I tried to remove my KSB today but I failed. I was able to remove one screw, but the other one would not loosen. The torx head then got stripped so I drilled into the head and tried to use an easy out. Didn't work, the screw is soft.

The KSB is fine and in good working order except the screws are corroded. I was just doing R&R on it, while the engine is out of the vehicle and while I was re-sealing the vacuum/PS pump, so that it would be easier to service later (and easier to put a spacer later if I wanted to).

Is there any other trick to removing it? Will I hurt the pump if I drill out the entire screw and re-tap if I happen to drill on the threads?

 

I was lucky when removing mine to add the timing spacer. Wasn't so lucky when trying to do so on a friend's truck. It only took one slip of the torx bit and it was done. I think we might try using a small cut off wheel in a dremel and cut slot into the screw heads and see how a flat head bit will do.

 

I stripped one of mine too. if its stripped already then its trash as soon as you get it out so you can beat the heck out of it. i took a long flat blade screw driver to my grinder and just barely kissed the tip of the blade so the end has nice sharp 90 degree edges. then stick it in against the screw head, remember lefty loosie, and whack it good a few times with a hammer.
it'll break free. if it takes a few hits, you are not hitting it hard enough.

 

hey-Hey!!!,
Now I'm considering the timing spacer and here y'all go and start scarin' me. With all this talk ov beating on things, am I to conclude it is done out ov the truck? I did some looking about under there and I do not see much space to swing a hammer. Either I'm quite lucky( haven't broke any ov the exhaust bolts yet...though it may be that I've used it up ), or I am quite skilled... I think I may enlist some professional help, and maybe even get a good mechanic.
cheers,
Douglas

 

I've been thinking of doing the same. If it doesn't work, I'm gonna defer working on it until I am ready to put a spacer. Who know I may not need/want a spacer. I may just have to take the engine out of the vehicle again to do so if I really wanted it.

 

Douglas, I don't think you need the engine out, and no hammer needed. Just a good leverage. I highly recommend dropping (hang it) the vacuum/steering pump in order to get a perfect perpendicular bite on the KSB torx heads; try to save time by not doing it and you'll be sorry. And make sure you keep a very good pressure on the bit while loosening the screw. Like Jimbo said, one slip and the screw is gone (in my case I had one slip on the other screw and when I tried again I was really careful then, and out the screw came. But the other one I had two slips and the head was done).

And as a P.S. on this, and this just one of many parts in our truck, the engineers could have done a lot better. So cuss at the engineers; it's their fault.

 

I think my actions on that would calssify it as Olympic Sport. I found the guy who took away the rear disc brakes on my Merc Sable( I had a 2003, and they'd been gone since 2000 when the body changed for the last time ). I don't have access to the folks Dodge hired though... I can laugh and point at the PS guys though.
cheers,
Douglas