Flywheel balance problem

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Dec 31, 2005 | 01:30 PM

Bill Hanson

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From: durham bridge n.b., canad

I have a 5.0 with a 164 t flywheel, 11" clutch, with a BW T-10 4 spd. It is 28 oz, but is dynamically balanced. If I change to the smaller bell & 154 50 oz flywheel Will my BW T-10 bolt up to the bell housing? I have a resurfaced 5.0 50 oz flywheel. Will the old style (3 prong) clutch/ pressure plate assembly work on the 5.0 flywheel? Thanks a lot Bill.

Dec 31, 2005 | 01:59 PM

TigerDan

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From: The hills of No. Calif.

Bill, Ford used the same bolt pattern on the trannies for quite a few years, when they changed the number of bolts that hold the bellhousing to the engine from 5 to 6 bolts they also changed the tranny pattern. It was the same for topladers and Ford spec. T-10s so the short answer is yes, it should still fit. The only one to watch out for would be the T-5 bellhousing as it's a different tranny pattern and it's deeper as well.

I have a flywheel from an '88 5.0 out of a Mustang. It's 157 tooth and takes a 10.5" clutch but it doesn't look as if the pressure plate bolt pattern would be compatible with the old 3-prong type clutch you're talking about. I have several but they're all in storage 30 miles away and I can't get to them easily to try them on this flywheel. I can't give you a definate answer on that right now. Sorry.

Last edited by TigerDan; Jan 2, 2006 at 12:42 PM.

Dec 31, 2005 | 02:21 PM

Bill Hanson

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From: durham bridge n.b., canad

Thanks a lot Tiger Dan, I am not sure where to go yet. I developed a slight viberation at about 4000 RPM , clutch in. Noticable at 55 Mph on the highway. I also had clutch chatter in 1St gear. I removed the engine & trans. I found a broken motor mounr on the drivers side. I also found the flywheel had .007 run out, but dry. rear seal good. I had the flywheel machined again, and is within .003 now. I am presently dialing in the bellhousing to the engine fit. I have .016 shims at the top making it perfect in the vertical axis, but has to come down .020 on the horz. axis. I know this will help with overall alignment, but am not convinced that the viberation issue & clutch chatter problem will be solved. I am still contemplating removing the whole assembly for dynamic balancing again. I would appreciate your comments. Bill

Jan 1, 2006 | 08:54 PM

FoMoCo136

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From: Kentucky

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hanson

If I read this correctly you are going from a 28oz balance to a 50oz balance flywheel? This will be a HUGE problem. Clear this up for me.

Jan 1, 2006 | 09:00 PM

TigerDan

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From: The hills of No. Calif.

I believe he's had the whole engine balanced, which would mean that the flywheel's been rebalanced.

When I was racing we had to run a stock flywheel but could lighten it. To do so removes the factory inbalance weight cast into the back so the flywheel winds up with zero imbalance and has to have extra weight removed from the opposite side from where the weight was in order to bring it back into imbalance (does that make sense...?)

I assume from other posts that I have read by Bill that he did something similar, either had the 28oz. flywheel rebalanced to 50oz. or had the internals rebalanced to match the 28oz. imbalance.

You wanna clear that up for us, Bill?

Last edited by TigerDan; Jan 1, 2006 at 09:08 PM.

Jan 2, 2006 | 04:21 AM

Bill Hanson

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From: durham bridge n.b., canad

Thanks for your reply. I built the engine 3 yrs ago (10,000 miles). It is a 5.0, out of an 87 mustang HO. I installed it in a 63 Ford Falcon, with the original BW T-10 4 spd, 164 tooth flywheel, 11" clutch (all rebuilt components). It was a 28 oz flywheel, but the whole ***'y was dynamically balanced, 5 1" dia. holes were drilled into the flywheel about 3/8" deep opposite the ctr wt by the balance shop.A small viberation developed, noticable at 60 mph, or neutral,clutch in at 4000 rpm. Also clutch chatter on take off.I have the engine removed( & trans). Only problems I found was a broken motor Mt on drivers side, & .007 run out on flywheel. Clutch good, brngs good. Re surfaced flywheel to .003. I don't beleive the broken motor mount would cause the viberation, and am doubtful that the small amount of material removed from the fly wheel would either. Presently I am dialing in the bell housing to the engine block, which may help on alignment, but am not convinced the viberation issue is solved. Sorry for the detailed (long) story. I would appreciate your comments. Thanks again, Bill Hanson

Jan 2, 2006 | 12:36 PM

TigerDan

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From: The hills of No. Calif.

Does the shop who did your balancing have a good reputation and do good work? That's probably neither here nor there, as you say you 10K on the motor before this problem developed. I think I'd have a closer look at that pressure plate, and maybe go ahead and replace it just to be safe. Otherwise, it sounds like you're on the right track.

But you say the '63 Falcon is using the original T-10. That tranny should use the narrow polt pattern that was only found with the old 5-bolt bellhousings. Did you redrill the later 6-bolt bellhousing to fit the early tranny? I had to do that with my Tiger in order to use the early Toploader with a later bellhousing. Alignment is critical and since the early tranny also has a smaller diameter input shaft bearing retainer, a shim has to be made to help center it in the bellhousing. I'm wondering if this might be a part of the problem.