will harm paint . Sometimes all of the above suggested paths to remove rusted fasteners has no bearing on fused hardware in the rust belt . EDM or mill cutter and retread may be your safest part saving idea . Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Last resort would be to snap them off, and drill it out and put in larger screws. I would rather just back them out though.. I will keep on doing all of the above. Thanks for all of your help.
I feel your pain, you're up against the dissimilar metals thing, they are literally welded together, you may never get them out short of redrilling.
Can you sacrifice the screws? Just drill the heads off. Save the piece. Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Like another said, heat and wax. I prefer beeswax over candlewax, heat the screw and let the besswax soak into the screw threads.
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