Flywheel Removal

geordie · Apr 22, 2005

My engine is out of the car on an engine stand. I want to remove the flywheel to paint the block. I'm probably going to have to do this by taking the weight of the engine on the hoist and removing it from the engine stand. Then suspending it over a bench while I unbolt the flywheel. Is there anyhting I need to be aware or careful of? Is the flywheel keyed to the crank? Any tips for stopping the flywheel rotating while I unbolt it? Thanks in advance.

65fastback2+2 · Apr 22, 2005

if you use an impact to take it off you dont have to keep it from spinning

steel1212 · Apr 22, 2005

THe flywheel only goes on one way so its not really keyed to the crank, but do like 65 said and use an impact and it should come right off. Put some sealant when you put it back though.

geordie · Apr 22, 2005

I only have hand tools. Is it possible to remove the flywheel with hand tools?

When you say sealant, do you mean thread lock?

steel1212 · Apr 22, 2005

I removed mine while still in the car so the car itself held it pretty still. I guess it would depend on how tight they are on there, and they should be pretty tight. I would think if your trying to get a flywheel off on an engine stand you would want an impact wrench. You could try though with a buddy holding a socket on the damper and getting a breaker bar for the flywheel.

I used red thread sealant. I think it may have been locktight.

CornerCarvin67 · Apr 22, 2005

Get a buddy to help hold something.... jam a screwdriver somewhere safe. Have them hold on to the main pulley. Anything... it shouldn't take much.. .along with the engines own resistance to break those nuts loose. If you have a nice long torque wrench... that's the ticket. Just give it a good snap initially to break it loose from the factory lock tite. You'll likely need the same help when putting it back on. I think the torque rating is 75-85? Something like that... It's on the web somewhere for sure. Good luck.

FasterThenU72 · Apr 22, 2005

yep, with hand tools youre gonna need some sort of strong deal somewhere "safe" to keep the motor from turning over while your cranking on the wrench/ratchet.....it took a crowbar snugged up in the tunnel and on the teeth of the flywheel to get mine off when it was in the car....

65ShelbyClone · Apr 23, 2005

geordie said:
I only have hand tools. Is it possible to remove the flywheel with hand tools?

When you say sealant, do you mean thread lock?

I took my flywheel off with the engine hanging from a cherry picker of all things. I used a hammer and a wrench I dont like as a makeshift "impact" wrench. For sealant I used ARP head bolt thread sealer(the white gritty paste). I suppose you could use some threadlocker or hydraulic line sealer. The problem is the bolt holes go right through the crank into the pan area.

Max Power · Apr 23, 2005

An old trick is to pull a plug and stuff a rope, plug wire, or piece of fan belt in the cylinder. Then rotate the engine till it stops, and any bolt on the rotating assembly can be removed. I like that method better than wedging a screwdriver somewhere.

69Rcode_Mach1 · Apr 24, 2005

Attach a socket wrench onto one of the flywheel bolts. Then turn the engine slowly until the socket wrench contacts the arms on the head of the engine stand. It will then lock up the flywheel and allow you to get them undone.

Hack · Apr 24, 2005

69Rcode_Mach1 said:
Attach a socket wrench onto one of the flywheel bolts. Then turn the engine slowly until the socket wrench contacts the arms on the head of the engine stand. It will then lock up the flywheel and allow you to get them undone.

That's how I do it.

65ShelbyClone · Apr 24, 2005

Just an update, I pulled the 5.0 out of my '89 GT today and used a 1/2" drive ratchet and a rubber mallet to break mine loose.......once again on an engine lift .

geordie · Apr 25, 2005

Thanks for the input guys. This job is next on the list, probably Tuesday evening.

CornerCarvin67 · Apr 25, 2005

What if buy chance whatever you have plugged in there rips or gets sliced into the cylinder??

Max Power said:
An old trick is to pull a plug and stuff a rope, plug wire, or piece of fan belt in the cylinder. Then rotate the engine till it stops, and any bolt on the rotating assembly can be removed. I like that method better than wedging a screwdriver somewhere.

Hack · Apr 25, 2005

CornerCarvin67 said:
What if buy chance whatever you have plugged in there rips or gets sliced into the cylinder??

I would worry about that too. Also, you would want whatever you stick into the cylinder to be perfectly clean, unless you're planning on tearing the engine down completely. I wouldn't want to end up with bits of dirt in the cylinder.

geordie · Apr 27, 2005

The flywheel is off, thanks for the advice guys

I used a cherry picker to suspend the block and inserted a screwdriver into one of the balancing holes on the back of the flywheel. When I rotated the wheel the handle of the screwdriver hit the block and stopped it from rotating. I initially used a socket driver and thought about hitting it with a hammer, but I reasoned that this was probably a bit dangerous. So I used a breaker bar and I found that a gradual application of increasing torque unloosened the bolts without shaking the block around.

Two questions:

1. The flywheel was not keyed to the carnk. I did mark the angular location but is this important when the flywheel is reassembled. The wheel is balanced so I don't think it will matter.

2. I can't see the main engine rear seal. How can I get to that to inspect or replace it. I did have an angine leak from the rear before I stripped it but I'm not sure that whether it was from the oil pan or the rear engine seal.

ron67fb · Apr 27, 2005

1. It is not keyed, but the bolt holes are arranged in a way that the flywheel can only go back on the same way.

2. You need to remove the rear main cap to see/change the rear main seal on the early engines. The rope types are a pain in the butt and all the special tools in the world didn't help me any. I had to remove all the caps and lift the crank out of its bearings to pick the old seal out.

geordie · Apr 27, 2005

Thanks ron67.

My engine is a '74 302.

In your replies:

1. Six bolts attach the flywheel to the crank. They looked to be equally spaced. I'm confused as to how the flywheel will only fit back on one way.

2. I'm not that familiar with the crank seal arrangement. I think that you're telling me that the seal is a length of impregnated rope. Please provide some more explanation of what's involved to inspect or change it out.

cobraii351 · Apr 27, 2005

They look evenly spaced but they are not. Only one way will ALL the bolt holes line up.

65ShelbyClone · Apr 27, 2005

cobraii351 said:
They look evenly spaced but they are not. Only one way will ALL the bolt holes line up.

Yup.

Hold the flywheel on the crank again and see. You'll have to turn the fly until the holes line up. Its wierd, I know.

geordie said:
2. I'm not that familiar with the crank seal arrangement. I think that you're telling me that the seal is a length of impregnated rope. Please provide some more explanation of what's involved to inspect or change it out.

It is actually two pieces of rope positioned in a groove so the ends do not line up with the main cap/block seam(for better sealing like staggering piston rings). Unfortunately, you probably will have to remove the crank to access the upper half of the seal. The later engines have a one-piece that can be pulled out/installed from the back. Still a pain no matter what.

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