PSA: Know your screws! JIS vs Phillips (IAC valve, etc...)

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devinw

Member
:
02 Protoge5
I see a lot of threads on here where people are complaining about stripping "phillips head screws" on their cars on stuff like the IAC valve. Well, here's the thing you need to know: Those AREN'T Phillips head screws. Most Japanese cars and motorcycles use JIS screws, which LOOK a lot like a phillips screw, but they use a different drive and head angle! What this means is that the correct JIS screwdriver will engage the head properly and give you the torque you need to get the screw off. If you use a phillips head, you are just asking to strip the head right off.

Do yourself a favor and buy one of these!:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
 
IMG_20171102_133504.jpg
 
this could also be attributed to cheap tools. There are plenty of times when harbor freight is perfectly fine, i own plenty of tools from there. But there are some tools where buying quality stuff from snap-on, matco, mac, etc. are worth the money. Snap-on flank drive wrenches can't be beat, and MAC has sockets (forget what they call them) that will remove bolts 70% rounded (and yes, it's not bulls*** they really work). The only philips bits i will buy are a particular snap-on philips bit. they've been around forever and instead of being pointy they are real snubbed off at the end and grab everything. if those won't grab a screw, you're best finding another way to remove it. https://store.snapon.com/POZIDRIV-174--Bit-Pozidriv-2-P662789.aspx

for $3 you will not find a better philips tip, guaranteed. Aircraft, deck screws, JIS, standard... it grabs anything you want it to. And most times it will also bite into the screws you already stripped out with your cheap harbor freight screwdriver ;)

Also, just to note, picture above isn't as extreme as it looks. the one on the right is a P1 and the one on the left is a P2. P1 is much more pointy because it's designed for a smaller screw head.
 
pb4ugotobed said:
Also, just to note, picture above isn't as extreme as it looks. the one on the right is a P1 and the one on the left is a P2. P1 is much more pointy because it's designed for a smaller screw head.
Click to expand...


Well... These are both size 2 but the Phillips looks a lot bigger to me.???
May not the part that actually fits in the screw ??

IMG_20171102_150451.jpg
 
It's a big enough difference to mean the difference between getting the bolt out and stripping the head (most of the time). So, there's no point in arguing how similar they may be. Use the right tool for the right job and avoid headaches. That's the purpose of this post.

Here's another image of a P2 and 2 JIS. Not the same:
Phillips-vs-JIS-2.jpg
 
I can vouch for owning some VIS bits. I picked up a couple of sets from Adam at revlimiter.net. Big difference when using them on my MX-5 vs the P1/P2 bits.
 
Nelson de Leon said:
In case of a busted or stripped head, vice-grip!!!
Click to expand...

Yes, if you can get em in there! Definitely used that trick before. Sucks if the screw is recessed though, as it often is on old motorcycle engine covers, or on odd shaped castings on a motor.
 
devinw said:
Yes, if you can get em in there! Definitely used that trick before. Sucks if the screw is recessed though, as it often is on old motorcycle engine covers, or on odd shaped castings on a motor.
Click to expand...

Then you try to drill out the screw head and use a screw extractor...
Then you snap off the screw extractor in the screw...
Then you try to tack weld a rod to the screw and get lucky because the heat of the weld broke the threads free...

You're way better off using the proper bit to start off with as devinw originally mentioned...
 
pcb said:
Then you try to drill out the screw head and use a screw extractor...
Then you snap off the screw extractor in the screw...
Then you try to tack weld a rod to the screw and get lucky because the heat of the weld broke the threads free...

You're way better off using the proper bit to start off with as devinw originally mentioned...
Click to expand...

Mos def.

Right tool for the right job makes everyone's life easier!
 
I didn't know about the JIS type screwdriver when I replaced my fuel filter...
I wonder how much it would have helped ???

Screenshot_2017-11-03-15-57-51.png


Screenshot_2017-11-03-15-58-02.png
 
Last edited:
lol the only thing to help that is a can of gas and a match! What a mess!

I would recommend getting an impact driver if you don't have one. Not something you need or use all the time, but worth its weight in gold when you DO need it!
 
Lol, yeah what a mess! Yuck!

I can imagine an impact driver with a JIS bit would be hard to beat for most of those type of situations. Just don't buy it from Harbor Freight...haha. My pops had one of those and every 3rd or 4th whack with the hammer and the whole thing would explode...parts and springs everywhere!
 
pb4ugotobed said:
I would recommend getting an impact driver if you don't have one.
Click to expand...

I cleaned the heads with a dental pick then hammered the bit into it until the bit would stand on the screw.

I thought the bit fit all loose because of the rust, I didn't know I was converting a JIS head into a Philips...

Screenshot_2017-11-07-13-37-44.png
 
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