new flywheel problems

[Mrtin]

Hey folks. I'm installing a new flywheel on my 1992 2wd 2.3l liter manual R1.

I am having great trouble lining up the flywheel. I can get at most four out of six bolts in place. I started to wonder if maybe I had a flywheel with a staggered bolt pattern. I double checked the parts number I ordered (Luk part LFS142) and it seems to add up. Is there an option on my engine for different bolt patterns, or should any flywheel made for my year fit my truck? On the other hand, is there some trick to getting these to line up? I've been at it for a while and just can't get it. I should mention that the bolts I get in are not in the same pattern every time, which gives me hope that the problem is something other than the holes not being in the right place.

I also noticed my new flywheel has no dowels for the pressure plate. How important are those dowels? Do I need them for proper use, or are they just locating dowels to make the installation go faster?

I guess that is really two questions. I was really hoping to get this all back together today, so any insight at all would be greatly appreciated. I hope I don't need to delay this all while I order a new flywheel, but I'd rather get it right than do it fast. Thanks guys!

 

[adsm08]

Flywheels and flex plates have staggered bolt patterns on externally balanced engines so that you get the balance right. Odds are very good you are dealing with a staggered pattern. I would set it up there on the lip, mark the hole that is up and spin it one at a time until they all line up or you went a full circle.


As for the dowels, as far as I know they are just locating dowels, but I would still rather have them, just to make it easier. They do come out and can be transferred over if the holes are there. They take them out to machine the flywheel. Last one I sent out came back with the dowel in a zip-lock bag.

 

[Mrtin]

Thanks

Thank you very much. I just managed to get the flywheel on. I did as you said, though I had to make a couple rotations before they all lined up.

If you think the dowels are just for locating, I will try and put the pressure plate on without them. I ordered a brand new flywheel, I did not get mine resurfaced. The one I bought has no dowels, nor did it come with any. There are threaded holes for them though.

I think that in order to make the part fit multiple models the dowels were left off. There are all sorts of holes drilled into it that I wont be using. I can tell which ones are for my plate easily enough though.

If I can't get the pressure plate on without the dowels, or anyone here tells me they are important and not merely convenient, I will see about pulling the dowels off my old flywheel and installing them on the new one.

Thanks!

 

[Mrtin]

dowels

Well I just spent a good chunk of time trying to get that pressure plate on. I could not for the life of me get anything to line up. One of the biggest problems is that, like I mentioned, there are a lot of holes I don't need in both the plate and the flywheel.

It got to the point that I felt I had to drop the flywheel and line it up on a table to make certain the two parts were compatible. I did, and they are. Don't bother asking why I didn't do that in the first place as I'm not clear on that myself.

Will not be getting the trans in today, might try the fly and plate again though. I might just wait and see if I can use something as dowels before I try again.

I'd call this problem resolved for the purposes of the "urgent" forum.

Thanks again.

 

[Road Angels]

Dowels are taken out for machining there in the way, if you have the flywheel out on the bench put the pressure plate on it and take the bolts down to where they are not quite touching the plates bolt surface but on the bolts shoulder, now see if the plate can be moved off center by hand, up down or side to side if so you need the dowels, I have found that in most cases the pins are a slight press in the plate holes that makes sure its centered, other wise you could end up with a slight vibration

 

[Mrtin]

Ok, great to know. Other things have gotten in the way for the time being, but when I get back to working on it I will definitely check on that.

Assuming I need the dowels, do you know a good way to get them out of my old flywheel to transfer them over? And it looks like the holes for them are threaded, do I just tighten them in there? Or would it be best to let a shop that deals in flywheels do this?

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Road Angels]

They are a press fit, what you think is the treads are just a counter sink for the pins, you should have some blank holes in your new flywheel, A machine shop that has the correct mini slide hammer tool can do it for you dont, use vice grips, just take your time line up the pressure plate bolt holes then look to see the it has the holes for the pins, they should not be threaded, if the are then that makes it simple unscrew the old ones and install

 

[Mrtin]

solution

To wrap it all up, here is what I did:

I took the old flywheel to a transmission shop to get the pins out. Five minutes and zero dollars spent. I went home, tapped them in with a big ole hammer and everything seems to be as it should.

I was a little worried that they were sitting too deep, but by the time I had all the pressure plate bolts tightened to spec the dowels were sticking out of their holes. So I think all is well. Thanks for your help.