skim003

I went to an equipment rental place that rents power tool to rent an air compressor and an impact gun to get my flywheel off. I told them that flywheel nut was sealed and torque to 350 LB-ft. They said seemed surprised that something on a car was torque that much saying that torque of that force is usually seen in bridge construction. The first thing they showed me was a huge impact hammer, I said that look way to heavy duty (hardcore) to be used for a flywheel. They second equipment I saw was a ¾ inch drive impact gun with a Chicago style fitting, this seem more reasonable but he said since you would need to move lot of cfm of air for tool of this type and recommended a tow-behind type air compressor. I think the ¾ drive Impact gun would work for 2 1/8 socket but I don’t think I need the tow-behind air compressor, something more along the line of shop quality air compressor would work. For those who have used an air compressor tool for a flywheel nut, what were the psi, cfm, and sized of the air-compressor you’ve used to get the flywheel nut loose? What impact gun did you use? My car has been garaged for a while(to put in new clutch) and little things have been dragging this project on and on, I just need to resurface the flywheel to put everything together and I need advice on taking the flywheel bolt off.

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

Actually, the flywheel nut usually comes off fairly easily. I use just a cheapie impact gun from Wal-Mart and a $150 5 gallon air compressor - I've had NO problems.

The front pulley nut is MUCH harder to remove than the flywheel nut.

I would definitely get an impact gun and an air compressor, though - it should take you NO time at all to take it off, which is better than swearing and making tools for a few hours. And, you can have the air compressor to use while doing other things on the car.

Hell, just go buy an air compressor .

Dale

C. Ludwig

iTrader: (27)

My cheapy couldn't budge 3 or 4 different nuts. The 3/4 will most likely work as long as it's in good shape and a decent tool to begin with. Even cheap compressors will pump to 120psi which isn't but 10 or 20 psi less than the best. CFM only becomes an issue for extended use. You may have to rap on the nut a bit and then let the compressor recharge before finally getting the nut off. Once the compressor starts running just wait for it to cut off again and you're back at full pressure. The CFM and HP ratings will be lower with a cheapy compressor but that only makes the end result take longer it doesn't mean it can't do it.

Chris

scathcart

****, go for the 1" drive, 1200 ft-lbs bitch. Bigger is better!
A 3/4" drive should work fine for you.

scathcart

Actually, does anyone know where to buy one of those digital, adjustable torque wrenches?

N1XRR

Has ANYONE read the Mazda manual? They have a torque multiplier that works WONDERS and all you have to use is a regular torque wrench/breaker bar

Michael

jkekeisen

Any decent 1/2" drive impact wrench will get it off you just need the 1/2 to 3/4 adapter and the 2 1/4 socket and it will come off after a few good blasts with full pressure in the tank. Like c.ludwig says just stop and let the compressor refill and get after it again. For tightening it any reasonable priced torque wrench will only go up to 150lbs. The bigger ones can be rented but to buy they are $$$. Again not necessary, torque to 150lbs and then turn an additional 60 degrees. Use locktight and a thin coat of gasket sealant on the face of the nut because sometimes oil can leak from inside the engine down the threads.

Fox4Life

iTrader: (4)

I just used my regular old impact gun and a regular old air compressor. it worked fine, Took about a minute to get off. You dont need a f-ing industrial impact gun to do it. Geez.... can anyone say....overkill.

88IntegraLS

Impact wrenches, yuck!

I have seen the Mazda torque multiplier shown in the Haynes manual and considered it. But I chose the Mazdatrix flywheel nut wrench (made by Racing Beat) and a home-made holdback bar with a framing hammer and a weeks worth of soaking in P-Blaster to get off my flywheel nut. Too easy.

As for that front pulley, same soaking in P-Blaster, 1/2" drive 24" breaker bar, 17mm socket, holdback bar on the flywheel, and about 80 pounds of hand force on the handle got it loose. It had a lot of blue locktite on its threads when it came out. It, too, was too easy.

I think there is so much fear of V8 conversions on this forum not because it is a desecration of a sacred rotary engined sports car but rather because a V8 would be harder to work on! My 16 valve twin cam 4 cylinder Acura engine was much harder to rebuild than my rotary is turning out to be. You could rebuild a rotary in a single day if all the parts were on hand.