I'm replacing a flywheel and...

Question

I have a cracked flywheel on my 1990 Lesabre.

I'm replacing it myself with some supervision by a friend of mine. He knows what he's doing, but he's not a certified mechanic or anything.

Other than replacing the flywheel itself, is there anything else I should replace while I've got it taken apart

that far?

How long will this take do ya think? For a novice mechanic being supervised by someone with much more mechanical experience?

Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

so the car's a manual transmission? if it were an automatic it would have a flexplate, not a flywheel.

you just need to be careful in dismounting the engine from the transmission. you may want to replace the clutch while youre down there as well. one thing is for sure- replacing a flexplate would be a helluva lot easier.

i've known instances where you almost have to completely remove the engine to have access to the flywheel bolts.

Answer 2

dont let your "supervisor" drink too much beer if your counting on him/her

jk.

Just try remember to put things back the same way you took them apart.Take your time.Have a couple of good floor jacks.Separate the bolts from different areas and put them in bags and mark where they go.Are you sure you have a flywheel and not a flexplate??Well assuming you do have a flywheel,dont forget about the pilot bearing(standard tranny).Flexplate (auto tranny).Make sure you have a torque wrech and some good thread locker.Buy the CORRECT tranny fluid.Remember to hang your brake caliper from a wire and not just let it hang there.Check cv boots and axle while your down there as well as tranny seals.If the torque convertor(auto tranny) happens to come off the tranny some be sure its pushed all the way back into the tranny before trying to re-install tranny.Use line wreches on the tranny lines and not some lame vise grips or a crecent wrench(you'll be sorry).

If i think of anything else,i'll post an "edit".

Good luck.

Answer 3

Go ahead and replace the front seal on your transmission. This will be the only time it's easy to get to.

Check the rear main seal on your engine while you have the tranny off.

use new bolts when you re-torque the flywheel, toss the old ones.

Answer 4

The front seal on the transmission is certainly not a bad suggestion.  They're not really unreliable on that transmission, but it is old enough to vote.

The torque converter needs to index on 3 different things.  There are two sets of splines, plus a pair of tangs that drive the oil pump.  Make sure everything drops in, all the way.  Try to remember how far in it was before you removed it.

Drain all the tranny fluid.  This is your one chance to get a real transmission oil change.

Answer 5

That's the rear main seal the front main seal is on the other end but yea replace it so oil doesn't leak onto your new clutch kit.

Answer 6

Things to check:

1.  The flex plate is installed the correct way around.  

2.  Install the torque converter on the transmission first

3. The torque converter is turned in so it's into the pump

4.  The torque converter slides up to the flex plate easily, meaning it's not binding in the end of the crank

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Answer 7

make sure you use loctite on the flexplate/ flywheel bolts and torque them to specification.

Answer 8

the car replace the car man   the only way that the flywheel can be cracked is if a fat guy sat on your engine   so just get rid of the car you dont want some huge fat dude always chasing your car around and sitting in the engine compartment anyway right?

Answer 9

since your'e gonna have eveything apart i would go ahead and put in a new rear main seal.  depending on how much you work at it , i say this is a 2 or 3 day project. good luck, hope all goes well