Mine is FROZEN in there, even with a good fitting phillips screwdriver, the screw does not budge. I tried it over and over, and slipped one time, stripping the head of bolt. I can just bearly get a decent grip on it now and I'm worried that if tried anymore I'd round out the screw head. If it get's rounded, I guess I'm going to have to drill and tap the distributor. I sure hope it doesn't come to this.

Anyone know any tricks on how to remove a stubborn distributor rotor screw?

Thanks!


[Modified by ChurchBoyRacer, 7:59 PM 9/16/2002]

 

Ya your screwed (no pun intended).
Hopefully you have a replacement rotor. If you do just break the old one or use a hack saw and cut it off. Then you can use vise grips to get it out. I had to do it when I accidently used locktite one time. I tried using an easy out but it didn't work.

 

same here, someone said take off the whole distributor but i duno if you can while the rotor is still on.

 

impact driver .. but be carefull

 

Yes you can. (3) 12mm bolts and a couple of wire harnesses.

Use a #3 phillips if that'll fit.


[Modified by IN VTEC, 9:46 AM 9/17/2002]

 

hopefully you'r enot using a screwdriver but simply a phillips #2 bit on a 1/4" wrachet and socket. If its too late and the head is stripped, then you need to get a grinding wheel or a rotor tool with cutoff wheel and grid a slot thru the rotor and screw then use a flat screwdriver bit with the same 1/4" wrachet and socket and take off.

greg

 

before you go cuttin and a hackin away at your distributor, Go to a parts store and pick up a small tube of valve lapping compound and dab a little bit of that on the end of your screwdriver and then try it. This is a little trick I learned a long time ago. Works almost everytime.

 

Thank God for the mighty Snap-On impact driver.

I removed the distributor, had someone hold the distributor shaft from rotating, and I used an impact driver to remove the screw.

Funny thing is, the replacement rotor I got for it did NOT have the hole for the screw that secures the rotor to the dist. shaft. Wierd. Maybe I should go back to the parts store and ask to see another one. However, this new one, made by BOSCH, seems to slip on the distributor shaft a little "tighter." I'm going to try it the way it is....what's the worst can happen? It's impossible for the rotor to screw itself off, since the cap is holding it down. Maybe it's a new design by BOSCH. At least I won't have to worry about another frozen screw.

By the way, this is a distributor for a JDM H22A, which has an internal coil. The distributor rotor I got for it was made for a '92 Honda Accord (F22A engine)w/internal coil distributor. Can it be that the Accord distributor DOES NOT need a screw to hold down it's distributor rotor since it's not a "high-performance" Honda engine? Heck, who's gonna rev a F22A to 7700RPMS?

Well, getting off topic, but thanks to those that gave some input.

 

Not sure why it doesn't have a hole, but it will probably be fine. The screw in mine fell out and I ran like that for probably 2 months. Thats the reason I used locktite, lol. Anyway, I didn't notice a difference without the screw and that is revving to over 8000 rpms.

 

hondafrk, thanks for this suggestion!

I went to Auto Zone and asked for valve lapping compound - they told me they had no idea what I was talking about!

I did some quick searching on the internet and here's the product I bought: Permatex Valve Grinding Compound, Part #80036, package also says 34A on it at the bottom right.

I put a little dab of this on the top of the Phillips screw that was stuck, and it seemed to help the screwdriver get a better grip on the screw.

I also used an Impact Driver that I bought from Sears, here it is:
Sears Craftsman Item # 00947641000P, Model # 47641
Sears.com

The combination worked great. I used a large rubber mallet to tap on the impact driver. Initially I tapped pretty gently. After a couple of genttle taps weren't working, I hit it harder (probably using a medium strength hit) and the screw loosened up!

When I put on the new distributor rotor, it seemed a little wiggly and loose without the screw in it, so I was hesitant to replace it without the screw. So I went ahead and reinserted the screw to secure the replacement rotor.

Hope this is helpful to others!

 

usual autozone answer, ask a smart question, get a stupid answer. I'm surprised the counter guy didn't ask what a valve was

 

12 year old thread doe.

 

somebody bumped it up there somewhere EDIT Cheesehead

 

needle nose vise grips work had to do it to mine works great