Engine Running Hot - The Repair Phase

[Guest]

Hi All, Thanks for all the interest and support - this site is a fun place to be! Years ago I pulled a large and heavy cast iron flywheel from a Danish Marstall sailboat engine. There I used both a three jaw puller and heat. In that case the heating was recommended in the manual since that was also the way they installed it. Also everything was so heavy that damaging anything was not much of a fear. In this case it is all thin and small. I will try all your proposed options in some order. Jlasater, I will try this, although the flywheel has a concave facing down form. There is some space (I can easily get my fingers under there), but it is not clear how I can get a screwdriver in and where to wedge it between (hard to see anything there, even with a flashlight). I hope it works, since this would be the simplest way. Ron, Roy, Do you know where I can get this Briggs or Techumcha puller for this flyweel or is that going to cost me an arm and a leg? If expensive I could go for BigSix's two jaw Sears puller. MPH, I will go and look for this "steering wheel puller" tomorrow. JonetteP, I assume you refer to a unique serial number on the engine block. I looked around and did not find anything, but some areas are still covered by dirt. Where can I expect to find this number? Also, what do you mean exactly with an "offset" key? Arnoldir, You method sounds good too! I don't have a selection of various sizes of angle iron etc to rigg this all up, so it won't be my 1st choice. BigSix and UCD, Thanks for the humor, I will keep you all posted, VincentD

[thedaddycat]

Vincent, I also hobby blacksmith and one trick if heating one part is to wrap a wet cloth around the part you don't want heated. Another trick is to heat it a little then squirt it with WD-40 or Kroil. As it cools it will pull some oil into the gaps, helping loosen things some. If you cycle the heat several times you can get the oil in the gaps to boil(make sure the parts can take the heat) further loosening rust, etc. I have used wooden wedges behind the flywheel to put tension on it. Use two on each side with the thin ends towards eachother. Tap the wedges towards eachother back and forth from one side to the other to "load" the force. I use a nut on shaft ends to help protect the threads when hitting them, too. This trick also works when cutting off bolts and screws as the nut will help clean the threads when you remove it.

[Roy]

Vincent, A three leg steering wheel puller will work and should not cost and "arm and a leg". If the puller does not have bolts with self-tapping threads you may have to thread the holes the flywheel first. You can also buy a special nut for the crankshaft that allows you to hit it with a hammer without ruining the threads. In this case you have to be prying the flywheel up from beneath when you hit the crank with the hammer. Be careful where you pry to avoid damage to the flywheel. Good luck, Roy