Stripped flathead screw on my carb

Hi guys,

I bought a carb and was going to start the rebuild, but I've hit an issue trying to remove the choke thermostat. The screw is stripped and won't loosen. Any tips? Also, when it comes to replacing these screws, are they specific or will they be easy to find anywhere? Thanks!

Douse it with penetrate on both sides use some Twice as Good (NAPA) or Liquid Wrench, and there are several others too then let it set and replete again later. Then use some vise grips to lock on to it and slowly turn it a little to break it free. If you can't get it loose you can grind the head off and drill it out. Yes a replacement screw should be fairly common and easy to find at just about any hardware store or an auto parts. Good luck

"...screw should be fairly common and easy to find at just about any…"
take a goodun wid ya.

make sure U find the center of the screw, nail it w/a center punch to guide a slimer diamiter drill and remove the mass. You may need to get a pic and scrape out the remaining threads left in the sides of the carb's hole. a vac or burst of air pressure will clean out the hole. If needed (test w/light pressure - screwing in the replacement) you might use a proper sz tap to re form the threads in the hole.
That's all with some luck and gentelness (it IS a soft metal after all)

I have found a very handy item to have with these old cars is a tap and die set with the smaller sizes.

What bubba and chad said x3 on how to remove it. If you bore it out and go wide, the tap will dress up the threads nicely. Same for when you have a salvage part. Also the dies do the same thing on pieces you have to pound on to loosen or punch out.

Thanks guy, I'll give that a go!

Well, it kinda worked. I used the vice grips, and amanaged to take just the head off the screw! Shit. There's no part fo the screw exposed, it's all sunk into the hole. Any ideas?

Well about all you can do now is to carefully drill it out. Good luck

And then chase the hole with your tap. So the threads are tuned up and won't seize on the new screw.

Should have introduced it to the hammer.... Sounds stupid and archaic but youd be surprised what a couple whaps will do for you

looks like a blind hole (not a thru hole).
U will hafts follow the directions above.
Center punch it, (to have a start in the middle 4 ur drill), drill out the middle (making sure not to bust out the back or U will hafta solve that problem too) w/a very thin bit. Go successivly larger bits (keep it clean as U go 2 C what U R doing) but do not go so large as to clean out the threads on the sides of the orig hole. Flush w/air. Get the same size tap as the orig screw. Use a cutting fluid (oily). Just twist in gentely a lill bit, back out, flush w/air. Do this repeatidly - ie not too far at once, getting out the pieces stuck to the sides (the 'threads prts' left over after drilling). Wrk this step slowly & U might could save it...