Can this flywheel be repaired?

[penfold]

I have seen one blow on a twin cam we built years ago pulled off the line it popped out of 1st with foot still on floor, one bit embedded in tarmac, second bigger bit embedded in tree 20 yards away after bouncing off tarmac, & biggest bit came through the magnesium bell housing, through the TX tunnel, then through the heater plenum chamber into engine compartment & left a tear in the bonnet.
The clutch cover was like torn cardboard & we never found the cover plate.
It was on the start line of a stage with numerous people around how no one was hit or killed is one of life's mysteries.
Throw it away it is not worth even thinking about repair,

To see a good demonstration of what happens when spinny round things give up being round and spinny, look at the BA aircraft that brewed up at Las Vegas airport recently.

 

[Paulbarrett]

Update,

The supplier is sending another ASAP. After I mentioned possible 'machining error' and its consequences.

But all the comments on here have got me a bit concerned about using a cast iron flywheel now.
It has been developed for using a 10.5" clutch in Toyota Land Cruiser conversions etc which this company does a lot of in the states.

 

[EddyP]

You tried TTV racing? I had a special flywheel from them and it was only about £250, beautifully machined and balanced too.

 

[Screwdriver]

But the dowels are not in the right place for the pressure plate I'll be using anyway. Also the bolt holes need redrilling to suit.



Any suggestions?

Manufacturing defect. Send them the pictures ask them to send you another one without the dowels or dowel holes.

With any luck they wont want this one back, its useless now anyway.

S.

 

[brightspark]

even if the flywheel wasnt damaged wouldnt it be sensible to check it would be up to the job seing as though it possibly would rev higher and and need to have a stronger clutch plate fitted adding to the pressure exerted on it

 

[normspanners]

looks like steel to me ,

That doesnt look like steel to me thats cast iron IMO

 

[Paulbarrett]

I've been assured it steel. I'll do some spark tests on it, and the tig test and file

 

[mtt.tr]

My only concern would be balance. If you repair it which is very possible if it's steel then get it balanced.

 

[Paulbarrett]

Engine is getting fully balanced anyway once rebuilt.

 

[Screwdriver]

Can you not complain to the sellers?

I wouldn't put that anywhere near an engine.

 

[Paulbarrett]

Righty,

Really not happy. Spark test and then puddled it with the tig and a file wont touch it. So must be quite high carbon and deffo cast iron. I broke off the chipped piece and its grainy as!

Really quite p###ed off, as sold as steel.

I paid via paypal so covered and through their ebay shop, so doubly co ered if they want to get funny about it.

Ill be going to a uk firm to have one made. At least i may still have the broken one to template from.


I do have some 20mm T6 plate left from another job that would make a lovely FW, then steel friction surfce would be needed for it though. Just a thought......would i have enough swing on the harrison....hhmmm

 

[ronan]

I would try to buy direct from a reputable company rather than someone you don't know of fleabay. You'll have comeback and a reputable company won't risk their good name for a quick buck.

 

[Paulbarrett]

I know i know.

 

[Paulbarrett]

But i checked them on facebook too, all feedback was good too.

 

[squazy84]

Of course it's cast how could steel crack like that??! I've seen the aftermath of a docile old fergi 35 Perkins over revving , internet bull aside flywheels are serious,even us thick farmers know that

 

[AndyStobbs]

Just get it balanced and run it.

 

[ronan]

Just get it balanced and run it.

You'd never be happy with it, there would always be a nagging doubt in your mind.

 

[Paulbarrett]

Im not using it now i know its cast iron. Simples.

The first build will start with around 350-380 bhp. Not worth the risk. Especially with all the effort gone in so far to over spec.

 

[AndyStobbs]

Not in my mind. Its a chunk off the corner of a part. Machine it to a size, match it with 2 more at 120 degress, and it looks just like a million flywheels already in production with 3 equally spaced gaps. Whether they exist as a means to shed clutch dust radially or bring cooling air in - I don't know, but they are common enough to satisfy me that it isn't an issue.

Its a land cruiser for heavens sake not a ferrari. Obviously as a replacement is being sent anyway its a moot point, since it'll save having to machine it at all.
As for all this flywheel and clutch explosion, how many people have seen a DMF thats so far past its sell by date there is over 1mm of float about the centre boss, Well I've seen a good few, it doesn't get much noiser than that, yet they are all still in one piece when I remove them.
So occasionally a flywheel lets go, it probably had a casting flaw from the word go, and no amount of machining or not machining is going to change that,

 

[hotrodder]

Damaged/badly made examples aside the expolding CI flywheel thing is less about power or torque numbers and more about rpm IMO. I've seen the aftermath of a couple that resulted in massive amounts of carnage, both times the rpms were waaaaay in excess of what the standard engine/flywheel/clutch were designed for origionally. One was a tractor that'd been fitted with a supercharged big block Chevy and the tractor side of the clutch, exposed to at least 3 x the rpm the origional engine was capable of, smashed it's way through side of the box which was also cast iron and (doubling as the tractor chassis) at least 3/8" thick!! The other was a Beetle... while the original German flywheels were forged the later Mexican examples were CI and really don't like it when someone lightens them and then spins them to 7k + rpm