Flywheel locks after Bolting Bellhousing?

-
unclepunchy

unclepunchy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2023
Messages
113
Reaction score
37
Location
Victoria, BC Canada
Hi Folks, figured I would start another thread regarding this one.

Bolting an A833 4 speed to a previous auto crank for an Abody conversion. Motor is a 383 and it’s going in a 73 Duster. I am using the roller style bearing from Brewers. Flywheel spins fine until I bolt up everything. The Flywheel bolts are Grade 8’s I bought and are not bottoming out on the crank/case. I did the 5/8” trim of the tail shaft as well. The clutch, pp and throw out bearing are from a LUX kit.

Could the clutch disc be bottoming out on those flywheel bolt heads? Maybe I need the thinner ARP style flywheel bolts or did I cut too much off the tail shaft and now it’s bottoming out? I’ve had this ***** on and off about 5 times and my back is angry!
 
unclepunchy said:
Hi Folks, figured I would start another thread regarding this one.

Bolting an A833 4 speed to a previous auto crank for an Abody conversion. Motor is a 383 and it’s going in a 73 Duster. I am using the roller style bearing from Brewers. Flywheel spins fine until I bolt up everything. The Flywheel bolts are Grade 8’s I bought and are not bottoming out on the crank/case. I did the 5/8” trim of the tail shaft as well. The clutch, pp and throw out bearing are from a LUX kit.

Could the clutch disc be bottoming out on those flywheel bolt heads? Maybe I need the thinner ARP style flywheel bolts or did I cut too much off the tail shaft and now it’s bottoming out? I’ve had this ***** on and off about 5 times and my back is angry!
Click to expand...
First, make sure it’s not warped. Had a brand new Cummins SFI fly wheel that was warped new from the factory, just enough to burn everything when the bell housing was tightened down.

2nd, yes I would check the head height on you flywheel bolts just to be safe

3rd, are you getting positive seat of the input shaft into the pilot bearing? For that matter, is the pilot bearing itself all the way into the crank? Given it’s an auto crank, did you have it drilled for the pilot bearing?

4th, why did you cut the tail shaft?
 
Pilot bearing is seated as to the instructions, so it should be fine. Tailshaft seems to be going all the way in. I took 5/8” off because the automatic crank wasn’t drilled out enough.

I will check the bolts and the flywheel for warpage. Thanks for your help. Will report back.
 
unclepunchy said:
Pilot bearing is seated as to the instructions, so it should be fine. Tailshaft seems to be going all the way in. I took 5/8” off because the automatic crank wasn’t drilled out enough.

I will check the bolts and the flywheel for warpage. Thanks for your help. Will report back.
Click to expand...
Ahhh okay. What you’re calling the “tail shaft” is actually the input shaft. The tail shaft is what connects to the driveshaft. Which is why I was trying to understand why you’d cut that. Makes much more sense.

Now, question, have you double checked that the pilot bearing you’re using goes onto the input shaft? Any pictures of the cut and did you bevel it after cutting it down?
 
unclepunchy said:
Pilot bearing is seated as to the instructions, so it should be fine. Tailshaft seems to be going all the way in. I took 5/8” off because the automatic crank wasn’t drilled out enough.

I will check the bolts and the flywheel for warpage. Thanks for your help. Will report back.
Click to expand...
Then hopefully you took 5/8" off the INPUT SHAFT and not the TAIL SHAFT. The tail shaft is where the drive shaft slides into the transmission. That would have zero bearing on what you're doing "up front". Most people trim 3/4" off the input shaft, so maybe it's a little long yet. OR you have the wrong bellhousing for that size flywheel.
 
When you say flywheel won’t spin, are you saying you can’t turn the engine over once it’s bolted together? Or are you referring to the disc not spinning one the pressure plate is bolted down
 
Yes correct, Input Shaft. Haha, it’s been a long day.

The Flywheel won’t spin, can’t turn engine using socket on the front Crank/pulley/bolt. Also yes, the clutch does not spin when the pp is tightened down but I figured that was normal?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Then hopefully you took 5/8" off the INPUT SHAFT and not the TAIL SHAFT. The tail shaft is where the drive shaft slides into the transmission. That would have zero bearing on what you're doing "up front". Most people trim 3/4" off the input shaft, so maybe it's a little long yet. OR you have the wrong bellhousing for that size flywheel.
Click to expand...
If the Input shaft is still too long could that be pushing/binding things up?
 
unclepunchy said:
If the Input shaft is still too long could that be pushing/binding things up?
Click to expand...
Yes. Absolutely it could. It’s also why I asked if you beveled it. I once had one just barely catch the lip of the pilot bearing and bind up.

What I would do is measure the depth of the pilot bearing hole and compare that to the input shaft where it goes into the pilot bearing. If the shaft is longer than the depth, there’s the likely problem
 
FW bolts should have a short head......
1689387724788.png


Disc "flat side forward"............
1689387825726.png


Even if the disc is in backwards, I wouldn't think it could stop rotation...........
1689388406033.png


unclepunchy said:
If the Input shaft is still too long could that be pushing/binding things up?
Click to expand...

It's possible I'd guess.
Did you indicate the bell in to the crank CL?
Is the release bearing able to move fore and aft (not bound up)?
 
If the flywheel doesn't spin when you tighten the bell. You have a 69 or earlier 11.5 flywheel with a 70 or later 10 1/2 bell housing. Count the teeth on the flywheel 143 is the 60 or early flywheel and 130 is the later style. You have to use the correct bell for the flywheel your using.
 
Okay, so I trimmed down and tapered the input shaft another 1/4” and success… I think? Everything turns fine, no rubbing or anything.

Only question I have is that I tried to actuate the clutch fork thingy by hand and I can’t really move it - I am thinking that is normal until I get it installed with everything else?

4398D83A-9F14-40E1-B78A-241027F504BE.jpeg


724797AC-B365-496B-926C-C22E34563FD6.jpeg
 
unclepunchy said:
Okay, so I trimmed down and tapered the input shaft another 1/4” and success… I think? Everything turns fine, no rubbing or anything.

Only question I have is that I tried to actuate the clutch fork thingy by hand and I can’t really move it - I am thinking that is normal until I get it installed with everything else?

View attachment 1716114787

View attachment 1716114788
Click to expand...
I’m not sure what the pressure rating of the pressure plate is, but if high enough, by hand might not have enough leverage. Also, make sure you’re pushing the right direction.
 
Uhhh yeah. You ain't gonna disengage the clutch with your hand. Ain't happenin. Even if you were Ahhhhhhnold. lol Glad you got it figured out!
 
Yes that’s what I thought too as far as hand pressure! Thanks to you guys for the help. I posted a separate question about the transmission mount if you have time to check it out? Don’t worry, it’s a yes or no answer!
 
"Flywheel Locks after bolting on the bellhousing" ?

You say nothing about the trans being attached to the bell housing when you installed the bell.. How did you Dial indicate the bell housing to the center line of the crank with the trans on the bell when installed with the trans attached.

And I don't understand why you would have had to cut the trans "input shaft" not "Tail shaft" with a 383. The crank should have had the deep hole for the bronze bushing Auto or 4 speed crank on a 383.
 
Oldmanmopar said:
"Flywheel Locks after bolting on the bellhousing" ?

You say nothing about the trans being attached to the bell housing when you installed the bell.. How did you Dial indicate the bell housing to the center line of the crank with the trans on the bell when installed with the trans attached.

And I don't understand why you would have had to cut the trans "input shaft" not "Tail shaft" with a 383. The crank should have had the deep hole for the bronze bushing Auto or 4 speed crank on a 383.
Click to expand...
I had a 383 that wasn’t fully bored with the deep hole. So it’s not totally unheard of
 
Oldmanmopar said:
I never had one. I had a 350 B and a 400 B and a 383 RB undrilled but never a 383 B . But I cannot deny it with Mopar
Click to expand...
71 block. It had been rebuilt and had 12.5:1 Keith Black slugs in it so it may not have been factory crank either. There were no part numbers on the crank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top