TOPIC: Pulling old merc flywheels - question

I have bought a couple merc flywheel pullers/lift rings over the years, but can't seem to keep (i.e. "find") the little nub that goes under the puller bolt. Is that a big deal? Can I just use the bolt as is, or will that not work? Or use something else like the nub, similar, but what? Any ideas?

I hope to go at it after work tonight, so any suggestions, ideas, tips, thoughts etc would be greatly appreciated!

Frank

Frank you need that washer/thrust button. I hozed my flywheel puller by not using it. Its there to save the threds on the end of your bolt and save the top of your crank. I ruined my bolt because the threds got all mashed from pushing on the crank.

Now I cannot get the bolt out of the puller body And no way to cut it off clean again inside.

I have lost that damn thing too about a hundred times. Next time I get it all together Im putting it all in a tupperware container.

Conrad

After I posted, I was thinking the last thing I want to do is damage the top of the crank Conrad, let alone the puller bolt, so yeah, I need to do something. First task is to get everything backed out. My impact wrench stopped working on me right after I had tightened everything up, so the first "trick" will be to see if I can get things apart. The next trick will be to figure out what I might use that I have around that would be hardened and do the job without damaging anything. I've got some ideas, so we'll see. Right now it's the parts motor, but even though it looks like the powerhead is beat from the outside, there's a chance stuff inside is good, so I just want to be careful.

Thanks again!

Frank

grind the bolt into a tapper and leave a nut on the crank. should work fine.
Conrad
cit the head off make a slot and use screwdriver to run it all the way down and use a new bolt as discribed above.

Great ideas, thanks Dave! Haven't heard from you in a while, hope all is well.

Frank

Good idea dave. Ive actually got the lifting ring eye stuck in it. I used that to pop my last flywheel when I coud not find the nut nor the bolt

I could cut the ring off screw it out then reweld it. But I think I might band saw thru the body of the puller and just clip/cut the bad tip off the bolt without going all the way thru the puller. Once out I could weld a nice bead around the body and be near good as new.

I might play with it tonight.

Conrad

Tried Jesse's tried and true impact wrench tonight, no good. Something is up with my air system I guess. I never have had an impact wrench that worked. Can't figure out how to stabilize the flywheel to get my puller out. Flywheel turning tool that came in the mail (actually UPS) broke right off. Might have an idea, just more work. Involves making a tool. We'll see. Pics if it works. If it doesn't, I ain't tellin!

Boy, fun & games getting carbs off that parts motor tonight. Pics in another post later...

Frank

So far I've destroyed both my flywheel adapters for the lift ring/pullers. First one got destroyed last night when I didn't have a bushing between the bolt and top of crank. I was able to get it off this morning with a little help from a piece of angle iron and my pick-up...



Once I got that out, it was obvious the threads were gone from the adapter. It was REAL difficult getting the 5/8 bolt out, but I did, then used a thread restorer to get the bolt back in shape.

Because the motor was lying down, I used some gorilla tape to hold the bushing in Jesse made for me yesterday and got ready to go at it with my other adapter. Because I was I was now trying to turn it clockwise, I didn't need my truck, just the concrete floor...



With my 1/2" breaker bar, 15/16 socket and cheater pipe I started to turn the bolt clockwise. Boy, it was hard, but I kept at it till it seemed like it was getting easier. Boy, I thought, that's great, it's coming off! Nope.



I got thinking about how I can get the flywheel off some other way. Then I thought I'd look at another in-line 6 flywheel, maybe it would give me an idea. Sure enough. I'm an idiot, and should not be let near motors of any kind. I had not removed the nut from the end of the crank. This is very embarrassing, but maybe my admission will help another poor soul.

I was able to get an adapter threaded in, and presto zippo, done...

Oh dear.... this just brings back memories of doing crazy things in haste. I know that we all do this kind of thing from time to time. No need to be embarassed Frank. We are all human and mistakes are a part of the deal of not being afraid or too safe when it comes to doing things yourself.

By the way...I like that idea with the angle iron to hold the flywheel. I am always trying to figure out better ways to do so when the motor is on a stand. Unfortunately I don't have a flywheel holding tool so I resort to a miriad of ways using wire/cables etc to hold it.
Gotta be an easier way..maybe yours is the ticket(gotta get me a chain lift or something to pick her up and lay her down easily I guess?

Thanks Tim. As it turned out, it taught me a good lesson! My friend Jesse showed me a good way to hold the flywheel - a 1" strap with a hook and 16-18" piece of wood that is of a thickness that fits in the side of the flywheel. I hook the strap to one of the top mounts (like the starter mount), wrap it around the flywheel, loop it around the stick, then wrap it around the flywheel and the other end of the stick real tight, tie it off, and turn (or hold) away. that's more a two person thing, but if you're by yourself, the angle iron works just fine.

If you have a place for a chain hoist to hang, you can't beat them. I used to, but not in this house. I had to buy an engine hoist. Got mine at Pep Boys years ago, paid $110 for it, and use it all the time.

Good luck!

Frank