M50 flywheel removal question

[rosphill]

This weekend I assembled my engine stand, removed the downpipes from the exhaust manifolds, separated the Getrag 250 tranny from the M50 engine and removed the clutch and pressure plate.

It turns out in order to get the engine mounted on the engine stand I need to remove the dual-mass flywheel as well. Having a difficult time removing flywheel and that is where I stopped this weekend.

Is there a way I can lock the flywheel from moving without that expensive special tool that is hard to find? Gonna try to take flywheel bolts off with a air impact wrench while locking down crank with a breaker bar and socket next weekend.

I see what people are saying about the slippery slope now. After today already decided to install a new clutch/pressure plate. And I think the flywheel has to be reinstalled with new bolts and threadlock?

Let me know what you think.
Thanks,

[KenC]

You either need a big impact, or a friend to hold a breaker bar on the front crank bolt. Spec is 95lb/ft, so it will take a little muscle.

[F34R]

I have impacts but when I remove trannys and flys at the junkyard I use the correct size 6 point box end wrench and a hammer. It gives the same effect as an impact. Let the fly move around, the bolt will break free.

GL

[ethrty]

I have impacts but when I remove trannys and flys at the junkyard I use the correct size 6 point box end wrench and a hammer. It gives the same effect as an impact. Let the fly move around, the bolt will break free.

GL

^This

[Wh33lhop]

With the motor on the ground I used a 1/2" breaker bar and 22mm deep socket on the crank pulley to steady the crank. When you apply torque the breaker bar will brace itself against the ground.

With the motor in the car I used an old socket wrench and a hammer (it was a bitch lying under the car and doing this 8 times, be glad it's not as claustrophobic with it out of the car). Then, to retorque the bolts I wedged a lead pipe between the teeth of the timing ring (the starter ring) on the flywheel and the ground. That worked very well, but if the motor is just sitting there and is not secure the breaker bar method will probably work better.

[rosphill]

Someone was telling me there is a hole in the flywheel that lines up with a bolt hole in the block and you can put a bolt through them both to lock the flywheel down?
I found the tool online that bolts to two bolt holes and inserts a stop in the flywheel teeth but it is $80+ and dats karazy.
Think I just need a longer breaker bar.
Do these bolts have red loctite thread lock sealant on them from the factory?
There's the blue thread lock which is meant to come loose again, and then the red stuff says "good luck with that shit" about getting the bolt loose again..

[FredK]

Hammer and a box end wrench will work. Getting a breaker bar on the ground on the crank nose bolt to hold the engine will also work.

You can get a BMW-specific TDC pin for around $25. It slips into the back of the block, on the intake side, into a little groove on the flywheel. You can also use a drill bit of some sort, I've heard. 8mm?

Yes, there is a microencapsulated threadlocker applied to the bolts from the factory. Red loctite has better holding power than blue. However, once it is heated, it loses its threadlocking capabilities.

[samiam3356]

i have impacts but when i remove trannys and flys at the junkyard i use the correct size 6 point box end wrench and a hammer. It gives the same effect as an impact. Let the fly move around, the bolt will break free.

Gl

+2

[rosphill]

I was thinking this morning and the only reason I am pulling the flywheel off is the get the M50 engine on the stand, is it possible I could just get longer metric bolts and use them instead to mount engine to the stand?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CB33&mospid=47498&btnr=23_0117&hg=23&fg=10

I am looking at realoem.com and now trying to figure out where I could get M8, M10, M12 bolts that are like 130mm(5 inches) long. That way I could bolt engine to stand without having to remove the flywheel at all...

[samiam3356]

Probably any decent hardware store.

[Gnarles]

I would be scared to use longer bolts to attach the motor to the stand. If you do it, make sure you use some sort of shim on the bolts between the block and the stand to minimize bolt bending and make sure those bolts are tight.

If you don't have an impact, just have a friend hold a wrench on the crank bolt while you loosen the flywheel bolts.

[rosphill]

My uncle looked at my M50 engine today and he is going to fabricate me a flywheel stopping block like the below, so problem solved. :p
-->

http://www.samstagsales.com/bmw/bmw88886112170.jpg

[MattM]

i rested the flywheel(still attached to the engine) down onto a block of wood, let just enough weight off the engine crane to hold it, then i was able to use a breaker bar on them fairly easy, and solo.