Matt Harwood Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) OK, next step is removing the flywheel so I can get the clutch rebuilt (hey, as long as we're in there, right--it's just money). We've pulled all the bolts but it's not coming off. We've tried several pullers that were ineffective and I'm not interested in trying to pry it off from the sides. Is there something else that we should be trying? It does not appear to be secured by any fasteners at this point--those studs sticking out seem to be for orienting it on the crank and didn't even have nuts on them. We've been soaking it in penetrating oil and it's still not budging. No interest in breaking it, but maybe there's a puller I haven't thought of yet? My only other thought was to get a thick metal plate, bolt it across the flywheel using the outer clutch bolts and use that to pull it, but I have fears that it might bend the flywheel if we exert too much pressure. Any thoughts? Thanks! Edited January 16, 2019 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Are those two outer hub holes 180o apart threaded? They may be designed for the "puller" = a heavy bar with two bolts and a centre bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 I would try some heat on the flywheel near the studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 On 1/16/2019 at 7:45 PM, Spinneyhill said: Are those two outer hub holes 180o apart threaded? They may be designed for the "puller" = a heavy bar with two bolts and a centre bolt. That was my first thought but they're not threaded. In fact, they're angled outwards for some reason. However, I did see this online and thought I'd give it a try: I can probably fabricate something similar and while part of me is afraid that it might distort the flywheel, I looked at the thing and it's probably 1.5 inches thick--doubt it'll bend. Maybe that plus some heat, as Jack suggests, will wiggle it loose. Just more of the same nonsense with this stupid car. It just can't seem to stop fighting with me. On the plus side, I found an NOS pilot bearing that was just $10 and remarkably enough, the Aetna throw-out bearing is still available new from Summit Racing for $25. Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) That might work. Tap around the centre with a hard faced hammer as you put the pressure is on. e.g. a copper faced hammer, maybe steel but don't damage it. Pulling the outside will make it dig in at the centre on the side nearest the puller as the flywheel bends - the puller side must shorten as it bends, even a little, as it must to mobilise its strength. Careful with heat. What is the rear main oil seal made of? Best hook a crane up to catch it when it comes off - it will weigh something approaching 30 kg = 66 lb. (assuming 35 cm diameter and 38 mm thickness). Edited January 18, 2019 by Spinneyhill (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 In the earlier days we tapped it from the front, through the starter opening or with the lower part of the bellhousing off , with a piece of hardwood and a big hammer, turning the flywheel around. It in was 99% of the time fly rust between flywheel and crank/studs, tight fit little rust needed. If not accessible from the front, do it from the back. The little twisting through the force does the trick. Getting it off straight/ in one line, is almost impossible. good luck Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I have pulled many of Auburn flywheel by using a three pound mall and a one inch dowel pin thru the starter hole. Leave a couple of bolts in loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 It turns out that those pins are pressed in and hold the flywheel in place in addition to the bolts. Why they needed five locating pins and six bolts, I can't say, but wow, what a fight. We tried made a tool that worked on four of them, but it broke on the fifth one. Then we tried using a coupling nut and a slide hammer, but that broke (yeah, I know). Then we welded a nut on the pin and tried to use a different puller, which also broke. I was happy that my weld held, but no success. Ultimately we started drilling it, and since it's some kind of super hard steel, it chewed up a lot of drill bits. Eventually we bored it out large enough to tap it with 5/16 threads, and then made a different puller using a bolt, some washers, and a nut. Success! The heat of the weld and the drill work seems to have helped. Once the pin was out, the flywheel came off with a little wiggling. This is what two people working for four hours looks like. Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Keep an eye on my Lincoln thread to see how this turns out. I'm not going to do anything else until the block is repaired, just in case this engine turns into 1100 pounds of scrap. Stay tuned... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) Wow, what a fight to have to go through. I've been watching this thread. Glad to read that you won . Hope the rest goes easier for you. And what were they thinking with a dowel pin setup like that ? It's not like shouldered bolts to serve the same purpose haven't been used successfully by other manufactures in that same type of application before that one. Paul Edited January 24, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel mravik Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 Does part of the bellhousing remove from the block to remove the flywheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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