The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 1960 C10 with 235 Flywheel Issue

Finally got the flywheel off the 1960 C10 with the 235 with 120,000 miles on it. As seen in the 1st pic, it has many heat cracks in it, so it looks like I need a new one. Started looking in the usual places, and that's where I ran into issues.

I have two pins sticking out of the crank, so I need a flywheel that matches. If you look at the 2nd pic, there are 3 additional holes, 2 of which line up with those pins. I found a flywheel on RockAuto with the correct crankshaft holes, but the pressure plate holes are too far apart from each other. I have searched many other sites, and most of them have the same flywheels as RockAuto.

I have found a couple of used flywheels on eBay, but who knows what I am getting?

Any advice?

There should be three dowels in the crankshaft flange, not two. Unless the third dowel is installed, you will have a massive oil leak into the bell housing which will trash a new clutch in a matter of a few miles. You'll also need to put some type of sealer on the flywheel attaching bolt threads, (blue LocTite for instance) as those holes are also exposed to the crankcase and can leak oil, especially if the wrong type of lock washers are used on them. I wouldn't hesitate to run that flywheel- - - -just get it ground flat and ignore the minor cracks. I've run MUCH worse ones for thousands of miles.
Jerry

I would take that flywheel to a shop that resurfaces them and see what they say about the cracks. If they're not too deep, resurfacing may get you back on the road.

Are you planning on reusing your pressure plate and clutch disk? Not a good idea.

You could go with a clutch kit and matching flywheel from RockAuto.

If I'm correct, going by the 1958 235 crank I installed in my 216, there should be three pins in the crankshaft to locate the flywheel correctly to the crank, with one of the pins being slightly offset from center between the two adjacent bolt holes. Your flywheel shows that matching pin hole on the upper part of your pics.

You're right, Jerry (Hotrod)... I looked again (now that it is dry under the truck after cleaning off the 65 years of oil that turned into dirty grease) and there are 3 dowels... Thanks for the info on sealing the bolts. I was planning on using Blue LocTite. I did not know that LocTite would also seal the holes. I also just had a good friend tell me the same regarding ignoring the heat cracks.

Thanks, "klhansen". Yes, I noticed the offset in the holes as well. Yes, I am replacing the clutch and pressure plate. I checked RockAuto, and they do not show a clutch kit with a matching flywheel. They are separate, and although you can get the clutch kit, they do not have the correct flywheel. So much for their "ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED"!!

I plan to go to my local machine shop on Monday and see what they can do with the original flywheel since it seems I cannot get a replacement.

Permatex makes a product called Seal+Lock.

It's specifically a thread sealer with the locking capability of Blue Threadlocker.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/permatex-seal-lock-thread-compound-35-ml-57506/12259233-p

Ask in our classifieds for a replacement.

Great!!! Thanks, Otto!!

Hey Mike... I will check there if the machine shop is a bust...

BTW... I used the bread trick to get the pilot bearing out of the crank, and it worked!!

1. I used WD-40 in the pilot bearing hole and around the bearing to help loosen the bearing.
2. I began to stuff Wonder Bread into the hole.
3. I used a Craftsman 10mm deep socket (3/8 drive) with a long extension and a hammer to push/bang the bread into the hole.

As the bread filled the socket and the pilot bearing hole, it began to push the pilot bearing out. The 1st pic shows the bearing starting to work its way out, and the 2nd pic is the socket and the compacted bread I pulled out after the bearing came out. I used a mini sledgehammer for the extra power to get it out.

Hope this helps someone...

Short while ago there was an 11 inch flywheel for sale in the Swap Meet section. That's what I use and it is the best flywheel I've ever had.

Just as an fyi, I know the bread trick works to get a pilot bushing out. Using a 5/8-18 tap is easier. You cut the threads in the bushing, and then keep going. Eventually the tap hits that back of the cavity in the crank and then the bushing walks itself out. No mess, no fuss, no bread to dig out.

Grind the end of the tap into a slight radius to avoid scarring up the bottom of the hole in the crankshaft, or put a big ball bearing into the hole for the tap to push against.
Jerry

I like the bread trick because I still think there’s no way it should work. And somehow it works perfectly every time.

For context, I also have a 7th grade sense of humor at age 45.

The machine shop stated they would see what they can do to get the cracks out and they got 98% out with only one small one showing. The flywheel looks great and they stated there was plenty of 'meat' left on her and she was not warped.

on the flywheel fixup.

The bread trick works because of simple hydraulic pressure. The bread acts like a thick hydraulic fluid, pushing against the back side of the pilot bushing. The pressure has to go somewhere and the bushing is the path of least resistance. A driver that's close fitting in the bushing bore is needed. Not everyone has a proper sized tap available, and bread is a lot cheaper than buying a tap. Even a whittled down broomstick can be used for a driver.

That flywheel came out a lot better then I thought! Well done!