Flywheel holder

HI All,

We are trying to remove the steering damper on our 250 six so we can change the timing chain. How do we hold the flywheel from turning? I don't just want to stick a screwdriver in the teeth. Is there a better cheap way? The head is off, engine in the car. There must be a way I've done this but it's been thirty years or so since I have done any real engine work.

Thanks,

John and Mikey

If it's a manual trans, leaving the car in second gear and having someone stand on the brake may do it.

A rattle gun also works!

There's a cranked breaker which has a short offset "link" to the socket end, and you beat on the other part of it with a 3 pound hammer. It's good for tight access - not sure how common they may be at your tool hire places.

seeing as you have the head removed, you would be able to fit a round piece of wood over one of the pistons, ideally with the piston about halfway up its stroke, and hold it down with a steel plate or even an old head while unscrewing the bolt.
the other method i use when possible is to have a piece of chain attached to one of the pressure plate bolts (or torque converter bolts), with the other end to a convenient bolthole.

addo":wqvh4v4w said:

If it's a manual trans, leaving the car in second gear and having someone stand on the brake may do it.

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why second gear? i've always used the highest available gear. but last time i tried this i just slipped the clutch in the project car.

addo":1rhtrjy0 said:

A rattle gun also works!

Click to expand...

Only way to fly Usually effective with just home owner level equipment (ie pancake compressor and light duty impact gun).

Key is delivering torque in short full bursts, so this can sometimes be manually simualted with a 6pt socket & long breaker bar and a 3lb sledge or larger...impact delivered with care...most cases a flywheel or other stop not necessary.

Pending Red Green's approval (really not that dangerous, but done with good deal of caution and only used when in a pinch): VERY IMPORTANT: DISCONNECT COIL!!!** Breaker bar and cheater pipe w/6pt socket pinned against ground on the port side, and thin piece of veneer, tin or some such slid in front to protect the radiator....say, "watch this" [optional] and bump the starter.

In all seriousness the last method does work, but by far the least safe...unless you have a buddy around you can ask to hold the breaker bar while you bump it.
Good luck!

EDIT: **okay not important in your particular case, but should always be considered...

Frankenstang":2wr79l9m said:

[......Breaker bar and cheater pipe w/6pt socket pinned against ground on the port side, and thin piece of veneer, tin or some such slid in front to protect the radiator....say, "watch this" [optional] and bump the starter......

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This actually works very well.

I've done similar. I used a breaker bar with an extension pinned against the concrete and just wrenched it with my 'guns' on the other side. However, since those days, my impact gun is my best friend with working on cars. Love it. Worth the investment!

I have a gear puller,

It's long enough to go across two head bolt holes, and then a put a block of wood on the piston.
Anything you can bolt across the head bolt holes can function as a piston stop.

karguyz":1vzjhp5x said:

HI All,

We are trying to remove the steering damper ... ... it's been thirty years or so since I have done any real engine work.

Thanks,

John and Mikey

Click to expand...

If we are talking Crankshaft Balancer/Dampener, My favorite option if FW/Converter isn't available is to wrap a large Vise-Grip Pipe Chain plier around the balancer and preferably apply impact wrench but breaker bar works as well... (for Falcon balancers with bad rubber sleeve, this may not be an option . )


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