This method can be applied to dowel pins in any type of engine casing. If the pin is damaged or there is not enough of it exposed above the surface, you probably won’t be able to pull it out. If this is the case, try filling it in with a punch or drill bit and pulling it out with pliers instead.
Be careful not to squeeze the pliers too hard or you might end up collapsing the dowel pin and making it harder to get out. If you’re trying to pull a dowel pin out of a smaller part that moves around, clamp the part in a vise first to stabilize it.
Avoid angling or wiggling the pliers while you attempt to pull the pin out. You might damage it and make it get even more stuck. [4] X Research source If you aren’t able to pull the tight dowel pin out this way, move on to the next method. If it’s stuck, it’s stuck, so don’t try to muscle your way through it.
If the dowel pin is collapsed at all, a drill bit won’t work. Use a punch so that when you tap it in it will spread the dowel pin back open. This method usually works to remove stuck dowel pins that you’re unable to pull out using just a pair of pliers, either because they’re just too stuck, not exposed enough to get a good grip on, or collapsed or damaged in some way.
Filling in the center of the dowel pin allows you to squeeze it way more tightly as well as wiggle and twist it to pull it out with a pair of pliers.
If the drill bit feels snug after pushing it in by hand, you can give the next step a shot instead of using a hammer to tap it in. It’s more important to tap a punch in since it’s tapered.
Since the middle of the dowel pin is filled in by the punch or drill bit, you don’t have to worry about collapsing it. Leave a small gap between the pliers and the engine casing so you don’t scratch it while you wrestle with the dowel pin.
You’ll probably notice that the dowel pin you got out is corroded, which is why it was stuck in the first place. You should discard and replace it with a new one to avoid the same problem in the future.
