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Resurface or buy new?


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So I pulled my transmission and I’m looking for opinions on what I should do with my flywheel. I’d like to just have it resurfaced and stick with oem but I’m not sure about the teeth. Also there doesn’t appear to be any cracks. I know there pretty inexpensive but being an 86 I don’t know if I can just put any 2.5 flywheel in or if there’s any oem available.

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What do you think?

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I did this for absolute giggles one day. I barrowed my neighbors sander and either used 500 or 1000 grit paper and just lightly sanded the surface of an extra 2.5L flywheel I have. It looks great and doesnt seem to really have done anything other than make it look nice and get the crud off the surface. 

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6 minutes ago, 89 MJ said:

How many miles does your truck have on it?

Buying a new one isn’t all that expensive. 

 

No one makes 2.5L new though. Thats the dilemma we have you 4.0L elitists' lol. The 2.5L flywheel has 2 "fire" gaps for the CPS while the 4.0L has 3. 

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35 minutes ago, 89 MJ said:

How many miles does your truck have on it?

Buying a new one isn’t all that expensive. 

135k, I was hoping to keep the original but the teeth on just the one side have some signs of wear. Before I pulled everything it shifted fine and didn’t shutter when changing gears so I think I’d be okay putting it back in. It’s just the wear on these few teeth that have my wondering. 

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10 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

You could probably get away with replacing the starter gear ring if thats what your thinking. They used to be serviceable at one point.


Yeah I’m mistaken, I thought that was all one piece or was fused to the flywheel. :dunce:
Anyway I think I’ll just look into replacing the gear ring and getting the actual flywheel resurfaced. 

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4 hours ago, BeaterComanche86 said:

135k, I was hoping to keep the original but the teeth on just the one side have some signs of wear. Before I pulled everything it shifted fine and didn’t shutter when changing gears so I think I’d be okay putting it back in. It’s just the wear on these few teeth that have my wondering. 

 

How bad is the wear? Those teeth really shouldn't wear much at all, so probably a previous owner hit the starter when the engine was running. If the starter hasn't been skipping on you, you can probably just clean up those teeth with a fine-tooth file and run it for another 100,000 miles or so.

 

Can you post a photo of the worn teeth?

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6 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

How bad is the wear? Those teeth really shouldn't wear much at all, so probably a previous owner hit the starter when the engine was running. If the starter hasn't been skipping on you, you can probably just clean up those teeth with a fine-tooth file and run it for another 100,000 miles or so.

 

Can you post a photo of the worn teeth?

The wear is on this section of the ring gear, the starter hasn’t been skipping so I think taking a file to them might do the trick. Here’s a zoomed in photo of the teeth in question:

 

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I'd try heating it up with a Propane or MAP torch. If you suspend it up on the center, possibly the ring gear will drop off. Might need to lightly tap it to get the ring gear off. I haven't actually done a ring gear. Then flip and heat and put it back on. I doubt you will get it to hot with a propane or MAP torch. You might need to use an Oxy-Actylene torch. Be careful. I would evenly distribute the heat. I would not get it past a blue color.  Wait to see if others have done this. 

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14 hours ago, eaglescout526 said:

I did this for absolute giggles one day. I barrowed my neighbors sander and either used 500 or 1000 grit paper and just lightly sanded the surface of an extra 2.5L flywheel I have. It looks great and doesnt seem to really have done anything other than make it look nice and get the crud off the surface. 

I have heard this works just fine

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2 hours ago, 75sv1 said:

I'd try heating it up with a Propane or MAP torch. If you suspend it up on the center, possibly the ring gear will drop off. Might need to lightly tap it to get the ring gear off. I haven't actually done a ring gear. Then flip and heat and put it back on. I doubt you will get it to hot with a propane or MAP torch. You might need to use an Oxy-Actylene torch. Be careful. I would evenly distribute the heat. I would not get it past a blue color.  Wait to see if others have done this. 


Thanks I’m gonna call the machine shop today and see if they’ll separate them if not I’ll give this a try. Just need to be careful and not get it to hot like you said.

 

25 minutes ago, Pete M said:

those teeth look just fine to me.  :dunno:   they don't need to look new to be perfectly usable. :D 

 

Thanks Pete, I appreciate the reassurance :L:

 

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If the clutch isn't chattering -- I don't see any sign of hot spots in the photos. I wouldn't even have it resurfaced -- I'd just go at it with a Scotch-Btite pad in an electric drill and clean it up.

 

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1 hour ago, Eagle said:

If the clutch isn't chattering -- I don't see any sign of hot spots in the photos. I wouldn't even have it resurfaced -- I'd just go at it with a Scotch-Btite pad in an electric drill and clean it up.

 

I’ve tried a few times to get ahold of them today with no answer so I may just clean it up myself. I did want them to make me new spacers for the slave where it bolts to the bell housing since who ever repaired it last used 3/8 nuts but I may just figure that out myself as well. 

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A engine guy once told me when you shut the engine OFF it will always stop at the same point in terms of the crank position. Could just be 35 years of starter engagement hitting at the same spot on the flywheel.

 

Since you got the flywheel already out, I'd take it to a shop and have them resurface it. True it up.

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