Stuck screw

Anyone else have a hard time getting the screw out of the gas cap door? I was holding the door against my stomack and push really hard and the phillips head just stripped out. I did spray some pentatrating oil on it yesterday. No room to get some vise grips on it. I will need to get a small screw extractor but any other ideas? And yes, I went counter clockwise.

 

Cut a line and use a flat head screwdriver

 

Get JIS screwdrivers. May not have helped here but will somewhere. Japanese automobiles use screwheads that are easily stripped by phillips head drivers. While this is just a gas-cap area, the next one you strip may have more expensive consequences.

 

Didn't booger mine up but. If you have a dremel tool cut a groove so a flat head will fit it. Before you try again, heat it with a blowdryer to where it's "hot" to touch. Dont burn your paint. That screw will come righ out!

 

If you had stopped earlier, tools like JIS screwdriver or manual impact driver might have been able to salvage the situation. Now just buy a set of left handed drill bits and drill it out. Screw extractors won't help when there's so much torque involved.

 

Yeah, all he needs on little screws like that is to break the tip of an easy out in it and then it’s done for!

 

The "bag" suggest that "I should not ask how you know".

 

Locking needle nose pliers.

 

Vice grips may be able to get a grip. Try using straight on not perpendicular.

 

got a welder or a friend who does? grinding that down a bit then tacking an m6/10mm nut on is not likely to fail.

 

Because no one else is saying, it be careful reefing on that fuel door. The hinges are notorious for bending and misaligning.

 

Use your teeth.

 

looks ready to be drilled now

 

Okay, I know you have a lot of replies already…but I would use a dremel cut-off wheel and cut off the mangled pan head. Then pull or unscrew the black clip from the remaining thread and shaft of the screw. Finally, take pliers, grip the old shaft, and turn the screw remains counterclockwise to remove it.

I second Bert’s comment about taking care not to mess up the hinges or misalign the door. This fuel door is a universally cheap and awful design.

 

Are those hinges janky on 1st gens too? I thought that was a turd gen quirk.

 

My late 90s memory is they were flimsier on my buddy’s first gen. Tacoma compared to the Rangers and Dakotas of the same period, yes.

 

Well today I learned. Makes sense I guess.

 

Many often use a Philips or flat head screw driver that is too small with bad results.
OP could have stabbed himself with the technique also.

 

Dremel- cut a line for flat screwdriver and that's all