Renix Era 2.5 Flywheel

[Zenobian_84]

After doing a bit of research on this, I've come to the conclusion that any flywheel found online listed as "NEW" or "FITS" the Renix era trucks (86-90) is probably wrong. Spent around 10 years give or take DD'ing my truck, and along with 10 years of use and abuse, I've gone through around 4 clutch kits (2 friction disks, and 3 internal slaves). Never had the flywheel resurfaced in the 10 years that I owned it, and am pretty sure the last time it saw a machining was when it was originally made in 86-87 to be put on the truck in production. I'm currently in the process of bringing the truck up to the dealership I work at (Kia, sadly), so I can pull the transmission and flywheel out to take it to a local shop to see if it's still in specification to be turned. Sadly, I no longer have any contacts at the Chrysler dealer I used to work at, as the 2 friends there who had originally started at AMC and then merged into Chrysler retired in the last year or so, so I can't pick their brains to find out what the specs on the flywheel are for resurfacing; neither AllData or ProDemand have the specifications listed aside from torque values, and I do not have an FSM to reference. My question is thus: Are there any reputable sellers of a 2.5 Renix era flywheel left out there in the world? Aside from some dubious listings on ebay, I have not been able to locate any, and am sadly left with thinking that the only replacement would be a lucky find out in the world, or buying one secondhand. I remember the thread JeepDriver made about a possible mass buying of a company he had reached out to that was willing to make some, but it died due to lack of large interest..

 

I assume the listings for the 91 and up flywheel are because of a different bolt pattern to the newer MPFI 2.5 engines, or perhaps because they went to a concave design of the flywheel instead of a flat one like the Renix era trucks have?

[eaglescout526]

Not likely any out there who make this flywheel. You might have to find a used one and at the rate people just toss the 2.5L for the 4.0, there’s a good chance that a second hand flywheel is in great shape still. I lightly sanded mine with 1000grit and it came out fine. What you really need to look for is if the clutch discs worn down the metal on the fly wheel or not to a noticeable point. 

[Zenobian_84]

1 minute ago, eaglescout526 said:

Not likely any out there who make this flywheel. You might have to find a used one and at the rate people just toss the 2.5L for the 4.0, there’s a good chance that a second hand flywheel is in great shape still. I lightly sanded mine with 1000grit and it came out fine. What you really need to look for is if the clutch discs worn down the metal on the fly wheel or not to a noticeable point. 

From what I can tell from the last time I put one in, is that the friction disk was fine; the flywheel itself had a few hot spots, but like previously mentioned, it's never been resurfaced. It has been the slave cylinders that have failed the last several times I've had to pull the trans. The last being on Christmas day of last year, to which the slave lasted all of 6 months before failing again after a 20 mile jaunt on the interstate going 60. Pulled off the interstate on my exit and noticed it had that pedal "judder" like a bearing going out. About a week later, it developed an internal leak and lost all pedal pressure. I don't doubt that my flywheel itself is either out of spec, or high-spotted, but I was mostly curious as to whether or not someone has had any luck finding a replacement in the last 5 or so years I've been on / off the site.

 

Sadly, most of the junkyards down here in the southeast are getting devoid of these trucks / setups. Renix era ANYTHING at this point is becoming a hard thing to find; luckily I have made a good stash the last 10 or so years of frequenting yards to hold onto the things I know don't exist in any fashion anymore. Sadly, the oversight of pulling flywheels when I had the chance wasn't one of the things I was super concerned with doing.

[eaglescout526]

I’d give the flywheel a light sanding with 1000 grit and don't press hard while sanding, just let it lightly do the work and it should come out looking good. I’d put out a want ad for these flywheels but it’s also not a clean job to get to either. 

[Zenobian_84]

30 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said:

I’d give the flywheel a light sanding with 1000 grit and don't press hard while sanding, just let it lightly do the work and it should come out looking good. I’d put out a want ad for these flywheels but it’s also not a clean job to get to either. 

10-4; thanks bud.

[eaglescout526]

No problem!

[omega_rugal]

AFAIK you don't "need" to resurface a flywheel unless is scratched or too bent, as long as it is straight and smooth, it works