How do you get the friggin' Jesus nut off the back of the motor?! You know, the one holding the flywheel to the output shaft. I definitely don't have a large enough socket to tackle that behemoth, and even if I did, I don't really know how I would stabilize the flywheel so I could loosen the nut without turning the whole engine! If anyone has any answers, I would appreciate it. I hope this thread is in the right section...

 

If you are stuck on this you are really going to have problems disassembling the actual various pieces of the engine.

Recommend you download a copy of the FSM. It can be linked per member trochoid
profile.

I'll help you out with this portion.
https://www.rx7club.com/shwothread.php?t=554738

You will either need a 54MM or 2 1/8 socket. The socket can be purchased at most Sears. To use the 1/2 drive you will also need an adapter from 3/4 down to 1/2 because the socket comes in 3/4 drive.
Or you can buy the flywheel nut removal wrench thur Racing Beat or Mazda Trix.

 

Theres some special tools you can buy check out mazdatrix.com if you have the socket try hitting it with an impact gun or you can also use the 19 socket bolt in the front of the e shaft to counter act the forces and having a buddy help wouldnt hurt at all.

 

Well, I thought about using the bolt on the front of the e-shaft, but I would wager that I would probably just end up loosening that bolt instead of the flywheel nut. And I'm not stuck, not yet. I just got the engine down to the bare block (plus the flywheel) 2 nights ago and have not had a chance to mess around with that huge thing yet. Oh, and the link you posted doesn't work.

 

Aha! Even though the link didn't work, I was able to find Trochoid, and now I have the FSM. What I need is a ring gear brake. Now, I just have to hope that Advance or NAPA has one. Thanks!

 

Hah, that was a waste of time. Neither NAPA, Advance, nor Sutherlin Mazda has a ring gear brake. Advice?

 

No one besides places like Rb and Mazdatrix will have anything.
Thats why when you see what I used(correct link this time) you will find out you already have it and didn't know it.

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-archive-71/engine-flywheel-stopper-554738/

 

i didn't check the link that Doc posted, but if it does not refer to what i'm about to suggest, then you have another option. just get a nut and bolt that will bolt the alternator bracket to one of the tranny bolt-holes and use the bracket to lock the flywheel long enough the crack the flywheel nut. while you're at it, just get the front e-shaft bolt, too.

if this is what's in the link Doc posted, then disregard.

 

Yeah, I checked Mazdatrix, and they have the tool for $25 or something. In order to use the alternator bracket, I would have to drill out the hole to accept the larger trans bolt, right? Wouldn't that render it useless, or would that cause any probs when I try to bolt it back on to the motor? I wonder why Mazda used one big *** nut instead of 6 or 8 little bolts... Oh well, I have always liked Mazda because they are not afraid to be a little different from the rest of the Hondas, Toyotas, Fords, and Chevys out there.

 

When you reuse the bracket you just get a larger diameter washer for the bolt.

 

get a metal Chisel like this ( http://www.fultoncorp.com/images/107cchis.jpeg )


http://www.rotaryengineillustrated.c...heel%20Nut.jpg
use the metal chisel to hit on the edge of the nut right before the point ( This will put force on the nut to turn in the Counter clockwase direction ) The nut will spin right off after a few good hits.

To stop the flywheel from turning while you are hitting the nut, place a 2X4 under the flywheel so the teeth dig into the wood

 

Oh yeah, I cant believe I didn't think of using the wood block technique! Jeez, that's classic. I don't really like the idea of striking the nut with a chisel, though. That would probably deform the nut, and I already have a good quality breaker-bar. I think I will probaby use the bracket approach since I can just go back to the junk yard and scrounge that bracket off the pile that donated my new engine and trans. Thanks for all the info guys!

 

that's why i said to get (purchase) a nut and bolt set to fit. i happen to have a large container of miscellaneous nuts and bolts so i didn't have to buy, but don't drill anything. as long as you snug the bracket flush with the flywheel, the only thing to possibly bend or get damaged is the bolt you use. simple.

 

Well, Sears didn't have the damn 54mm socket. I need to find a Northern Tool around here. Oh yeah, some bastard must have grabbed that random alternator bracket that I left at the junkyard. What a bastard! What's he gonna do with it?! Argh.

 

Well, I have been wrenching on this damn thing for the past 2 days (not all day, just after work and stuff) and have yet to get the thing to loosen! I ended up using a chain, trans bolt and a flywheel/clutch bolt to secure the wheel from spinning, but I can't seem to get it to come off. I am gonna borrow an impact wrench today, but I am worried the compressor and tank powering it aren't going to cut it.

 

That's all you had to do was put a cheater pipe on the end of the ratchet handle while someone made sure that the socket didn't come off and give it one good stomp. It will loosen at that point.

If your air supply is too low there is no way the impact will have enough power to break it loose.

 

A couple of tricks that I've learned. First, even though the e-shaft bolt is only torqued to 90 ft-lb, it will be harder to break loose than the flywheel nut. Find a propane torch and heat that bolt, then break it loose. Mazda uses some tough thread lock on it. For the flywheel nut, impact wrench is the only way to go. My impact gun has never failed to break that nut loose, it has failed to break the e-shaft bolt loose.

If you need a flywheel stopper, dig out any alternator bracket similar to the oem one and mod it. You will need it to tighten the flywheel nut down too.

In my sig line is a link to the online FSMs and other rotary related materials.
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Oh, I forgot to mention that I have been using a 3-foot breaker-bar. Still not coming off. E-shaft bolt? What, the bolt on the front of the motor going into the e-shaft? That was the easy one; it gave me some trouble at first but didn't last long with the breaker bar applying torque. Using a torch is something I had not considered, but I do have a propane tank lying around with no nozzle, so I'll have to go get one tomorrow and give the flywheel nut a good toasting. One more thing, the chain I am using is working fine. It works in the same principle as using one of the brackets; just bolt one end to the motor and the other end to the flywheel. Perhaps I need an engine stand, but then I would have to buy that mounting plate, right?

 

Well, 15 seconds with an impact wrench and that stupid nut practically flew off. That was almost a month ago; now, the flywheel still won't come off. I let a friend borrow my prybar, so that option is unavailable to me right now. I have been using a really long wrench to no avail, though. I suppose that I could take a torch to the center of the flywheel(I'm replacing it and the pilot bearing anyway) to loosen it, but I will hold off on that until the last resort. For right now, I'll just read the FSM for clues. One question: When I pull or push on the flywheel, I can hear/feel the whole rotating assy. moving back and forth a few millimeters; is this normal? It seems kind of strange to me...

 

You said Sears doesn't have a 54mm socket. This is probably irrelavent now since you have the nut off but 54mm is 2 and 1/8 inches. I got a socket that size from Sears for my engine(s).

As far as the shaft moving in and out, that is normal. There is a minimum and maximum mearsure for this movement (called end play) that you will have to fall between when you re-assemble the engine.

 

option A: get a flywheel remover. i think you can rent them at AutoZone.

option B: if you plan to change the thrust bearings (not that expensive), then just put the flywheel nut back on a few turns and get a 2X4 long enough to span the diameter of the and hit the center of the 2X4 a couple good whacks. the flywheel should pop right off.

 

Wow, I just put my CorkSport catback on, and DAMN, that little rotary sounds bad ***. I am absolutely satisfied with my purchase. Now, I am waiting for the RB header...