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Help 7.3 flywheel cracking problem

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Old Sep 4, 2018 | 05:31 PM
  #1  
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Harry Wilson
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Help 7.3 flywheel cracking problem

My 1999 F-250 has an issue with cracking flywheel about every year needs to be replaced. Anyone else have this issue and what can I do to correct it?
I love my truck, 7.3 going on 300,000 miles with original motor and trans. But drive it like a grandpa, cause I don't want it to break. Please help!
 
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Old Sep 5, 2018 | 06:10 AM
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Something not balanced? Damaged harmonic balancers can create havoc and even snap the crank.
10 Signs The Harmonic Dampener Has Failed or is Close to Failing (I will add goo or uneven rubber protruding from either side of the balancer).
  • Incorrect timing marks. ...
  • Worn edges on the belt. ...
  • Engine vibration. ...
  • Transmission damage. ...
  • Alternator or power steering pump failure. ...
  • The untraceable squeak. ...
  • Elongation of the dampener keyway. ...
  • Irregular idle.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2018 | 11:16 AM
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Where is it cracking? Around the bolts to crank? Wrong fasteners or torque? Wrong flywheel imbalance (IDIT flywheel on NA bottom end or vice versa? 6.9 are supposedly a slightly different imbalance but close enough at these low RPM to be interchangeable with 7.3 NA flywheels). I forget if there is a load spreader the bolts go through even for a flywheel, but I think there is. Is that missing?
 
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Old Sep 5, 2018 | 12:48 PM
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Where are you buying your replacement flywheels? Maybe chinese metal?
 
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Old Sep 5, 2018 | 04:57 PM
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flywheel for manual trans, or flex plate for auto trans?
if flex plate for auto trans, there is supposed to be a plate that bolts on after the flexplate is put on the crank, it is about 5 inches in diameter. this spreads the mount surface of the bolts wider so the plate will not crack around the crank
 
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