This is far the worse design ever. I remember owning an accord about a decade ago and came accross this same situation. Don't they realize that when it gets hot in there, the screw will freeze. At least use a small size bolt where we could throw on a small socket. But the screw's pretty much stripped. Any solutions?

 

I had this happen to me too a while ago. From what I remember worked for me, soak it in PB Blaster and let it sit for a while, and then get some vice grips and choke down on it and you should be able to get it loose. I think to get the vice grips on I had to hack up the dust shield though, so you'll probably need a new one if you go that route.

 

You can also drill it out, or get a new dizzy if worse comes to worse lol.

 

X2 on the vise grips, worked for me

 

You can take off a couple things in the distributor that are in the way to be able to get a very small pair of vice grips on it. Then just turn a little, readjust vice grips, grab and turn a lil more, readjust vice grips...etc etc

 

If you're replacing the rotor just break the rotor, that way you can slide out the large inner cover and have tons of room to do the vice grip trick.

 

Another tip as well is to try and make quick, hard turns instead of slow turns to break it loose. This applies to all fasteners, as slowly turning will more likely shear the bolt.

 

Isn't it a bolt? My OEM one on my 94 Accord has both a bolt and nut.

 

^Either someone put it there or it's an aftermarket distributor as I can tell you from working at a Honda dealer for some years now that I've never seen anything but a phillips head screw in any OEM distributor. I've opened up every distributor at this point and have never seen a bolt with a nut on the back especially since the inner cover for the ICM wont let a socket get on the backside when the other end is facing the opening.

BTW OP I did the rotor breaking trick on a JDM H22 dizzy that I was rebuilding before selling to someone and it works great since breaking the rotor gives you tons of room to get a pair of needle nose vice grips on, came right out. Take the dizzy out of the car too when doing it, makes it a lot easier.

 

I sure wish it was a bolt. But thanks to all for the advices. I still have an option to fit a long flat head screwdriver to give it another shot, but I doubt it'll be strong enough. But it seems like the vice grip is the more popular solution. I will pick up a one from o'reilys this weekend.

thanks again, means a lot.

 

So this weekend I gave it another try with a flat head screwdriver and some pb blaster. I got a pretty good grip but it still stripped! Therefore, it's gonna be the vice grip this weekend. What type of vice grip am I looking for?

 

A small needle nose pair, they can be bought at any Sears.

 

you just need the smallest Vice Grips you can find.

 

???? WTF guys.... 90 degree ratcheting screw driver. You can buy one for like $10.


Those other methods work I suppose - but having the right tool for the job makes life easier.

If you're that lazy/broke - breaking the rotor is your best bet.

 

^He already stripped the screw, that's why I suggested breaking the rotor and using vice grips.

 

Got it, thanks! I will break the rotor to provide myself with enough space for the needle nose.

 

You don't need to break the rotor. Just remove anything that's in the way to get room. Those rotors are almost impossible to break. Make it easy on yourself, not harder.

 

This is a really simple thing here, and its really hard to screw this job up...

Just take it to a local shop and as them. They couldnt charge you anything more than free for walking in there and asking them to take a bolt off real quick.

 

I actually had this happen to me as well. I had read that using a dremel to kind of create a slit in the screw so you could get a flat head in there would work. I ended up stripping it like that, as well. Lol

I would spray some pb blaster on it, and let it sit for a while. Break the rotor, and dremel anything that didn't get broken off, and just out vice grips on it.

For some reason, I dislike the idea of doing fast turns, because it seems to strip easier. If you get a real good grip, I'd say turn it slowly. Make sure to have a really REALLY right grip on it so it doesn't just slide on the head of the screw. I say this because it happened to me, lol.

 

Rotor is easy to break, done it, made it super easy to get the vice grips on there since I could also slide the inner ICM cover out.

I would be careful like the poster above mentioned, if you chew it up with the vice grips then you're really F'ed.

 

You kind of have to make a judgement call on how fast to go. I agree that going slower is less likely to strip the head when using a screw driver, but the concern is if the bolt is seized you are more likely to shear the whole head off entirely. This would leave the bottom of the screw in the distributor, in which case you are really up a creek.

Keep in mind this same principle applies in reverse when you are torquing things down. You should be making fairly concise movements to achieve proper torque and not making slow, exaggerated turns.