CS_AR

The next time you plan have your throttle body off for a good cleaning, stop by Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, or any other store that sells Hillman Fasteners and pick up a couple of Stainless M4 (size) 0.7 (pitch) x 20 mm (length) Internal Hex Socket Cap-Head Cap Screws with corresponding flat and lock washers. For the flat and lock washers, I think I found a better selection of stainless non-metrics like the ones I use with the M4 TPS screws.

On every Nissan/Infiniti product that I’ve owned thus far, I always find the existing Phillips head TPS adjustment screws to be stripped or mangled beyond reliable use.

Those Phillips head TPS screws must be an impossible job for dealers and repair shops to manage. Looking back a few months ago, I requested a mechanic adjust Max#2's TPS during an engine swap job. I remember he reported back that he was only able to loosen one of the original Phillips head screws. I think he attempted or managed to adjust the TPS with only one adjustment screw. Also he indicated the stripped Phillips head screws were kind of my problem to resolve.

Ok well like other mechanics in Max#2’s past that managed to half screw something up, I got to resolve with issue as part of Max#2’s mid-life refresh when I cleaned and checked out the throttle body.

Since I like to approach things a little differently, I took a pair of small vice grips and grabbed the mangled Phillips screws by the head to remove only one screw. I wanted to keep the TPS adjustment somewhat intact since I thought it might have been close in adjustment. Next I took the TPS adjustment screw to my local hardware store and found a Hillman Stainless Metric Cap Head Socket replacement.

Always take one of the old screws with you to the hardware store to find an exact match for thread pitch and size. If the new screw is 1 or 2 mm longer, I use a flat washer along with a lock washer to pick up any slack.

Since most hardware stores stock Hillman Fasteners, and this is a pocket change enhancement that I usually make as part of cleaning the throttle body, I want to share some information on an easy to find hardware store item that results in a stronger and more reliable TPS adjustment screw.
Here’s a picture of the TPS with the Hillman Stainless Metric Cap Head Socket Screws.




Here’s a link to the Hillman part at The Home Depot. The screws are sold individually for usually around $1.25 each.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hillm...5331/204801238



Aircraft / Racing Specification Titanium Cap Head Socket Screws are also available from internet sellers.

I think I may order a set of commonly used Hillman Stainless Metric Cap Head Socket Screws just to keep in my toolbox. I have found socket head machine screws take up less space and may be easier to install in tight places with a Metric Hex Bit like the ones in the following picture.



Over time I’ve learned that for some extra pocket change spent at the hardware store, Stainless Cap Head Sockets provide a strong and reliable replacement for fuel injector cap and fuel pressure regulator Phillips head screws.

So for under $20 with cleaning and polishing of existing engine parts, I was able to produce a stronger fuel rail like the one in the picture below by eliminating the old easy to strip Phillips head screws.



I've learned from years of working on a VH45DE that sometimes a good solid Cap Head Socket Screw can make sharply reduce the time and pain spent installing screws in those hard to reach places like the example in the picture below.

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

Thanks!

Goomz

iTrader: (1)

jesus your engine is clean!!!!!!!!!

98maxaholic

Thanks for the ideas, i plan on doing a throttle body cleaning in the next few weeks, not having any issues, but i like to know that maintenance is kept up to par, so any ideas to make future maintenance a little more easy and quick is allways a big plus!