bingart Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I'm working on a 1941 Buick Special for a friend and need some help with procedure for installing the flywheel, Clutch & Bellhousing. I received this car with the motor removed and rebuilt and a box or two full of parts. I need to install the flywheel, clutch and bellhousing onto the engine. I've tried a few things and can't seem to get the correct sequence. Any help would be much appreciated!bingart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danhar1960 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 You'll need to bolt the bellhousing to the block first. Then the flywheel to the crankshaft with special attention to where the ignition timing mark is on the flywheel. You'll need to bring the No.1 piston to the top of its stroke on its compression stroke and make sure that when you fit the flywheel, the timing mark is in the general area of the little window in the bell housing just behind the starter motor. The flywheel is not doweled and has no reference marks or location pins and can go on in the wrong place if you don't check for that mark. Then the clutch plate and pressure plate goes on as per usual making sure the clutch plate is centered .Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 If I remember, and if it is like my '50, the back main cap has to be removed to install the flywheel bolts. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danhar1960 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) You may be right there Ben but I thought the bolts when in from the pressure plate side of the flywheel. It's 20+ years since I did mine.Danny Edited December 7, 2011 by danhar1960 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingart Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Thanks Danny, I've got it to that point but the flywheel is unwilling to go up into the bellhousing. It seems to be hitting the bolts in the back of the crankshaft. Do the bolts need to come out and go back in from the flywheel side? If that is the case how do I get them out? Thanks again for all of your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danhar1960 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Sounds like Ben might be onto it with removing the back cap. I don't remember the flywheel being tapped so there must be nuts to go with the flywheel bolts ???. (I had my flywheel and crank balanced as a unit and didn't notice that the guy had put my flywheel back on the crankshaft in the wrong position until after the engine was reassembled.) I'd have to get to a crankshaft to refresh my memory and that is a bit hard to do at the moment. If nobody else can offer anything I can dig out the Buick manuals and or the Motor Manuals and see what they say and maybe post a scan of the info.Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingart Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Thanks Danny, I have a Motors Manual and it doesn't give any information on installing the flywheel. You are correct in that the crank is not threaded and the bolts just slide through the holes. As I mentioned the bolts are already installed and seem to be bumping against the flywheel when I try to bring it up into the bellhousing. I have a 1941 Buick Shop Manual coming and it should be here early next week. If you happen to find your manual and can get me a photo that would be great! Thanks, bingart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 (edited) You will need to remove the main bearing cap, I believe. Then remove the bolts. They will only come out of the crank with the main cap off. Then, holding the flywheel in place, insert a bolt and put the washer and nut on it. Then on to bolt #2. So on. Let's see if these pics help. As you can see, the bell housing must go on first. Then the flywheel. The first picture shows the cap removed, if you look just over the top edge of the flywheel. Second one has cap installed. But one can see the bolts. With the cap removed, they can be installed. Hope this helps. I did not have a pic from the engine side with the cap off. Sorry. Ben Edited December 8, 2011 by First Born (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingart Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Thanks Guys, that basically answers all of my questions. The photos especially. It looks like I have a bit of work ahead of me. Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to move forward I guess. At least I have a plan of attack now so that I can help out my buddy! Thanks again!bingart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danhar1960 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Whom ever it was that said "a picture is worth a thousand words" has been proved correct once again.Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gmorse Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Yes, the rear main cap must come off. I have a couple Buick service manuals from 1939 to 1946, and they all say the same. Drop the cap, then 3 of the bolts will come out. Then, carefully turn the crank to get at the other 3 bolts. I find that the hardest part is making sure the rear main seal does not leak. The 320 cu.in. engine is different, it uses bolts from the clutch side.Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjohn72 Posted November 25, 2022 Share Posted November 25, 2022 10 years later this post is still usefull thanks guys. Pj 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now