Removing the flywheel

[jadney@vwtype3.org (Melissa & Jim)]

>From: "Adriaan Loedolff" <ADRIAAN@norton.ctech.ac.za>

>As you might recall I am busy fixing the clutch on a friends '67 
>Notch (the one whose the engine fell off the jack!!!). I got the 
>clutch cover and everything off, no problem. Clutch plate looks new 
>but the pressure plate isn't. Some asshole mechanic somewhere tried 
>to save the PO some money by replacing the clutch plate only. Result 
>of this was a serious clutch shudder which later caused the fingers 
>in the clutch cover to go. The flywheel doesn't look that good 
>either. There is a bluish discoloration on the area where the clutch 
>plate makes contact and the surface isn't perfectly smooth like it 
>should be. I'll have to get the flywheel polished. This is where my 
>question starts.
>
>I know that when one reassembles an engine after the case has been 
>split that one has to set the crankshaft endfloat using special 
>shims. If I remove the flywheel, will I upset the endfloat totally or 
>can I just put the same shims back behind the flywheel when I 
>reinstall it? Also, does one have to meassure the torque on the 
>flywheel gland nut exactly or do I just make sure that it is TIGHT.

The end play won't change if you reinstall the same flywheel, crank, and 
shims. But you need to check it just to make sure it was right in the first 
place.  The torque should be paid attention to.  Do like Keith said, use 
your weight x the right number of inches.  You should also pay attention to 
the rotational position of the flywheel on the crank.  VW mounted these 
parts selectively to minimize the imbalance.  If the flywheel has never been 
off before, then don't lose that position now!  Mark the position with a 
stamped impression on the face of the flywheel between two dowels and 
another at the bottom of the gland nut hole.  Do this BEFORE you take the 
flywheel off.

I suspect the blue color will wear off right away, but I don't think you 
want any roughness.  A good machinist could tell you better.  You might just 
need a new pressure plate.

I most mechanics replace everything when they do a clutch.  I only replace 
what has gone bad.  In 25 years, I've only been burned once, and that was 
with a pressure plate that took me two removals to see its problem.  Face 
it, the stock engine is just not that abusive of a clutch.  I remember my 
first rebuild:  I bought a new disk just to be safe, but when I got it home 
and compared the two I found that they were the same thickness but the OE 
one was made better.  I put it back in and it lasted another 100k.

Jim
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       Melissa Kepner                                    Jim Adney
       jadney@vwtype3.org               jradney@njackn.com
                             Laura Kepner-Adney
                             Madison, Wisconsin
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