Carburetor screws in horrible place. Any advice?

[501Maico]

Yeah for a couple of rickety old screws! Lol

I think it's your best option. Do you have a drill press with a true running chuck and a good vise that will clamp to the table? If so, I could send you an inexpensive brass jig for shipping cost that will place evenly spaced holes on the circumference. Use the solid end of a 1/16 or 3/64 drill bit to make your adjustments and buy a 1/16 or 3/64 spotting drill for drilling the holes. You need skills for drilling small holes too.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

I think it's your best option. Do you have a drill press with a true running chuck and a good vise that will clamp to the table? If so, I could send you an inexpensive brass jig for shipping cost that will easily place spaced holes on the circumference. Use the solid end of a 1/16 or 3/32 drill bit to make your adjustments and buy a 1/16 or 3/32 spotting drill for drilling the holes. You need skills for drilling small holes too.

I think it's your best option. Do you have a drill press with a true running chuck and a good vise that will clamp to the table? If so, I could send you an inexpensive brass jig for shipping cost that will easily place spaced holes on the circumference. Use the solid end of a 1/16 or 3/32 drill bit to make your adjustments and buy a 1/16 or 3/32 spotting drill for drilling the holes. You need skills for drilling small holes too.

Weighing this too, cuz I’m not giving up on that old saw. I’d take it to my local Stihl mechanic, but they turn anything away that doesn’t have their brand name, including antiques like this.

And that is frustrating. They can easily rig up something that would work, but they just won’t unless it’s a Stihl.

 

[Valpen]

I am not sure of the clearances you have, but here is an older SnapOn offset flatbladed screw driver that may inspire you to come up with a solution. The two blades are 90 degrees from each other.

If you can get access to some thick wire or welding rod, and hammer just the end flat, trim it or file it to give you an edge, and then bend it 90 degrees, and make one more and also bend it - but 90 degree to the first one, you might have a working solution.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

I am not sure of the clearances you have, but here is an older SnapOn offset flatbladed screw driver that may inspire you to come up with a solution. The two blades are 90 degrees from each other.

If you can get access to some thick wire or welding rod, and hammer just the end flat, trim it or file it to give you an edge, and then bend it 90 degrees, and make one more and also bend it - but 90 degree to the first one, you might have a working solution.

I just might be willing to try that one. Is that tool negotiable? Or not? I could easily imagine it’s essential for your needs too, so I would feel pretty bad asking if you’d sell that little thing! Lol

 

[Valpen]

I just might be willing to try that one. Is that tool negotiable? Or not? I could easily imagine it’s essential for your needs too, so I would feel pretty bad asking if you’d sell that little thing! Lol

Sorry, not for sale...,
Although I can't remember the last time I needed it, but I know where it is for the next time I need it...

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Sorry, not for sale...,
Although I can't remember the last time I needed it, but I know where it is for the next time I need it...

That’s exactly what I was talkin bout!

 

[pioneerguy600]

In a pinch I have used one of these cheap paint can openers for just such a task, With just a touch of hand filing it can be made to fit small screw heads quite nicely.

 

[TheTone]

The only problem I see is the fact everyone is thinking conventional screwdriver with the blade applied parallel to the screw shank.

The slots of those screws are cut through the entire head- I would be grinding something like a hacksaw blade to suit and making a tool that came down from the top of the air box to engage the screw slot at a right angle to the shank.
You are only turning small increments to tune and hardly need the torque of a half inch breaker bar to do it.

I think this is the answer. You know how on open end wrenches, the slot is about 15 degrees off parallel? This is so when you have very little travel space you can turn as far as you can and then flip the wrench over and turn some more. Assuming you are going to tune with the air filter off, take a piece of sheet steel slightly thinner than the screw slot thickness and cut, say, two or three thin pieces, the width of which allows you to slide them into the slot from above. Keep the first piece straight. Bend the tip (the length of the screw head diameter) of the second one about 15 degrees and the third one 30 degrees. By switching tools and flipping them over, you should be able to turn the screws to any configuration. No need to modify anything.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

I think this is the answer. You know how on open end wrenches, the slot is about 15 degrees off parallel? This is so when you have very little travel space you can turn as far as you can and then flip the wrench over and turn some more. Assuming you are going to tune with the air filter off, take a piece of sheet steel slightly thinner than the screw slot thickness and cut, say, two or three thin pieces, the width of which allows you to slide them into the slot from above. Keep the first piece straight. Bend the tip (the length of the screw head diameter) of the second one about 15 degrees and the third one 30 degrees. By switching tools and flipping them over, you should be able to turn the screws to any configuration. No need to modify anything.

I get what you’re saying! I saw the suggestion of using a paint can pry tool. I really like that because that might be the perfect width clearance and those have a slight angle on their tip. I can use a regular one, then I could torch heat and twist another to a 35 degree angle, another one at a 70 or a 90, that way I’ve got some tools with a finger tab.
Really, everyone has been very helpful and have pitched out a great deal of good ideas. I thank everyone for being as willing to help as you all have been! I’m sure the reason so many people have jumped to suggestion is because literally every one of you have run into this kind of annoyance, due to needlessly bad design choices by manufacturers.

 

[Automender]

Is it possible to find a thin plastic tube maybe 1/4 inch long or les that can be pushed onto the serrated end of the screw. You can drill a hole through that tube to insert a small rod. That will bring it out to clear the other screw so adjusting is easier. I am thinking maybe one of those adjustment limiter caps or something. You can push in on by wedging a screwdriver between the plastic tube and that horizontal metal tube.

 

[AxFan20]

Everybody is thinking about the screw slot. I am thinking about a set of precision tongue and grove pliers. They will grab the screw top to bottom rather than side to side . I would even try to use a small hemostat. You would not have much of an arc, but it should be possible.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Everybody is thinking about the screw slot. I am thinking about a set of precision tongue and grove pliers. They will grab the screw top to bottom rather than side to side . I would even try to use a small hemostat. You would not have much of an arc, but it should be possible.

Rat toothed tweezers too!

 

[67L36Driver]

Braze or solder a #8-32 hex nut to the end of the mixture screws.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

This is easily the most I’ve ever had people volunteer their good ideas for help! I’m pretty happy about that and I genuinely appreciate all the feedback from everyone.

 

[MacAttack]

Braze or solder a #8-32 hex nut to the end of the mixture screws.

Or even easier, grind the head into a hex shape!
That's a better idea IMO than a 90 degree screwdriver tip.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Or even easier, grind the head into a hex shape!
That's a better idea IMO than a 90 degree screwdriver tip.

So you’re into McCulloch chainsaws?

 

[MacAttack]

So you’re into McCulloch chainsaws?

That's what my dad used growing up, 10-10s and a Mini Mac, yeah they're my favorite. Fun old saws!

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Just talked to one of our local small engine mechanics. He took a look at the picture and said he thinks we could probably get the carb turned/flipped in a way that will get the screws facing topside.
Thats a possibility too.

 

[MacAttack]

Jusy my 2 cents...it's not worth risking an intake air leak or messed up throttle / choke controls in an attempt to access the adjustment screws more easily. I can't imagine any easy way to re-orient the carb when it's bolted to the intake of the engine.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Jusy my 2 cents...it's not worth risking an intake air leak or messed up throttle / choke controls in an attempt to access the adjustment screws more easily. I can't imagine any easy way to re-orient the carb when it's bolted to the intake of the engine.

We will take a look and see how feasible it is to do that before we dive into it like that. He only looked at the picture today. I’m going to actually show him the saw this weekend or at work tomorrow. I do see how it can go how you are saying. I can kinda see what he is saying too, maybe he may know how to mitigate the risks. If he screws it up, he just bought my saw! Lol!