Flywheel won't pull off

[Trouty56 567]

I got hold of a 1277 with Kohler 12hp on it. This has to be a replacement engine cause there is a plug wire coming out from under the plate behind the flywheel. That plug wire is cut and a regular coil has been added (unless these came with magneto ignitions). Long story short is that I would like to break this engine down, have it checked out and re-whatever..yada, yada, yada.... Flywheel will not budge. I have a harmonic puller on it and got my air impact wrench out and it has been sitting, with pressure on it, for 2 weeks. Every day I try to add more pressure to no avail. I probably don't have the best impact tools but every other flywheel I've pulled just popped right off. Can I torch this thing?? I really don't want to pound it.

[sorekiwi 761]

Wow, I've never had one that tight. I use a Harmonic balancer puller on mine too.

Have you tried giving the head of the bolt through the centre of the puller a sharp whack? It normally will shock the taper enough for it to let go.

I guess the next thing I would try is some heat on the center of the flywheel, with the puller still attached and loaded up.

Oops forgot to say that the 1277 should have an engine with the external coil, sounds like you have the remnants of a mag ignition under the flywheel.

I wonder if that cut off HT wire sparks when its running??

[Trouty56 567]

I did hit it but don't want to do that anymore. It should have released. I'll take it to somebody with a torch. The engine didn't run...I'm thinking the key might be sheared or something. I guess the only thing the heat will do is melt the seal maybe. I'd be replacing that anywho. Maybe a better wrench too. Mine is just a husky cheapo model.

[Don1977 605]

You just haven't used a big enough hammer. I got my education back in 1960 trying to remove the flywheel off a gokart engine. I finally took it to a local machinist . He went into his shop came back with a big hammer, one whack and off it came said that will be 50 cents. That was a lot of money for a teenage back then. I now have a large 3 pound brass hammer and have never had any trouble removing one. (put the nut on backwards level with the shaft use a brass hammer and hit like you mean it.)

[Trouty56 567]

I wonder if that cut off HT wire sparks when its running??

Well it wasn't running when I got it....lol. This flywheel is still fighting hard. I'm gonna load it up and haul it to work and let the shop guys heat it up. I've tried hitting it again but no more. That has to be hard on the bearing and/or crank.

[can whlvr 994]

for heat i use a propane torch with the yellow tanks,cant remember what the fuel is but its hotter than propane,i do have a really nice torch,but ive resorted to 2 cheap hand helds at one time and that should be enough heat

[pfrederi 18,703]

for heat i use a propane torch with the yellow tanks,cant remember what the fuel is but its hotter than propane,i do have a really nice torch,but ive resorted to 2 cheap hand helds at one time and that should be enough heat

Yellow is MAPP Gas

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Surprised this hasn't been said yet, but has any rust penetrate been used thus far?

[krazy_horse 59]

I am sure a good soak with PB Blaster would help,it has saved me a lot of grief on 50 year old Volkswagens!!

[Trouty56 567]

I have been squirting wd-40 on the end every day too. I just heated it up real good and tried another whack but no go. I'll go out later and give it another squirt for the night.

I might have to get some of that PB Blaster and try it. Thanks for that reminder. WD-40 is OK but I heard that PB is better.

[Trouty56 567]

for heat i use a propane torch with the yellow tanks,cant remember what the fuel is but its hotter than propane,i do have a really nice torch,but ive resorted to 2 cheap hand helds at one time and that should be enough heat

Yellow is MAPP Gas

Is this gas sold at like Home Depot and places like that??

[Rooster 192]

Yep, Mapp gas is easy to find.

PB is great stuff.

[wheelhorse656 20]

I have had one like this i used the oxegen acetylene torch and got her red hot and and she popped right off had to replace the seal but that was it. It was an HH100 tecumseh.

[can whlvr 994]

yes as rooster said you can get mapp gas about anywhere,thanks for reminding the name for me,its not as good as acytelene torch,but its hotter than propane,and with 2 going it can get almost red on smaller parts

[Trouty56 567]

Thanks, I have some time now tomorrow so I'll try the torch method at Jordon's. Seems the quickest way to the end result. PB Blaster is something I will be keeping around though. Maybe it would have worked had I been using it the whole time. Got to check into that mapp gas too. Hopefully I get a gift certificate from Santy.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

My big block flywheel puller consists of an block of steel about 1 1/2" square by 5" long and two 5" long pieces of threaded rod with flat washers and plain nuts. There are two holes drilled through the block at the same spacing as the tapped holes in the flywheel.

I chase the threads in the flywheel holes, screw the threaded rod in at least 1/2", slide the steel block over the "studs", slip a small chunk of brass between the block and the end of the crankshaft, (screw the nut on until flush on the cranks with external threads) and start drawing the nuts down against the block of steel until they are tight. A few meaningful raps with a 2lb hammer on the center of the steel block has loosened every flywheel I have worked with.

I'm not sure heat is the best idea on any cast flywheel, especially those with the glued magnets. I positively do not hit the flywheels themselves, nor do I ever directly hit the nut on the end of the threads. If you happen to miss hitting it dead-center, the threaded end of the crank can break off. (saw it happen)

[Trouty56 567]

Well dang it.....where is Julian, PA anyway....lol

I'll keep the pressure on it then and keep squirting it.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

A few miles off 322 on the other side of the mountain from State College.

I'm off work for the next 7 weeks, so get it up here. :ychain:

[Trouty56 567]

Ya know Terry if I wasn't heading to Chincoteague on Monday for a couple days to visit the ol' man and ol' lady (and getting a bushel or 2 of oysters) I think I'd be heading up there to get this thing taken care of.....

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

The invitation remains open ~ if & when you're ever in the neighborhood. :handgestures-thumbup:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

Did you get the flywheel off yet? :eusa-whistle:

[Trouty56 567]

No I haven't....I still have the pressure on it and give it a squirt of penetrating solution daily. I still have not excluded the idea of visiting you.

[rmaynard 16,333]

Hey Bob, did you ever have any success getting this flywheel off? :confusion-shrug:

[Trouty56 567]

Nope....never coming off I guess. I ruined it by hitting it like I meant it....no offense to a post earlier....this flywheel is just stuck. The harmonic puller has a tip on it and the crankshaft has a divot. It split the end of the crank. I had the nut on there too right flush with the end. Jordon gave me a cutoff tool to try and dress the end so the nut can be started. If not well....guess I screwed up. Earlier in this thread is an explanation of TT's puller. Had I had this type of setup I would not be in this predicament.

[Rooster 192]

I have taken alot of flywheels off with the "just smackit like ya mean it" method. Never ever failed to get one off of any engine.

Now.....I have a briggs verticle Opposed twin sitting in my shop that I have also ruined the crank on trying to get apart.

Had this been a kohler I would have stopped long before ruining anything....lol.

Just goes to show, "I have done it this way forever" is not always the right answer, the boss I had at my first job told me once; "Just because I been doing something a long time does not make it right. If I am doing it wrong, it just means I been doing it wrong a long time!"

Between my recent experiance and yours.....I am building a "TT flywheel Puller" .....