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Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:47 pm

Check out my flywheel - do you guys think it is OK to run as-is? I really don't want to go to the expense of resurfacing it. What can I use to remove the remaining surface rust on the part that makes contact with the clutch? Some emery cloth?

Thanks,

Mike

Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:01 pm

You can sand it with 220 sand paper. It does not look like it will clean up enough to be usable without being resurfaced.

Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:00 pm

If you have a 4" or 4-1/2" angle grinder, use a 120 grit Flap disc and see if that will clean it up. Just don't get supper aggressive with it.

http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-19/4%22-Flap-Disc-40/Detail

Then main thing is that when you are done, that you don't have pitting in the flywheel surface. However, like I said don't go agro on it. You should be able to just touch the disc to the flywheel and it will take any surface rust off. Just remember that you do not want to grind off any parallelism from the flywheel.

Thu Sep 04, 2014 11:48 pm

Spending $40 to get it resurfaced is better than doing the job twice...

Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:09 am

Thanks guys. I think I'll look into having it resurfaced - I can probably find $40 - $50 somewhere.

Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:46 am

Don't hit it with a flapper disc and angle grinder...
If you don't get it resurfaced, that rust will disappear the first time you drive it.

Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:24 am

tripicana wrote: Don't hit it with a flapper disc and angle grinder...
If you don't get it resurfaced, that rust will disappear the first time you drive it.

agreed. if you really feel the need get a light wire wheel on a drill or a brillow pad I bed would even do it... similar to surface rusted drums, tighten your pads up and take it for a spin and they will clean your drums for you ;)

I would slap it back in as is and it should clean itself up..

Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:10 am

waxhead wrote: Thanks guys. I think I'll look into having it resurfaced - I can probably find $40 - $50 somewhere.
Owning these antique cars sure is getting expensive, isn't it? :x

Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:23 pm

I know, $40 or $50 is not much in the greater scheme of things, it's just that all these little 'while I'm in there' jobs are adding up. I'm trying to do this project on a budget and don't want to spend any more money than I need to.

Another question, is anything (WD40?) rubbed on the rest of the flywheel to prevent surface rust from reappearing? It may be a few months before the car is back on the road and I'd really like to prevent that.

Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:34 pm

waxhead wrote: I know, $40 or $50 is not much in the greater scheme of things, it's just that all these little 'while I'm in there' jobs are adding up. I'm trying to do this project on a budget and don't want to spend any more money than I need to.

Another question, is anything (WD40?) rubbed on the rest of the flywheel to prevent surface rust from reappearing? It may be a few months before the car is back on the road and I'd really like to prevent that.

Yeah that'd help, or rub a bit of oil on it and then put it somewhere dry.

Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:23 am

I don't think that will clean up sufficiently, and will have lots of pitting.

Get a can of linseed oil, use a rag to wipe stuff you don't want rusting with it. It is a nice clean organic oil, which is not a bitch to clean off stuff you might want to paint later.

Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:59 am

If you get it resurfaced make sure that the shop not only resurfaces the disc area, but that they also cut the same depth where the pressure plate mounts to the flywheel. There is a set distance between these two surfaces and some shops do a short cut and only surface the disc area. This can cause you problems with engagement. As far as the non clutch side, hit it with a wire wheel on a drill, then use any type of oil that you wish. Just don't get a DROP on the clutch surface.

Sun Sep 07, 2014 11:10 am

I'd stay away from any oil. Metal-prep or Phosphoric Acid rust conditioner will protect the surface.