Plastic Screw Threads

One of the last steps on the Sebring blower repair was tightening the screws. The two screws that held the resistor were self tapping. The came out really easily, and once I got them in the hole they start to go in pretty easily, but then they quickly become more difficult to turn. Now I could just keep turning them, but I've been down this road before and I know it is going to take some serious oomph. They haven't engaged the old grooves, they are starting to cut new ones. I am tired of fighting with this thing and the last thing I need is to have to exert myself in these cramped quarters. So while keeping an upward pressure, I very carefully back the screw out until I feel a little click. That's when the screw finds the original thread. Now it screws in easily. Worked the same way for the other one, too.

Now we need to put the hush panel in. I took out the floor mat to get rid of the plastic chips from my grinding, and removing that half inch or so of extra thickness made putting the hush panel back much easier. Hold it upside down at about 45 degrees with the back edge up and forward. Slide it up under the bottom edge of the dash. Now swing the front edge down, forward and finally up into position. Now all we need is one nut to secure it.

This nut came off in my fingers, but try as I might I cannot get it to screw on using just my fingers. Finally I resort to a 5/8" socket and ratchet. That works fine until the ratchet bottoms out on the plastic stud. I pull the socket off and then slide it back on about half way so it is resting against the detent ball. It is not secure, or very strong, but it is good enough for this problem and it gives me enough clearance to tighten the nut all the way down. I was surprised at how much force it took. It was only a stamped sheet metal nut screwed onto a plastic stud. They probably just pressed it on at the factory.

Update: see Part 1 & Part 2.