Advice for cutting a flywheel off

[wetwillie]

Having tried everything imaginable to remove the flywheel from my ’66 Evinrude Ski Twin 33, I’d like some advice on how best to cut the flywheel off w/o damaging the crank. So far, it’s been suggested that I use a die grinder or drill several radial holes and a couple alongside the crank/flywheel interface before using a chisel to bust it apart. Any other suggestions, based upon experience, would be greatly appreciated.

[chris-p]

Those flywheels can be a bugger to get off compared to a typical OMC flywheel. I put a big extension bar on the center bolt to get leverage while I pull on it while someone else holds the bar for the flywheel holder. Either that, or if experienced, hit the center bolt with an impact gun. I don’t like to recommend that as it could cause damage if you don’t know when to stop.

[2fast4me]

What Chris said. And i don’t think you’ve exhausted your options yet. Get a better puller (OMC) and/or some shoulder bolts. Also add heat if possible. I had a flywheel break off of a hub on a QD and i got the hub off with a Dremel and a small cutoff wheel. I ground a slot directly over the keyway then split the hub. It’s doable but i hope you don’t have to go that far.

2Fast4Me

[olcah]

Maybe going back in this forum to Tuesday Nov. 1, 2016 would be helpful. There is a thread called Flywheel Persuasion. However now I think that under heavy load if a hardened bolt was to snap if could fly off at a high speed and cause real harm. So protect yourself!!

[adam1961]

I have to pull axle hubs off tapered shafts with a key at work on a regular basis. With the nut in place, I set the puller to a moderate tension. Then with heat from the torch, the hubs break loose but dont go far because the nut is there.

I have never had to use heat on a flywheel, but the principle is the same.

[alanp]

This spring I had a flywheel that I worked 3 evenings trying to remove. I tried everything I knew and suggestions from this forum and it wouldn’t budge. As I was getting to the point that something was going to break somebody suggested heating and melting wax into the taper. I tried that the next evening and it popped right off.

Alan

[bobw]

Same thing on my ’72 Evinrude that had seen nothing but salt water use. Worked on pulling the flywheel nearly all day and half the night before trying the melted wax approach. A little heat with the torch, a small gob of wax and it popped right off. But assuming this is the same ’66 Skitwin you originally posted on back in July 2016, it sounds like this one might take dynamite to get it off.

Bob

1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1957 Evinrude Fastwin 18
1958 Johnson QD-19
1958 Johnson FD-12
1959 Johnson QD-20

“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."

[wetwillie]

Thanks one and all. I didn’t realize it’d been over 2 yrs since I last messed with it but that wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t recall if I tried the melted wax tip, but will this week. For those who are unaware of what I HAVE tried, here’s a description: I bought an OMC puller and, after snapping the OEM bolts, replaced them with the strongest Fastenal could get. I suspended the boat/motor from the overhead joist for a couple of weeks using tie down straps placed under the flywheel. The puller was tightened down the entire time. Also, while under tension, I had thread penetrant soaking in the shaft/flywheel bore interface. Also, while under tension, I heated the flywheel with a torch, placed an ice cube and then spray from an inverted can of compressed air on the shaft while I hit it with a lead hammer. That’s about all I could think of.
And this is why I’m asking for advice on cutting the bastid off. 🙂

[bobw]

Guess I would just keep applying heat and soaking with every type of penetrant you can – melted wax, PB Blaster, 50/50 acetone-ATF, Kroil, Deep Creep, whatever, and keep whacking on the center puller bolt. Sure seems like it’s eventually got to pop off.

Bob

1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1957 Evinrude Fastwin 18
1958 Johnson QD-19
1958 Johnson FD-12
1959 Johnson QD-20

“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."

[david-bartlett]

I would not use a "Lead" hammer as you mentioned above. I would go for something heavy and solid.

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