Need quick answers............

GUMBALL · #1 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 10:10 PM

Poop!

Flywheel and starter teeth were not aligned properly using Lakewood bellhousing. (they are not a good fit)
Need a new ring gear and bellhousing pronto as teeth are history on both. (leaving for SAAC Tuesday)
I have been told stock bellhousings fit great.

Questions:

1) Where should I look for a stock 427 bellhousing?
2) Are all FE bellhousings the same or are they different for 427 vs 428?
3) Will I be able to find a steel bellhousing or should I settle for an iron. (very short on time, right now I need a band-aid)
4) How involved is changing the ring gear?
5) Where do I get a ring gear for an aluminum McLeod flywheel.
6) Should I just buy another $400 flywheel in the interst of time?

Help!

Regards,

John

sfry · #2 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 11:34 PM

Bit of a pickle!!

1-EBAY:Settle out of Auction and get it here..
2- I think most FE's are the same.
3- I think John it will be of a cast enviorment..
4- Remove the flywheel, Heat the flywheel with a torch. EVENLY.Start to pryoff the gear. The ring gear should come off
easily.
5-Call Mcleod or Summit.. They should have one.
6- BUY A NEW ONE!!(then I can buy the other and fix it) HA HA. No John, don't buy another. If you can get a ring gear and I can help you change it.

I did stay at a HOLIDAY INN last night..

Shannon

GUMBALL · #3 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 11:46 PM

Shannon,

You again? Didn't I just see you this afternoon? Thanks for the decal work.

As I mentioned, we replaced the starter gears, filed the flywheel, and voila..........fixed! NOT!!!!

Lasted for about 3-starts. And I was going to show off my new numbers to the whole neighborhood too.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I was gonna call you at home but didn't have your number. Didn't have high-speed internet access either so I came down to work. No way I am sleeping well tonight until I can solve this at least on paper.

Any chance I can find an FE bellhousing locally? Junkyard?

Crap this sucks!!!

Regards,

John

Bob Putnam · #4 (**permalink**) 06-28-2002, 05:21 AM

I'm afraid that heating the flywheel will make it more difficult to remove the ring gear, not less. If you can heat up the ring gear alone, that will help. Mostly it's a heat-and-beat-and-beat proposition. To install the ring gear, heat it up in an oven to about 300F and slip it over a cold flywheel.

Mr.Fixit · #5 (**permalink**) 06-28-2002, 09:24 AM

Often on scattershields, the starter hole is a wee bit too small or offset slightly. I have fixed this with a die grinder on lots of scattershields on fords. Ignoring the SFI instructions that ANY modifications void...... I would send the flywheel to a machine shop and have them change the ring gear, save yourself a headache. If you can hear the starter engage, it needs adjustement. If you buy a new flywheel, you'll have to rebalance it against your current flywheel.

GUMBALL · #6 (**permalink**) 06-28-2002, 11:12 AM

Bob and FixIt,

Thanks for the replies. I was lucky enough to find a local shop that had a new ring gear and old bellhousing. I think I'll let them replace the ring gear. Fix It............ sounds like I should have had you set up the Lakewood from the beginning. Not an easy task for a novice.

Thanks again,

John

Tony Ripepi · #7 (**permalink**) 06-28-2002, 07:56 PM

Hello John,

I would have recommended Vic Hubbards in Hayward for the parts. If you want a steel fly wheel from a 427 I have one sitting on the shelf in the garage. It would need balancing etc but, you are welcome to it.

Tony R.

justa6 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-28-2002, 09:18 PM

Buy a McLeod its much more accurately built. Check it when you bolt it on. I wouldn't use a regular bell housing as the clutch and flywheel are just about mid calf and it hurts to walk without feet.

Regards,

GUMBALL · #9 (**permalink**) 07-02-2002, 11:49 AM

Justa6,

Thanks for the advice. Yes, it bothers me not having a steel bellhousing but I was out of time this go around. I thought Lakewood was the only game in town for FE bellhousings. I will give McLeod a call.

Tony,

Thank you very much for the flywheel offer. I was able to get a new ring gear from McLeod, a new starter gear from Tilton, and a stock bellhousing all delivered UPS Red SATURDAY delivery. I have been unable to check email since Friday afternoon when we started wrenching to pull the flywheel and have the ring gear replaced. Let's see: pull seats, pull tunnel, firewall cover plates, seat belts, shifter, steering wheel, battery tray, driveshaft, tranny, safety loop, speedo cable, bellhousing, clutch fork, clutch slave, pressure plate, disk, starter and flywheel. It was a lot of work but we managed to get it all back together last night. Whew!!! At some point we will yank it all out and start again with that friggin' Lakewood bellhousing. When that day comes (I'm too tired to think when) we WILL need help getting it aligned correctly. See you at the track Friday!

Thanks again to everyone for your help.

Regards,

John

P.S. The stock bellhousing aligned PERFECTLY with the starter. Thank God, as we are headed down to the SAAC convention tomorrow.