Busted Flywheel?

[Guest]

Hey Guys, Thanks to my visit with Scott I checked out my flywheel tonight to find what appears to be the worst. A cracked mofo.. I took photos and make a small webpage for them. If it is indeed cracked, how bad is it? If anyone is able to help, please email or PM me.<P>Thanks Guys!<P>Scott<P><A HREF="http://cyberbuick.servebeer.com/flywheel" TARGET=_blank>Flywheel Webpage</A>

[The Old Guy]

The only real fix is to replace the unit. Any good trans shop can do it. they just have to pull the tranny and put in a new flywheel.

[Guest]

My flywheel also broke the same way on my 73 Buick 350 cu. in. with Turbo 350 trans but I had all three spokes crack. I put in a flywheel from a 70 but it has a tooth missing so every once in a while the engine stops on that spot and I can not start the car unless I open the hood and spin the engine a little to get past the spot where the tooth is missing. I was planing on taking the ring gear off the old one (73)and welding it back on to the replacement one (70).Instead I just picked up a new one and I will try to get you the name of that place tonight it was around $35. Also the trans mission does not need to come out to change this, once you unbolt the torque converter it will slide back about an inch giving you enough room to reach the bolts that hold the flywheel to the crankshaft.

[Guest]

TOG: Thanks, the one problem with that is the verbal estimate I got was $180 labor just for the flywheel.. I have a drain plug kit and shift kit to go in also. This was not on the list of projects I had going, the added cost is to say the least a setback all around.<P><BR>JPC: It's be real nice if I could avoid paying someone over $150 to fix it, but exactly how hard is that to do by yourself with hand tools on a creeper? Also, how do you turn the thing so you can access the other bolts? Hitting the starter I would think is a bad idea.<P>Still looking for my savior...<P>Scott

[GSMAG]

Scott, you can do this. Remove the three torque conveerter bolts first, use the wrench on the bolts to turn the engine. Remove one, then turn the engine with the second exposed bolt to expose the remaining one as well. Now you've got all three bolts off of the converter. Slide the converter back and get to the crank bolts, there are 6 of them, I believe. If you don't have enough room, loosen the tranny to engine bolts to give you a little extra room. You should have enough room to remove the crank bolts. I've done this in the driveway as well. I put the car on ramps or jack stands to give me some room. It's doable, but physically demanding. Good luck!

[NTX5467]

There is also a tool (that's been around probably as long as there have been flywheels) to use to rotate flywheels while still attached to the crank. It hooks onto the flywheel ring gear and probably will have better leverage to turn the flywheel than a wrench would. Works on all flywheels too.<P>It is a doable deal, as mentioned, but things are close in there. If there are any star lock or other lock washers under the heads of the crankshaft bolts -- which have a particular torque they need to be tightened back to -- be sure to put new ones in with the new flywheel.<P>NTX5467

[Guest]

If you have not found one yet...<BR>here is a link to one for sale at a resonable price: <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1841407044" TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1841407044</A>