348 flywheel ring nut removal

I know this shouldn't be rocket science, but I can not get the rig nut to budge. I have the ring nut tool from Hill Engineering, impact gun, etc.. I even tried a ratchet with some pipe on the end. This thing will not budge. Before I get my 1000 pound gorilla after it, is there anything that I am missing here? It is standard right-hand thread correct?

 

Normal right hand thread mate. Mine was VERY VERY tight. Was drowned in Loctite. Using my tool, which has a 10" handle, coupled with my HUGH muscles!!! -I still had to put another 12"+ pipe over the end of it for more leverage to loosen it. You will just have to keep battling away mate. Maybe try using/borrowing a 3/4" rattle gun with reducer to fit the Hill tool. That or get a longer piece of pipe over your breaker bar and go hard.

 

Right hand thread. Use heat to break up the loctite and then impact gun. Put a few drops of oil in your gun it brings the gun torque up to its max on worn guns

 

WOW!!! This baby is on TIGHT!!! I just broke the base of my table vice... I had about a 20" extension on my longest ratchet. Then, as David Hobbs would say, Kablamo!!!!! No more vice...

 

have you tried using fatbillybob's advice on using heat to break up the loctite

 

No, I didn't have a torch. But, since I am going to the hardware store tomorrow looking for a new vice I will pick one up... I never though that the vice would crack.

 

You'll need to heat it to at least 325 F but don't overdo it. Take it apart while it's still hot (the best impact gun you can find and maximum air pressure). With the right tools it's a cinch.

 

They usually are not that tight unless improperly installed. Did you loosen the locking screw in the middle?

 

Thanks Brian. I didn't touch the screw at all as I didn't think it did anything once the flywheel/bell housing was removed from the car. I can see both ends of the screw so it's not pushing on anything, creating tension, at the moment. Is this correct?

 

I had to use an impact gun to get that ring nut off the flywheel.
I didn't have to use heat though. It did have some sort of lock tight
crap on it.
I didn't loosen the allen screw before taking the ring nut off.
I set the flywheel down on a rag to hold it from moving and the impact gun
broke it loose.

if you're not replacing the clutch, I'd leave that allen screw where it is.

 

You should not be fixing cars or giving advice. The allen screw in the center of the flywheel retaining bolt is for one purpose and one purpose only. It is a locking screw for the bolt. It needs to be loosened before taking the bolt out and properly reinstalled when reassembled. To not do so risks serious problems. It has absolutely no function for the clutch itself new old or otherwise.

 

The allen screw in the middle of the flywheel retaining bolt? How can you see both ends if the bolt is installed? If you can, parts are missing.

 

Oh boy!!! Check these photos and tell me what you see. It looks like the same allen screw on both sides...

 

Photos:
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The disc the the screw bears against is missing. The last person in there should not be working on cars either.

 

Great!!! Well before I publically bash the shop that did the last clutch job on the car.... Which part is missing? I can't see a disk in the WSM...
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

It's not in that picture. It is #165540

 

142989 on the 348 clutch,
165540 on the 355 clutch. Same little gizmo, but looks a wee bit different.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My computer is CRAWLING on FerrariChat again!

The disc/spacer is #5 in this diagram. My parts book says it is #142989, I don't know if there is a supercede number.

Are you sure that isn't the end of the spacer in the picture, not the end of the screw?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

It sure looks like the end of your #13 with #14 peeking through. The face of the disc that the locking screw bears against is a plain flat ground surface. It is hat shaped and is trapped in a recess in the flywheel below the threaded hole.

 

That is exactly what it is... There is no spacer there. And my guess is that they put wayyyyy too much loctite on there to keep it from backing out.

What do you suggest I do Brian? Heating method? The last thing I want to do is screw up the threads on the flywheel. According to Daniel they are officially unobtainable (new) for now.

 

It is going to be much easier with an air gun. If you have that at your disposal with a good plentiful source of air go for it. Get it very hot and try to break it loose. You are going to have to replace that bearing. At this point just think in terms of saving the flywheel and bell housing.

For future reference I loosen that bolt before taking the bell housing off. The clutch does a pretty good job of holding the flywheel still to aid in getting it apart. Isnt that hard to reinstall now if needed.

 

I have the tools and I purchased the bearings from Daniel. I will probably replace the ring nut/set screw as well as the missing spacer. Might as well make it all new...Besides, I now have a new best friend in NC...

Good idea. Luckily I have a splined shaft from a Lambo that has the same spacing. I lock that into the vice. Esentially the same thing. But your way is definitely easier...

 

I seem to remember someone on here having the same problem 3-4 years ago - even a 1/2" drive air gun didn't shift it - they ended up taking it along to a commercial vehicle shop with a 3/4" drive gun.

 

That would be the way to go. 3/4" rattle gun has ALOT more torque than 1/2" rattle gun. Thats what I would do, but thats just me. Surely there would be a shop in the area that has a 3/4" gun that can rattle it loose for you mate.