Tough flywheel

[Snake the Sniper]

Evening all folks. Been busy stripping my engine down so I can sell the gearbox, but I'm having a spot of bother getting the flywheel off. Got the covers off and the big bolt undone with relatively little bother. Only now I can't get the damn clutch/flywheel off. Got a proper manual puller on it, and the centre bolt is done up as tight as I can get it. I've even gone so far as to use a pair of long spanners together to get as much leverage as I can, but still no joy, even with some gentle hammer based persuasion. Any hint or tips you lot can think of?

[GTRMikie]

Have you removed the keyed washer from under the flywheel bolt?

[Snake the Sniper]

Yup. I've done it before, once even with it in the car, which really wasn't fun, but it's never been this hard. Oh, engine is out of the car and sat on the floor by the way.

[annodomini2]

Slacken it off and make sure the puller is on straight, Same number of threads on each bolt is usually a good starting point, if its not straight the torque wedges the flywheel against the crank.

If that doesn't work try some heat on the flywheel, with the puller still attached.

[FWDRacer]

With the puller attached and fully wound up, pour a kettle (or two) of boiling water on the flywheel, as close to the taper as possible. Then shock the puller with a few gentle () taps of a copper/hide mallet.

Don't be in the flight path when it comes off...

[Mr2Mike]

If the flywheel wasn't tightened properly the last time it was fitted it may have fretted. This virtually welds the flywheel and crank together making removal very difficult indeed (and knackering the crank nose ion the process).

However, I've had a flywheel that simply would not budge, despite torquing up the puller until I was convinced it was about the break, boiling water etc. In the end I left the puller on over night, and in the morning found the flywheel on the floor next to the engine.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Tuesday 14th April 23:17

[FWDRacer]

If you realy are in the mire, and the flywheel won't budge, before scrapping the crank and flywheel via the cutting off route get yourself to somebody locally that has a hydraulic puller. On Mini Se7en/Miglia race engines, even the most recalcitrant (sp?) flywheels give up when one of these bad boys is attached

Where are you based? If anywhere near the West Mids I can supply a contact...

Edited by FWDRacer on Friday 3rd April 12:41

[guru_1071]

FWDRacer said:

If you realy are in the mire, and the flywheel won't budge, before scrapping the crank and flywheel via the cutting off route get yourself to somebody locally that has a hydraulic puller. On Mini Se7en/Miglia race engines, even the most recalcitrant (sp?) flywheels give up when one of these bad boys is attached

Where are you based? If anywhere near the West Mids I can supply a contact...

Edited by FWDRacer on Friday 3rd April 12:41

ive got a puller that accepts the ram from my porta-pack.

that bad boy bolted on with the proper high tensile bolts and 20 ton of even pressure has never failed yet!!!

[Snake the Sniper]

Right, having had a bit of an argument with it, I've managed to break the big centre bolt on my puller!

FWDracer, I live at the southern edge of Northants, near Banbury, and it looks like I might need a bigger/hydraulic puller.

[Cooperman]

They usually come off - eventually.
What I have done in the past iws to tighten up the puller, heat up the flywheel centre with a butanbe torch, tighten it a bit more and leave it overnight. then heat it again and tighten just a bit more. It will come off in over 90% of cases if you do this.

[FWDRacer]

Snake - Try Rob Selby (01234 771773). He should have the kit to move your flywheel and he isn't too far from you.

[rougeleo]

I'm with Cooperman , patience and it will come off ...unless you have the 20tons tool kit .

We cut one in half with a disc cutter on the Italian Job one year as we didn't have the time to do it the slow way and we had destroyed two pullers .

Crank was fine just fitted a new flywheel