Hay guys,
I just picked up a 93 Rx7 with a injured engine. I have the engine out and have removed the nut on the crank at the flywheel but the flywheel is not coming off. I have removed these before on different engines however this on just wont move. I have installed a large puller and pulled hard enough to brake the hold down bolts connected to the puller but it just wont move a bit. Is there anyone who might shed light on the subject. I am well versed around General Motors engine packages but Know when to ask for a little advice. John

 

Put a puller on it , then tap the outter edge with a brass hammer on the side across from the key . Do not hit the gear teeth as the ring may move . Ring-pop !

 

Duboisr,

Thank you for your response. I have a good straight bar puller and that concept sounds like it makes a lot of sense. John

 

impact wrench or braker bar with lead pipe extention.. Its just a soldding big bolt!

 

smack the hell out of it with a block of firewood.

also keep the nut on it so the flywheel doesn't pop off on your foot

 

Good advice.

You should consider getting a light flywheel while you have things apart. If you decide to get the light flywheel, this one will be useless, so you can beat the crap out of it to get it off.

 

heat it up with a torch and use a rubber mallet. Hit it on the outside in 4 different directions.

mine poped right off after i got it hot and one smack with a rubber mallet.

 

Easiest method is to use a puller, i use the one for steering wheels. Comes out in seconds, but you would have to buy or rent the tool. All the other methods work, but i personally would not use the torch method, if you are going to use a pry bar, it helps to apply even pressure and make sure you loosely put back the eshaft nut, when you break loose the flywheel, it will pop off. Or you could thread two bolts through the flywheel and use a piece of metal behind the bolt and blast it with the impat gun, but that usually ***** up the threads on the flywheel. You think thats fun wait till you try to take out the pilot bearing.

 

I'm having the exact same problem with my 13b n/a. I removed the 2 1/8 nut and pulled the pilot bearing, but I can't budge the flywheel. I put a heavy duty puller on it, heated it with a torch, put an impact wrench on the puller bolt, and then switched to a wrench and 2 foot cheater bar. It just won't budge. I'll try tapping it with a hammer, but I have doubts that will impart more force than what I've already tried. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MORE POTENT IDEAS?

 

hikerguy,

If your flywheel is designed as mine was its somewhat hollow behind the surface. The puller in effect is bending the unit out. I installed the puller as you have and it was a 30-ton unit used on big rig systems. It also would not move until I rotated the key way so that I could hit the flywheel in a spot 180 degrees away. I used a standard hammer; hit it hard once on the backside with the puller loaded and it popped off into my lap. John

 

you didn't try the firewood technique yet did you

 

SUCCESS!!! OK, I'm a believer now. I put the puller on just moderately tight and heated the flywheel to about 175F and then hit the clutch surface with a padded hammer 3 moderately good strokes opposite the keyway and the flywheel was free. I believe "J.S.J." is correct in stating that the puller puts just enough twist in the flywheel that it grips the crankshaft harder. Someone should put an addendum to the shop manual containing these tricks.

 

heheheeh looks like a bit of both methods were required.

I did one yesterday an it took 3 good wacks with a rubber mallet when it was warm.