I've got a friend who had to take his motor to the shop to get the flywheel bolt off his 13b cosmo motor and I am wondering if this is a typical thing. Is it always this hard to get the bolt off. I'm worried because I would rather not pull my motor and I plan on replacing the clutch and flywheel myself in my garage with hand tools.

My motor was replaced with a mazdatrix one 20k ago by the previous owner and the mazda dealership did it, since it's not the original one hopefully this will help, any ideas as to what i'm in for?

 

flywheel nut is 2 1/4"...

 

You will need a 54mm (2 1/8 inch) socket/wrench of some sort for the front flywheel nut. It is torqued to 350 lb-ft so you will need something very long to get the leverage required. After that, you will need to beat the **** out of it with a hammer (with a wooden block in between to avoid damage to the fhywheel) to break it loose. All in all, it can be a major pain in the ***, or it could just be a minor pain in the ***. I've never tried it while the engine is still in the car, though.
Edit: heres a good writeup on it - http://mazdatrix.com/faq/flywheelremoval.htm
As they say, the best way is to hit it with a copper hammer or something, but most people probably don't have one and they are kinda pricey.

 

if you have a compressor at home you could just use a 1/2 in impact gun with a 1/2 in to one inch adapter that way you can use that giant *** socket..........350 ft lbs is piddly **** work for an impact gun that makes 625 in reverse.

 

I have no problem with a 1/2" impact, I used a rubber mallet to knock off the flywheel on my turbo engine. Borrow one, I think it'd be a real bitch to get it off any other way, i don't think i would've enjoyed that.

 

boltup long metal bar to flywheel. get 2 1/8inch (52mm) socket, breaker bar w/extension. very easy to take off and put back on, one person can do it, no problem.

 

This is actually covered in the FAQ with many links to past topics that explain the tricks to removing the flywheel.

 

has anyone ever needed the flywheel stopper that is on mazdatrix?

 

From my understanding, it just makes it easier.

 

I've never needed it. I have two stoppers I use:

1. Piece of chain between clutch bolt and bellhousing bolt
2. 3' piece of angle iron with holes drilled to match clutch bolt holes

In the past I have used a stopper that was made by welding a bit of flywheel ring gear to a piece of angle iron. It bolted between the two upper bellhousing bolt holes and meshed with the flywheel gear. Worked well.

 

I used the stopper bar myself, but thats just because I didn't have the time to mess with figuring out something on my own. I got their flywheel wrench at the same time, so it was a pretty decent deal.

 

i didnt use a stopper on my flywheel. just put the impace gun to it and it came off.

 

I cant afford an air compressor, so all I have is a 250 lb electric impact wrench. Not quite enough.

 

You're probably gonna wanna hunt down an impact gun and a 2 1/4" socket. It makes things 100x easier to get the flywheel off, just hook the socket into the nut and it zings right off. To get the wheel off, I used my trust Snap-On deadblow and a wooden block and just started hammering the **** out of it until my ears were ringing and it popped right off.

 

Its 2 1/8", not 2 1/4" ^

 

You can also try heating the nut up with 'blue tip wrench' before you put the impact gun to it.

Another option would be to soak the the nut with PB Blaster or some other penatrant for a couple of hours before using the impact gun.

Do not use both options together!

I have a nice scar on my elbow from a TII flywheel that was a little reluctant to pop off...

 

The flywheel SHOULD have been put on with Thread locker or LOCKTITE when installed, along with 290 to 360 ft/lbs of torque.

That alone is a major reason it's hard to remove just the nut. And also why heating the nut up with a butane torch helps considerably.

I don't wrench for a living so I don't own a impact gun. So I bought a 20lb sledge hammer and combine that with my Craftsman 3/4" breakover and 2 and 3/16 twelve point socket (duh, I measured the nut wrong so go the larger socket...but it does not round the nut off and works plenty good fine). Using a piece of channel iron off a boat trailer which bolts to the flywheel to stop it from rotating, I hit the breakover a couple of times.

I've also rebuilt engines that had a severe scar on the flywheel nut. I've found out why that scar is there. The previous person used a chisel and hammer to remove the nut. Must'a been a big chisel and hammer. Scrap one nut, but the cost isn't very high, I found out.

 

if you manage to get the Nut off,Put it Back on a Turn or so...Before you Hit the Flywheel with a hammer or whatever you are to use..Trust me,It will save you some Toes!