engine and drivetrain How to hold flywheel in place while tightening?

[MarkB]

Hello,

Are there any tricks out there to hold the flywheel in place while torqueing the bolts onto the crankshaft?

I know there is a factory 'tool' that bolts and hold the flywheel by inserting into the starter ring, but I don't want to get that if I can avoid it since I seem to rebuild an engine once every 15 years!

thanks!

[ingraham]

Bolt a length of chain from the block to a hole in the flywheel?

[4x2]

I usually jam a large screw driver between the teeth and the engine block.

Be creative ;-)

[MarkB]

OK thanks, creativity is the way...I guess i should have tried the search first, here's some interesting approaches:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,333848/highlight,flywheel/

[tjones02]

In the past I have threaded a bolt in the lower right hole and used a screwdriver to hold the teeth.

But I found these work much better and are very inexpensive... VW flywheel holder, reversible for 6 or 12 volt air-cooled VW applications....

http://www.appletreeauto.com/universal-flywheel-holder-pr-167.html

[mossyboy6]

I use a pair of vice grips, and some old rag.

[TobyB]

if the holes for the clutch are threaded all the way through,

you can take a longer 8mm bolt and run it in through the starter

hole in the block. It will bend the bolt, but it will also

hold the flywheel.

t

[SteveJ]

My holder "tool" is an old rear bumper mounting bracket with the retainer nuts puched out. Bracket sits flush against the flywheel, one bolt goes in one of the clutch mounting bolt holes, then another bolt goes into the bell housing bolt hole on the block.

[51deluxe]

wow lol ive just been supporting it up with one arm and bolting it on with the other

[jgerock]

In the past I have threaded a bolt in the lower right hole and used a screwdriver to hold the teeth.

But I found these work much better and are very inexpensive... VW flywheel holder, reversible for 6 or 12 volt air-cooled VW applications....

http://www.appletreeauto.com/universal-flywheel-holder-pr-167.html

Here is the VW tool in-use (both Rob Torres and Bill Williams have told me about using this). The bolt/nut that comes with the tool is too short - you need to use the BMW trans to engine hardware if you are locking it at this point.

[TobyB]

wow lol ive just been supporting it up with one arm and bolting it on with the other

...you're tougher than we are..

When you pull your motor, does all that discussion about cherry pickers

and winches and levellers seem unnecessarily complicated?

t