[HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
[HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem.
My Hurst has been on the shelf for three months now, and I am close to losing my mind. Finally got all parts, tools, and shift **** ready. I then tried for the second time to get the "demon key" out. I have tried every single tip/method I have read on the forum and then some. Even let liquid wrench sit overnight and it won't budge. I have basically ruined a brand new pair of needle-nose pliars in the process. The key has been reduced to a round nub that I can't even grip anymore. There are little metal shavings everywhere. I am 5 minutes from drilling it out (if that will even work). Can anyone help?
Pro
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 644
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From: Oklahoma City OK
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Vise Grips, a large screw driver as a lever, and a small block of wood as a fullcrum. You have got to use vise grips though, that is the key. Good Luck.
Tod
Tod
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Matt, sorry to hear this but all is not lost. Drilling should be a last resort but kinda' sounds like you're there.
Remember, the Demon Key is aluminum and the shaft is steel so the key should drill out easily if you work your way up in drill size progressively. If you have a set of thread taps, you can drill and tap and then thread a small bolt in to pull the key out. Or just drill the key out enough that you can collapse it in the slot.
Good luck. :cheers:
Remember, the Demon Key is aluminum and the shaft is steel so the key should drill out easily if you work your way up in drill size progressively. If you have a set of thread taps, you can drill and tap and then thread a small bolt in to pull the key out. Or just drill the key out enough that you can collapse it in the slot.
Good luck. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (Patches)
Okay...it has been 4.5 hours. The key is still in there. I decided to "teach it a lesson" by drilling it out. I started small and worked my way up to the largest bit it could handle. I then went at it again with vice grips attempting to make the key collapse on itself. I have been at it so long that there is nothing left, nothing. The top of the key is even with the top of the shifter, nothing left to hold onto. There must be 2 pounds of metal shavings in the car. With nothing left to grab, I got a screw, and tightened it into the hole I had drilled. I was wiggling back and forthe when the screw broke. Now I have no hole and no key to grab. I am ready to return the Hurst and the **** I bought. Someone please give me a clue what to do now. :mad :mad :mad
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (GraveDigger)
Use a hack saw to cut the shaft in half, your going to replace it any way. :jester
Tod
Tod
[Modified by 6spdNavy99, 1:53 AM 8/27/2002]
Racer
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From: Raleigh NC
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Geesh, that sounds like a mess... :eek:
Not trying to be basic here but you do know that you can take the shifter out without removing the **** and boot, right? Maybe it'll be easier to work with when you have it out of the car, or just go without a boot till your Ken King arrives (good choice btw).
If I were you I'd stick with drilling it out...it's pretty soft aluminum.
Only other option, if you don't care about the **** that is, would be to cut the **** off around it. I'm pretty sure that the **** is just leather wrapped around plastic. A little scoring with a razor, or better yet a cutting disc on the dremel and you could cut through it. I'm sure that's messy though and you'd want it out of the car before you did that.
Hope this helps.
Not trying to be basic here but you do know that you can take the shifter out without removing the **** and boot, right? Maybe it'll be easier to work with when you have it out of the car, or just go without a boot till your Ken King arrives (good choice btw).
If I were you I'd stick with drilling it out...it's pretty soft aluminum.
Only other option, if you don't care about the **** that is, would be to cut the **** off around it. I'm pretty sure that the **** is just leather wrapped around plastic. A little scoring with a razor, or better yet a cutting disc on the dremel and you could cut through it. I'm sure that's messy though and you'd want it out of the car before you did that.
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (TakeAll8)
Thanks, I do realize I can get the shifter out with the **** still attached. I just don't want to get the Hurst in and have no boot. I also realize that I could cut the **** off, but I hate to do that just to get the cheap factory boot. If I had known what a pain this would be, I would never had ordered the Hurst in the first place. I gave up for the night...the broken screw is in the way and I can't seem to drill it out. I will sleep on it and give it a last shot in the morning before doing some real damage. But I have the hacksaw and dremel ready.
Matt
[Modified by 6spdNavy99, 10:51 PM 8/26/2002]
Matt
[Modified by 6spdNavy99, 10:51 PM 8/26/2002]
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Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 398
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From: Raleigh NC
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Good luck with it...
Yours sounds particularly difficult, it took me about 30 min. for the whole install.
Be assured though, when you do get it...the Hurst is worth it.
Hope it comes out for ya.
Yours sounds particularly difficult, it took me about 30 min. for the whole install.
Be assured though, when you do get it...the Hurst is worth it.
Hope it comes out for ya.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,602
Likes: 20
From: Palm City Florida
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Never fear...the Exorsist is here....
This was my Holy Water for my Demon Key!!!
Trust me. It will work!!!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=260932
This was my Holy Water for my Demon Key!!!
Trust me. It will work!!!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=260932
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (chuckster)
Chuckster: I think your removal method would have worked great yesterday. Unfortunately, I have been trying for so long that there is nothing left to grip with the vice grips. As a last resort, I began drilling the key out. When that didn't work, I forced a screw into the hole that I drilled and grabbed the screw head with the vice grips. Then the screw broke and i have nothing left to hold. I really don't want to, but I have the hacksaw ready.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,602
Likes: 20
From: Palm City Florida
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Chuckster: I think your removal method would have worked great yesterday. Unfortunately, I have been trying for so long that there is nothing left to grip with the vice grips. As a last resort, I began drilling the key out. When that didn't work, I forced a screw into the hole that I drilled and grabbed the screw head with the vice grips. Then the screw broke and i have nothing left to hold. I really don't want to, but I have the hacksaw ready.
Most people think just cause their pin came out easy that they all do.. Mine was like yours. and before I wrecked the stock **** and mashed the pin to smithereens I came up with this idea.
My pin must have been put in with a jackhammer... And also.. they are not made of Aluminum like was posted before.. It is soft metal..
Just drill it one more time. put a screw in it and then use my slide hammer setup.. the eye bolt was $.85 at home depot. anything heavy with a hole in it will work. A big lead sinker with a hole could work too.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 25,343
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From: Frisco, TX
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
. . . I really don't want to, but I have the hacksaw ready.
If you haven't seen it already, check out this thread by chuckster: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=249032. It will show you what you'll but cutting against. The picture demonstrates that you'll start by cutting against a black hollow outer portion that encircles an interior shiny portion shown in chuckster's picture. If I were you I would not try to cut through the interior shiny portion, just slowly work yourself around the perimter of the outer black hollow portion.
By the way, if you have access to a dremmel tool with a cutting stone, it'd make the cutting job a lot easier.
edited: By the way, if this makes you feel better, if you do cut it and manage to not cut into the shiny portion, I'd be wiling to make you an offer on the rest of the shifter (i.e., from the shiny portion down through the base).
Good luck. :seeya
[Modified by SteveL2, 9:51 AM 8/27/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (SteveL2)
SteveL2: Thanks for the offer on my "modified" shifter. I think my next step will be removing the stock shifter/boot/****/key in one big piece. I have the new hurst and ****, so I would only be missing the boot. I was planning on criving without the boot for a little while anyway to adjust the springs. That way, I can try to remove the stock **** without worrying about messing up something in the interior. If it comes down to cutting, at least I won't have to do it in the car. I think I would cut up the **** before cutting the shifter, but I am not sure. Suggestions?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 25,343
Likes: 222
From: Frisco, TX
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Cutting the **** is also a viable option. If you do so, note that the **** is just plastic so it will cut easily; the tricky part, however, is that you'll want to make sure you don't accidentally cut through the **** and into the threads on the black portion shown in the thread referenced above. If you ruin those threads, then you've rendered the stock shifter no better than the option of just cutting the shaft as described above. On the other hand, if you are able to carefully cut the **** without damaging the threads, then you'll salvage the stock shifter in its entirety, and that will have some value (typically $30-$45 on the for sale section) or you can always keep it should you ever need/want to go back to stock. Of course, in this case, you'll have no stock **** left, but I would hope someone here on the Forum could throw one your way.
Good luck. :seeya
Good luck. :seeya
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (SteveL2)
SteveL2: Thanks. I have been at it a little longer, and i have the whole shifter/boot/****/isolator out. Thanks to Patches, BTW, his hurst tutorial was great. Had the waterfall/console/dash out in 5 minutes. I am close to cutting the **** off, but I have been distracted by the 3/8" socket that I dropped into the trans tunnel. :mad :mad The only thing I would need the **** for would be to trade for a nicer Ken King ****, but with the Hurst, I think I will stay with a solid, heavy **** anyway. I'm off to find my dremel.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Glad to hear you wrench that sucka' outa' there!
Now, to get the socket ou, get the Hurst in, drive the car up a hill or sloped driveway with the nose pointing uphill and slam on your brakes. The socket should roll right out of the tunnel. I had to retrieve a screw this way once. :D :bb
:cheers:
Now, to get the socket ou, get the Hurst in, drive the car up a hill or sloped driveway with the nose pointing uphill and slam on your brakes. The socket should roll right out of the tunnel. I had to retrieve a screw this way once. :D :bb
:cheers:
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 398
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From: Raleigh NC
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (Patches)
If you're going to cut through the **** just cut through starting at the top and front going down (where the demon key is) that way when it cuts through you'll only be hitting the demon and not your threads.
Once again good luck.
Once again good luck.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (TakeAll8)
The Hurst is in and the socket is out. Used Patches "slam on the brakes" technique, although I though of it myself. :D I took some pictures of the destruction of the factory ****, I will post after taking a ride. I think the pics are interesting/amusing. Let's just say I won't get a core credit from Ken King. Ended up using my dremel with a high-speed cutter attachment and removing all of the plastic around the key. Barely nicked the threads, but they are still useable. Well, I am finally off for a spin. Will post pics soon.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 839
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From: Bridgeton NJ
Re: [HELP] The nightmare continues: "Demon Key" problem. (6spdNavy99)
Here are the pics of my "surgery" on the shifter and demon key. I hope they are amusing. I just realized I did not take a pic of the final installation of the ****/hurst. That would have been a good idea. Anyway, trust me, it looks :cool: .
Here is what was left of the **** when I was done. Nicked a couple of threads, but the shifter was okay:
Here is where the surgery was conducted, the towel was protecting the boot (note the Mechanix gloves and Kerbeck poster, both from Carlisle):
Here is what was left of the key after about 8 hours of abuse:
Here is what was left of the **** when I was done. Nicked a couple of threads, but the shifter was okay:
Here is where the surgery was conducted, the towel was protecting the boot (note the Mechanix gloves and Kerbeck poster, both from Carlisle):
Here is what was left of the key after about 8 hours of abuse: