Jump to content
HybridZ

Bolt snapped on flywheel


dimsum

Recommended Posts

They told me that the threads on the hole will remain untouched. I don't think the hole will need to be retapped.

 

I read about the process online, and it did seem pretty neat. Supposedly it is precise to 0.0005 inches.

 

 

EDM is cool, kind of like a really precise CNC plasma cutter. It should be able to get the bolt out. But will require the hole to be re-tapped.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 40
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Has anybody else experienced this with a Fidanza aluminum flywheel? I would expect Fidanza to drill the holes to the same depth as the stock flywheel, but I guess that might not be the case.

 

On my Fidanza I had to add a washer to the bolts, they bottomed out before they snuged up. Check to see if that might have been the cause of your problem?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Torqued the bolts to 15 ft/lbs, did not bottom out and everything fit perfectly.

S1010018.jpg

 

Dragonfly

 

SHOWOFF!

 

Heh heh...just kidding. It looks good. Does the clutch cover need to bottom out on the flywheel, or is it ok to have some gap between the two? I forgot to check my old one before I took it apart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll also never use an easy out ever again...I broke a rocker arm shaft bolt on a Buick 430 I had years ago (never trust an inch pound click type torque wrench!)...decided to try to "ease" it out, took 4 places to even find them, and my dumb butt didn't listen to all the guys saying "don't use 'em" but I didn't want to pull the cyl head, so I got an easy out and promptly broke it off inside the rocker arm boss. Talk about pissed off.

I finally did get the damn thing out of there but the threads of the rocker arm boss (and guess what...it was the forward one that also supplies oil to the rocker shafts..double DOH!) were hosed, I couldn't drill and tap bigger cause that would block off the oiling hole, so I had to improvise. I had to drill into the water jacket, tap it, and then put a longer bolt in with sealer and hope.

It actually worked!

I drove that 4dr for another few years, then swapped the motor into a 69 sportwagon, then joined the navy, then sold the sportwagon to a guy in canada. AFAIK it's still running.

But the point is I'll never, EVER use an easy out again.

For the time I spent trying to get the easy out..ummm...OUT I could have taken the cyl. head off, taken it to a shop and had them get the broken bolt out for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dragonfly,

Remember blowing my Z's doors off at Qualcomm? (2005 before I deployed, I had my L28E and you had your stroker, I ran a 9.8 and you ran 8.lows?)

That was fun.

 

Yep... I'm hopeing the car will be a little quicker when it is back on the road again.

 

dimsum

Yes the pressure plate should sit flush against the flywheel where they bolt together, as someone pointed out earlier in this post if the clutch is in backwards the pressure plate will not sit flush, also make sure to use an alignment tool to hold your clutch in place while bolting in the pressure plate or your clutch could slip and get wedged not allowing the pressure plate to bolt down properly. After you get the flywheel taken care of double check everything and use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts after you turn them in as far as you can by hand (the torque spec is from 10 to 16 ftlbs I used 15 on mine).

 

Dragonfly

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my Fidanza I had to add a washer to the bolts, they bottomed out before they snuged up. Check to see if that might have been the cause of your problem?

 

I noticed that the holes in the Fidanza flywheel are not as deep as in the stock flywheel. The bolts do not go in as far. With my clutch and flywheel, the bolts are too long to hold the clutch snug as well.

 

Is it better to add a washer, or try to get shorter bolts?

 

I did a search, and it sounds like most other people do not have this problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I examined the Fidanza and stock flywheels a bit more, and it looks like the stock flywheel holes go all the way through the plate and stop at the gear teeth for the starter. The Fidanza flywheel has blind taps that are a few mm shorter.

 

Fidanza said that they haven't heard of this problem before, but they offered to drill the holes through the aluminum flywheel if I send it back to them.

 

I wonder if this is just a problem with my clutch, and the clutch cover I have (Centerforce, stage 1) is not as thick as others.

 

The stock clutch cover bolts are M8 x 1.25, 20 mm. I ordered some shorter ones (16 mm) from this place called Mr. Metric in San Jose. We'll see if these do the job. Otherwise, I'll have to send the flywheel back to Fidanza.

 

Now, I'm wondering if it is better to drill the holes through the flywheel or use shorter bolts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just got my Fidanza. My holes go through to the steel ring gear. The bolts off my flywheel are 18mm from the bottom of the bolt head and have 2mm thick lock washers. My clutch won't be in for a while, but it should be a close fit. If I have a clearance problem, I will just file the bolts down just a tad, but I don't think it will be necessary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The typical EZ-outs are junk. Every time I've ever used one, it broke. I have a set of extractors that I purchased off the MATCO truck when i was working at the dealer. They are like EZ-outs, but different. Each one is only about 1 1/4 inches long, and they use a 13mm (1/2") hex that you can put a wrench on to turn it. The Extractor part is only 1/2" or so. One of the reasons that EZ outs break is because they are too long and flex to much. The Matco units work awesome, I've probably taking out 100 broken bolts with them, some crossthreaded and some rusty, and never had a problem.

 

Once the EZ out breaks off, you're kinda screwed. They're made out of the same stuff that conventional drill bits are, so you can't drill them.....unless you use a carbide tipped masonry bit. Yes, masonry bits will drill through taps and ez-outs that you've broken off in a hole....the only problem is, you can't find masonry bits in very small sizes. I busted a tap off in a 6mm hole yesterday. I got it out using my O/A torch with the smallest tip I could find, got a tiny hot little blue flame and hit the piece of tap till it glowed, then shut off the Acetylene and it blew right out. The hole was a little damaged, so I had to tap it to 8mm and then drill and tap an 8mm bolt to 6mm, but I made it work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...