Clutch install without sealer on fly wheel bolts

old_blue · Jan 5, 2004

I installed my clutch (ford racing from summit) and I put in a new rear main seal and then torqued the bolts on the fly wheel and finished my instal. Later a friend told me I was stupid for not putting anything on the threads of the bolts for the fly wheel and that I should go ahead and buy a new clutch now for when the oil leaks through... Anyone have this problem. Do I have to buy a new clutch and redo all that work again???

moonenn3186 · Jan 5, 2004

A. I have never heard of that. Some say to use locktite - but I never have and have never had a problem - even with alum flywheels.

B. Believe nothing that you hear and ony half of what you see.

C. Check out a Chiltons or Haynes - if they say too - I will stand corrected.

D. On a two piece rear main seal you should have used A LITTLE goup in and around it.

cardudeusa · Jan 5, 2004

I didnt use locktite on my flywheel bolts when I did my clutch... more than a year ago. I wouldn't worry about it as long as there torqued right.

cobradvm · Jan 5, 2004

Hmmm - this is an interesting dilemma. I just finished installing a Spec clutch in my 1990 GT. I replaced the flywheel with a new stainless steel one, and used new flywheel bolts from Ford. They had thread locker already on them prior to install and it is recommended to use thread locker on these bolts. I believe the bolts do go all the way through, so it is possible that oil will leak out and then your clutch is indeed shot. A bigger concern I would have, is the flywheel breaking loose and exiting into the passenger compartment taking your lower legs with it. I have heard of this happening but don't know how likely it would be in your case. This one of the reasons blow proof bell housings were invented I guess. All I can tell you is I would rather have it on there than not.

Your call - good luck

Howard

cardudeusa · Jan 5, 2004

I agree, I would rather have thread locker on the bolts. Im going to use it that when I put the clutch in my 87. When I did the clutch on my 90 it was my first time, and I just didn't think of using thread locker. Ive had no problems on the 90 though.

old_blue · Jan 5, 2004

Thanks for you help guys. I have talked to a few other people that said they have had no problems without putting on loctite or anything else and most of them have had their clutches for over 2 years. And I did torque the bolts down to the correct torque specs so I am not afraid of the fly wheel coming out because of that.

HISSIN50 · Jan 5, 2004

not to jack the thread, but in regard to Howard's post.....if the input shaft goes through the flywheel and into the pilot bearing, how would the flywheel come off and circumvent the input shaft to enter the cabin? i dont imagine it would tear in half. just curious. i always thought scattershields were for when clutches fragged (and they can tear in half. esp multi disc set ups). please educate me.

cobradvm · Jan 5, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
not to jack the thread, but in regard to Howard's post.....if the input shaft goes through the flywheel and into the pilot bearing, how would the flywheel come off and circumvent the input shaft to enter the cabin? i dont imagine it would tear in half. just curious. i always thought scattershields were for when clutches fragged (and they can tear in half. esp multi disc set ups). please educate me.

You bring up a good point - I don't have a real good answer except that I am repeating only what others have described - perhaps it's an urban legend. The input shaft of the transmission does not sit very far into the pilot bearing and given the weight of the flywheel, if things started to go kablooey, the flywheel is going to end up going somewhere. I sure would like a blowproof scattershield - from what I have read (and I am by no means an expert) the stock bell housing isn't going to do squat if the clutch decides to grenade. I'll ask around and see what others have to say about this.

Howard

HISSIN50 · Jan 5, 2004

cobradvm said:
You bring up a good point - I don't have a real good answer except that I am repeating only what others have described - perhaps it's an urban legend. The input shaft of the transmission does not sit very far into the pilot bearing and given the weight of the flywheel, if things started to go kablooey, the flywheel is going to end up going somewhere. I sure would like a blowproof scattershield - from what I have read (and I am by no means an expert) the stock bell housing isn't going to do squat if the clutch decides to grenade. I'll ask around and see what others have to say about this.

Howard

Howard, thanks for taking that as it was intended. i was not trying to be a smarty pants, but wanted to know.
i know when clutch parts let go, they will shred anything in their way (bellhousing aint stopping it, as you mentioned). and things obviously erupt, hence the mandation for scattershields. i just really dont know how things end up exploding and what all goes. do input shafts find a new home? does the trans basically separate from the motor? etc. i just dont know, but want to . i am in the same boat, just knowing what i read. i said that, hoping one of the racing folks in here would chime in (i bet Thumper knows; he is kinda nuts.LOL). good stuff.

93-ex-chp · Jan 5, 2004

at 2 or 3 thousand rpms from a 28# or so flywheel the snout of the input shaft doesn't stand a chance in hell

65ShelbyClone · Jan 6, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
Howard, thanks for taking that as it was intended. i was not trying to be a smarty pants, but wanted to know.
i know when clutch parts let go, they will shred anything in their way (bellhousing aint stopping it, as you mentioned). and things obviously erupt, hence the mandation for scattershields. i just really dont know how things end up exploding and what all goes. do input shafts find a new home? does the trans basically separate from the motor? etc. i just dont know, but want to . i am in the same boat, just knowing what i read. i said that, hoping one of the racing folks in here would chime in (i bet Thumper knows; he is kinda nuts.LOL). good stuff.

When the clutch or flywheel explodes, the centrifugal force of the particular part exceeds its own strength(helped along by driveline load and any small imbalances). When this happens, the flywheel and/or pressure plate breaks into pieces. These have so much energy they are like shrapnel from a bomb and usually go through the bellhousing, transmission tunnel, driver's feet, or whatever until they stop. If the bellhousing is completely broken, then yes the engine separates from the trans.

Also, my FMS clutch had an instrucion sheet that specifically said to use threadlocker on the flywheel bolts to keep them from coming loose and seal the oil in. I just used ARP thread sealer.

And what the hell is with the little advertisement link on the word "engine" ? Has Stangnet sunk so low?

v8only · Jan 6, 2004

I wouldn't worry about it. I have done a clutch on 5.0 stangs almost 10 times now, on several different mustangs, and have NEVER used threadlocker on the flywheel bolts. I supposed it wouldn't be a bad idea, but I wouldn't worry about it either. Just be sure you follow proper torqueing specs when tightening and you will be cool.

now, I HAVE had my trans to bell housing bolts and driveshaft bolts work their way loose, and would suggest locktite on those bolts, but that is easy to do, and does not require removal of the trans.

Clutch install without sealer on fly wheel bolts

old_blue

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