Went to remove the five screws which hold the decorative timer cover to the cam cover on my TC88B and one of the screws broke off just below the screw head. Stub piece is now in the cam cover. These screws are small (#8-32), so ... if I use a small screw extractor, can I also gently heat the cam cover by the screw to help back the screw out? When the screws were orignally installed, H-D used some form of white paste which has hardened over the last five years. The other four screws backed out but they were sticky, just this one broke.

OR, is there another way to get this one, broken screw out?

Thanks.

 

If you can find a reverse-twist drill, try drilling down the center of the busted screw with that. If you're lucky, the screw will back itself out while drilling. If not, use heat gun and easy-out.

 

Concur.... Reverse twist drill bit, then EZ out the remainder....

 

I had the same thing happen to my 2003 FLH cam cover. Only difference, fourbutton head boltsbroke off. They seized inside the cover. Different metals. S/S bolts and aluminum cover, I think. Any how, had to buy a new cam cover, remove front exhaust pipe to install new cam cover.

My mechanic told me that the Harley cam covers were not pre-threaded for the bolts. That the boltsself thread themselves when you install them the first time. Aluminum cover is soft metal. So the mechanic pre-tapped the 5 bolts holes so that it wouldn't happen again. Also used a little anti-siege compound...