Are you using a flywheel puller? I would not hit the flywheel at all with anything. Apply pressure with the puller and give the center pressing screw a rap with a hammer. I usually put a little penatrating fluid on the seam for the taper.
I believe most of us use a harmonic balancer removal tool available from nearly any auto parts store. You will need to know what size bolts you need also for the top of the flywheel and make sure you get the grade 8 bolts. Otherwise, you will strip out the bolt holes in the top of the flywheel. Once you get it on and tightened down, you can hit the top of the removal tool (it's a large nut on top), and it should slowly pop the flywheel off. Most advice is DO NOT hit the flywheel anywhere, only the tool.
The automotive harmonic balancer puller works like a charm, new one should come with an assortment of different bolts, one set of which will work. Tap the puller, NOT THE FLYWHEEL. Penetrating fluid will not hurt, but the flywheel is not stuck, it is magnitized, it should come loose with moderate pressure.
Yes I am using a puller. I have pulled flywheels before but have never had one not pop off. I am using 1/4 inch grade 8 bolts. I have tightened the puller to the max, or at least what I am capable of. It is very tight. I have put padding and hit the top of the bolt. I have lightly tapped the undersides of the flywheel out of desperation. I have tried lightly prying it while tapping the top.
I guess I need to get some penetrating fluid and just do the time trick...let it sit, tighten it, tap it, let it sit, etc...
any other ideas. I have done this before, its not new to me.
where is the recoil from that hit going? I dont want to mess anything up, but if there isnt anything that will really get damage I will give it a solid whack.
Im just making sure nothing can be damaged by hitting the top of the puller bolt.
Have the motor suspended on the transom bracket, so the motor is not supported by the skeg. With the three bolts as tight as possible, give the large center bolt of the harmonic balancer a good solid tap with your heavy hammer.
To the best of my knowledge, no one on this forum has ever said with certainty that they lost an engine doing this.
There are many examples of ruined flywheels from using heat and/or pressure directly on the flywheel.
ezeke says "a good solid tap" Ezeke don't you mean a good solid smack/rap/poundng/hammer? A tap by my experiance, is a very light blow. LOL I've used pullers on car suspension components that when the part releases you want to run for cover and by the sound, your certain the puller has broken in two and yet when you look, the part has seperated just the way it is supposed to. To a repairman, Torque=butterflies. Rick.
If I had mine to do again I'd hit it with an impact wrench. I ended up having to lightly tap mine with a rubber mallet all around, until finally it popped and about scared the crap out of me.
My heavy hammer is a 2 pound steel maul with a 16" handle; you tap with that and it will split an elephant's skull. When you strike steel with steel, it doesn't take a lot.
Indeed that is a heavy hammer. This flywheel is proving to be stronger than an elephants skull then. I have supported the weight of a motor by holding it under the flywheel and having a mate give the center shaft a good sharp blow with a hammer and punch. It worked well but haven't done that since I bought the correct puller. Rick.
Maybe tight is not tight enough? Every time that I've pulled my flywheels, I can never get enough torque (on the puller or flywheel nut) because I cannot hold the flywheel from spinning while I torque the wrench. So, I drilled some 3/16" x 2" flat bar stock that's 3 feet long with a hole the size of my socket for the flywheel nut. I also marked & drilled out 3 180 degree holes where I can screw the puller bolts through and into the flywheel. Now I have enough torque to with the "flat bar" and wrench to get enough tension to pop the flywheel off. This is also great to use when I torque the flywheel nut down to specs, and I can do this without help.
My "bar" now has a couple of flywheel "setups" drilled into for my different motors. Works great!
Mas. That is a great idea. Up here in the north country I give the fly wheel a one armed bear hug and I can torque to 45 lbs. My ribs are sore for days after so if you don't mind I'll make a replica of your tool. Thanks, Rick.
man, thanks guys. I am rebuilding the carb right now and changing the impeller. After that I will get back to the ignition components and flywheel. I will update my process within the next couple of days.
So, I drilled some 3/16" x 2" flat bar stock that's 3 feet long with a hole the size of my socket for the flywheel nut. I also marked & drilled out 3 180 degree holes where I can screw the puller bolts through and into the flywheel.
Sorry...check the math...that would be three 1/4 inch holes drilled 120 degrees apart....not 180. It's back to school for me!
Ya I saw that right off but I thought you mean 3 half round holes (180) and I've been having a heck of a time getting the correct drill bit!! One of the many things I like about this forum is the lack of hair splitting. Mostly great people that just want to get their and others motors running well. Rick.
There is a repeating claim in a number of threads re: pulling a flywheel, that you need to use grade 8 bolts to avoid stripping out the holes in the flywheel.
I wouldn't disagree that the grade 8 bolts are what should be used to avoid breaking a lower grade bolt, which can be dangerous ~ but ~
wouldn't the tougher bolt be less likely to "give" first and thus be more likely to strip out the threads in the flywheel?
stripping the threads in the flywheel is not usually the problem. the thread strip off the bolt, leaving the theads, in the flywheel, then you have the problem of getting the compressed threads out of the hole, and a grade 8 bolt in.
PULLING FLYWHEEL
you need a harmonic balancer puller, you need 3 - #8 harden bolts, that fit the 3 holes in your flywheel. standard hardware store bolts will strip out, causing more problems. loosen the flywheel nut, leaving it on so it protects the thread. thread the bolts in 7/16 of an inch. then tighten the puller, adjust so it has a straight pull. now tighten the puller, rap the center bolt with a hammer, then tighten some more. you may have to let it sit over nite, and repeat in the morning. this is a compression fitting, it will eventually POP!!. do not loose the woodruff key that goes in the groove of the flywheel and the crank shaft. then installing the flywheel, it has to be totally clean, no oil, woodruff key in place. then torque the nut to the specifications for your particular motor. if you do not do this, the woodruff key with shear, and you will be repeating these steps.
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stripping the threads in the flywheel is not usually the problem. the thread strip off the bolt, leaving the theads, in the flywheel, then you have the problem of getting the compressed threads out of the hole, and a grade 8 bolt in.
Hi Gang,
I'm getting ready to perform the same task to a Belgium made '76 6hp Rude. After reading the responses here it sure is not what I was hoping for but I'll ask anyhow...
Has anyone successfully used a wheel bearing puller to remove a flywheel on a small hp engine?
Needless to say I'm going shopping for both a hamonic balancer puller & a bearing.
When pulling the flywheel, I leave the flywheel nut screwed on by a few threads while useing a harmonic balencer puller. This is so your junk wont fly off and fall to the floor, or hit you when it pops loose. Just a thought
Ps. The fit of a flywheel is called a pressed taper fit. Pulling on the outside of the flywheel will deform the flywheel and actually pinch on the taper fit making it tighter. Use proper tools
Just a NOTE......If you're flywheel comes off really- really hard. Look at the underneath side of the flywheel and inspect for rubbing marks. Also see if your power pack , pickups, or points show an indication of rubbing. If so your flywheel may have been over-torqued before and has caused the damage by compressing the flywheel onto the tapered crank too far. Flywheel replacement is called for in this circumstance, unless you want to experiment with shimming up the flywheel with washers. But this is not advisable.
76 evinrude 15hp flywheel removal
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