Replacing Flywheel

[bmxking5]

Well, as some of you know, my flywheel has "hot spots" yet again. I'm ordering a new one from Advance Auto Parts tonight, and it should be here on Friday. I'm pulling out the transmission tonight. Any tips on replacing it? Any special tools needed (like to center the clutch, etc.)? We pulled it all out about 1 year ago to do the clutch, but my mechanic was helping me and I don't remember everything (like if there were special tools) Thanks

 

[snoborder42]

Are you going to redo the clutch too? I know that the clutch kits come with a centering thing and I think that there is a tool that pulls off the pilot bearing too but I'm not sure. I've never done a clutch myself but I have seen people do them.

 

[bmxking5]

No, I'm not redoing it. I have a $250 centerforce dual friction clutch in there that's only got about 5,000 on it. It didn't come with a centering ring, but I think my mechanic had one laying around that he used. I look on centerforce and see if I can order that part seperately.

EDIT: part number is 52008, so I'll order it at work tomorrow.

 

[bmxking5]

Well, I got everything off except for one bolt in the y-pipe which is being stubborn. I soaked it in Liquid Wrench again tonight and hopefully it'll be ready to come off when I get off of work tomorrow. After that, I just gotta pull off the starter, drain t-case, pull t-case, remove trans crossmember, drop trans. Hopefully I can get all of that done tomorrow afternoon. The flywheel will be here on Friday. Before I put my y-pipe and cats back in, I'm gonna cut the bolts for the cats and replace everything with stainless bolts, so they're easier to come out when I get my hi-flow magnaflow cat to replace the two stockers.

Oh, and for anyone interested, you have to have a Ford Clutch Hydraulic Line Disconnect tool to get the hydraulic clutch line off. I got one at Auto Zone for 5 bucks. Does anyone know of any other special tools I'll need for removing the rest of the stuff, and then reinstalling everything from the flywheel back? Any help is appreciated so I can know what I've got coming up. Thanks in advance.

 

[mechanix]

Lisle makes a universal clutch alignment tool you might want to look into. I don't know how many clutchs you will ever put in but might be a good idea to get it in case this happenends again.

Other than that, I can't think of any thing else you would need. Make sure to check out the pilot bearing. If it is bad replace it, I have seen a bad pilot bearing cause alot of prolblems.

Eric

 

[rookieshooter]

Sounds like you got everything you need. Just remember that sometimes the tranny wants to hang up the last 1/2" or so from the bellhousing. This is because it's not going into the pilot bearing. You might just have to lift up a little on the tranny and a little more on the tailshaft. Moving the back around also. Make sure the bolting flange has the same space on bottom as it does on top between bellhousing also while doing the above thing.

 

[bmxking5]

Ok, thanks guys. We replaced the pilot bearing, slave cylinder, etc when it was pulled out a little less than a year ago.

Where could I buy the Lisle tool? I went ahead and ordered the Centerforce one(only 5 bucks), but we may end up putting a new clutch in the Sonoma soon and that sounds like it would be worth buying.

 

[BrooklynBay]

One place I know of that has just about every automotive tool is WWW.Eppys.Com. They have 2 stores. One is near me. If they don't have it in stock, they could order it, and have it by the following week.

 

[bmxking5]

Okay, well I said I ordered the Centerforce tool, but I decided to wait until I went to work to see if I could get it sooner than buying it with the flywheel. I found out that we can get lisle tools, and it turns out my boss had the universal standard and metric clutch alignment tools, so he let me borrow it.

 

[bmxking5]

Got everything pulled off finally...it was a huge pain to get the trans off due to the fact that when we installed my clutch (my mechanic did most of the work) he used the impact wrench to re-install it ( http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161188 )I'm painting the y-pipe and cats right now (heat paint flat black). I have all new bolts for the transmission, y-pipe, cats, etc (all grade 8). I'm about to pressure wash the transmission and t-case ( http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161227 ), then I'll start reinstalling the new flywheel, reinstall clutch, transmission, starter, then wait on my order from Ford Parts Network to arrive.

Torrie from FPN has been a huge help finding me all the right parts, so if you need a Ford part, he can help you out. Plus they sponsor the forum.

 

[bmxking5]

I just bought 8 new bolts for the transmission to engine block as well as lock washers. I'm about to send in my order for Ford/Fast Parts Network for the following:
-clutch master cyl.
-3 shift rail plugs
-trans to t-case gasket
-trans mount
-y-pipe to cats gasket
-lock cylinder for glove compartment (want a place to keep my head unit when I've got the doors off)

 

[mechanix]

Why are you replacing the bell houseing bolts? Also on the automatic trans the top two are special bolts, I don't know if that is the case on the manual.

Eric

 

[bmxking5]

They all looked identical on mine. If you look in the elite explorer 911 thread I have, you'll see that they were put in last using an impact and they were torqued down so much that I rounded a couple of them off when I was trying to get them off. I had to use a bolt-out tool to remove them and they chewed up the head of the bolts. Plus the others were kind of chewed up from being impacted on.

Pics...

 

[bmxking5]

Well, the clutch is fawked too. The pressure plate is burned up as well as the clutch disc being worn down pretty bad (only had it in there 11 months). I'm ordering another Centerforce Dual Friction clutch tomorrow from work. It probably would've been fine if I put it in 4lo and drove it home when the back brake locked up or had it towed back (had a faulty brake fitting on the caliper, which locked it up), but now I've got to spend about 450 dollars total worth of **** to fix it all. Atleast it'll all be working like new again though.

Pics

 

[bmxking5]

Last one. Since I can't do anything except install the flywheel tonight, I'm gonna pull the rest of the exhaust off and paint all that the same heat paint flat black.

 

[410Fortune]

geebus, I cant believe you painted the cats!! Nice work!

I would expect the Centerforce to hold up better then that??? what happened?

 

[bmxking5]

Well, the rear brake was 100% locked up. I only drove it home about 1 mile, but like I said, it was 100% locked up. I had to get the RPMs up pretty high and slip the clutch like crazy to avoid it from stalling. My dad was behind me when I was getting it back home and he said the smoke was so bad that he couldn't see the back of my truck. You could smell clutch inside/under/around my truck for atleast 2 days. It drove fine other than the obvious hot spots, so I figured the clutch was alright still. While it's out though, I might as well put in all new so I don't end up with a fawked clutch by having to slip it a lot offroad, etc.

EDIT: I used some Duplicolor 1200* heat paint on the y-pipe and cats. I had my neighbor reweld the heat sheild on the y-pipe, since it's right under the trans, and pulled the rest of them off. My friend took his show truck (Avalance on Lexani 20s w/ 37s, carputer, etc.) up to a small exhaust shop that does work on lots of show vehicles, and he said most of the time, he paints the entire exhaust system with this to keep them looking pretty good even when the trucks get driven to the shows, etc. Figured I'd do the same while it's all out.

 

[bmxking5]

The instructions for the flywheel say to torque it to manufacturer specs. I checked in my Haynes manual but it only has the specs for the clutch. What should it be torqued to?

 

[Wrench]

IMHO, looking at the pic's you posted and reading your description of the torture you put the clutch thru I would seriously check the flywheel for heat checking/hot spots and have it resurfaced if not replaced. Its a lot of work to go thru if you find you have clutch chatter after all your efforts.

 

[Wrench]

Ignore my last post, its been a long day and too much dif oil in my hair