Zeroing in a fly wheel cover

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Hey Terry, I think most people misunderstand this process, ...and quite honestly I used to also.

When you read the Service Bulletins and understand the instruction, the process is not to shim the Flywheel Housing into alignment, ...but the indicator is used to just check the FW Housing to verify it is in alignment. The only place that shims were allowed is in the upper two holes, -and this was to compensate for the gasket thickness. If installing a 0.010" shim in the two holes where the tabs are did not bring the housing into alignment, then Ford specified to install a new housing. New ones are available today, -or some original housings can be machined. I modified a grinder by installing a large faceplate to be able to re-machine a flywheel housing where both sides are coplanar. Click on the link below to see what is happening;

https://youtu.be/2GDg5AT2TmI

[Terry, NJ]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Hey Terry, I think most people misunderstand this process, ...and quite honestly I used to also.

When you read the Service Bulletins and understand the instruction, the process is not to shim the Flywheel Housing into alignment, ...but the indicator is used to just check the FW Housing to verify it is in alignment. The only place that shims were allowed is in the upper two holes, -and this was to compensate for the gasket thickness. If installing a 0.010" shim in the two holes where the tabs are did not bring the housing into alignment, then Ford specified to install a new housing. New ones are available today, -or some original housings can be machined. I modified a grinder by installing a large faceplate to be able to re-machine a flywheel housing where both sides are coplanar. Click on the link below to see what is happening;

https://youtu.be/2GDg5AT2TmI

EEEWWWWW! I see that and I almost had an orgasm That is so, "Just what I need!" What did you use to begin that? Your RPMs are just about right, all it needs is a coolant delivery system! Without coolant, the work tends to get hot and "Belly up" to the wheel and eventually all heck breaks loose, wheel, work, and God knows what else! In principal, It is a miniature Blanchard grinder. The Blanchard I ran had a 1" or 1 1/4"pipe for coolant delivery. It had a magnetic 4' table and four segments for a wheel and still the work came off the machine hot. I had a segment of a wheel let go once, and go through the air like a mini helicopter. It sliced through a free hanging air hose, completely through! Not halfway! Dangerous Machine! That machine you built is a beauty, wish I had enough of a shop to build one too. But get some coolant on it!
Terry

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

EEEWWWWW! I see that and I almost had an orgasm That is so, "Just what I need!" What did you use to begin that?


Your RPMs are just about right, all it needs is a coolant delivery system! Without coolant, the work tends to get hot and "Belly up" to the wheel and eventually all heck breaks loose, wheel, work, and God knows what else! In principal, It is a miniature Blanchard grinder. The Blanchard I ran had a 1" or 1 1/4"pipe for coolant delivery. It had a magnetic 4' table and four segments for a wheel and still the work came off the machine hot. I had a segment of a wheel let go once, and go through the air like a mini helicopter. It sliced through a free hanging air hose, completely through! Not halfway! Dangerous Machine! That machine you built is a beauty, wish I had enough of a shop to build one too. But get some coolant on it!
Terry

It started as a Kwik-Way flywheel grinder. Machine a plate to fit the grinder hub, and then grind the plate level. The key is the spindle bearings you need to upgrade to a grade 7 or better, -which I think I gave $400 a piece of each of the spindle bearings. This takes any deflection out of the plate due to grinder pressure. I also do Clutch (bell) Housings on it. Some day I will probably build a fixture to hold exhaust & intake manifolds so they can be resurfaced.

Actually, this uses one of the new CBN (-industrial diamond) grinding heads instead of a grinder rock. The CBN does not use coolant, and the surface really does not build heat. I am only taking about 0.002" per cut which really doesn't generate a lot of heat. Most housings will be between 0.010" - 0.020" out, so after I make the last pass that has continuous grinding, I just let it run until it sparks out and then it is dead-on. This also gives the housing plenty of time to cool if there is any heat build-up.

FWIW, I have not even bothered indicating one we installed in the last couple of years, as the first ones we did always hit in the 0.001" - 0.003" range which is well within the 0.006" spec.

[1crosscut]

Leave the dial indicator above the flywheel a small amount and then use a feeler gauge between it and the flywheel housing.