Hello all, I've been a total moron and stripped the head of the pozidriv screw on the lower side of the water pump (I thought it was a philips head) and need some advice on what do. I have attached pictures but there is more to the job than it seems. I am stuggling to use an extractor because the crank pulley is in the way and am not able to drill it out for the same reason; the chock of the drill hits the crank pulley before the bit would get to the bottom of the bolt (I think at least) and I don't trust myself to not drill through the block. I really don't want to trailer it to a specialist as the would be £££ so looking for some expert advice. Thank you.

 

Since no more damage can be done, and I have been there before you on an Old PreHE.

1) Have a beer, CALM down.
2), It is clearly TIGHT.
3) Take a blade screwdriver (a size that just fits that head), preferably one with a squared shaft (spanner can be used in that square to rotate said screwdriver). HAMMER the blade into that mess, it will jam nicely, attach the shifter to the square of the screwdriver, and undo that sucker. The HAMMERING generally loosens the thing, not always, hence #4.
4) Remove the crank pulley, NOT that hard. Ask for the Aussie way if you have doubts, BUT, BUT, DO NOT ROTATE THAT ENGINE BACKWARDS, your mood will sour in a heartbeat.
Then you can drill that thing out if thats is the way you prefer.

AND

Back in my younger days, we had a tool known as an Impact Screwdriver. Select the bit needed, insert, and hold firmly and WHACK the end with a BFH. Not much ever resisted that sucker. Google should be your friend there, and I think??? Toledo was the brand.

 

Depending upon the model year, the threads on that fastening are either UNC or Metric, most probablmy UNC.
When it is successfully out, replace it with an Allen Key'd countersunk bolt in stainless, which will not corrode into the block ally so much.
Something like this might, repeat might clear the pully:
https://www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk/PARENT717
or fully countersunk the thread you need should be here, in stainless:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/182366058940
or
https://www.bolts.co.uk/socket-screw...mBMmcqYqGEantD
or
https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk...rse0.5000.html


You might even have enough room to get a socket headed allen headed bolt in there, which would be even better than countersunk.
https://www.gwr-fasteners.co.uk/38-u...eel-6745-c.asp

These links are not necessarily the right thread size, by the way, just the type.

 

Recently on Jag-Lovers, Greg removed the water pump without removing the crank pulley.

He double nutted and removed the top left stud.

This allowed the pump to swing up enough to clear the pulley.



gregmaGreg (1988 XJ-S V12 Lucas)
1
Dec 2024Thanks. Luckily the top left stud came out no problem which made it easy to tilt pump out.

I hope I have this right.

Rob

 

Cheers grant, I'll give thar a go this should help a ton but I'll need more than the one beer detailed in step one lol. I've tried hammering in a bolt extractor but struggle to pulp the hammer back far enough to exert enough force on the extractor as the front 'crashbar' / 'impact structure' gets in the way.

 

I have always used a sharp point LOONG air hammer bit and a long stroke air hammer with a very controllable trigger to 'walk' tight bolts/screws around enough to get the fastener loose just a bit.

Even a loose fitting mating will remove the fastener if the threaded shank is still in tack.

A hand chisel and hammer will do the same but an air chisel is more controllable.

Broken screws/bolts are a different matter.

Example below.

 

I bought a slightly different type of easy out set about a year ago.
They fit 1/4" tools so you can add a small extension to clear the pulley.
It's a very cheap set but I'm thrilled with it.
The set has four sizes and each bit has a small drill on one end and a reverse extractor on the other.
I bought it around the time I was given a bunch of photography equipment that had about 50 rusty fasteners.
Every one of the fasteners broke free of the threads.

 

1. First I'd try a pozi drive bit - probably installed in an impact screwdriver (one that cams a direction when you hit it on the butt end). If that failed, another easy option is a VERY VERY SHARP punch. Press the tip into the rim of the screw head and hammer in tangent to the rim anti-clockwise. Works surprisingly often... Worst case you can weld a nut onto the top of the screw. THAT WORKS, but it's a bit of a PITA to be avoided if possible.

~Paul K.

 

have one of those as well, still easy to find on amazon and co. worked for me well.. especially when heated up