Willys 161 flywheel

[warren]

I just went ahead and bought one of the flywheels on ebay. I will change the ring gear if necessary.

[Thomasso]

Ring gears are easy to replace.  Heat the old gear with acetelyne torch and drive off with punch evenly around.  Cool flywheel in snow bank or freezer.  Heat new gear evenly with torch.  Should drop right on.  Make sure it is evenly seated.  Sometimes new gears are not real flat.  May be necessary to clamp down while still hot.

[rialto]

An old cheapskate trick was to take a ring gear with a few bad teeth off the flywheel. Then reverse it so the bad side of the teeth faced the opposite direction . A six cylinder engine always stops in one of three places when it is shut down. You will usually see three bad spots on a bad six cylinder ring gear. Two bad spots on a four cylinder ring gear. You would mark the flywheel where the bad spots were. Then  when you put the ring gear back on you would orient it so the bad spots would not line up to where they originally were. This would usually last for years.

[Corsairdeluxe]

I reallyl, really liked reading this posting over the last few days. It is so refreshing to hear folks exchanging how to fix something based on know how and ingenuity, not how to just go out and buy a new one!

[Fid]

I agree Corsairdeluxe.  I knew the ring gear was replaceable on it's own but had no idea how it was done. Thanks to all who replied with information.

[warren]

I received the flywheel that I purchased on Ebay and it has 124 teeth. I have a Darrin and I believe a Delco starter so if I interpret all of the earlier post I will need a 129 tooth gear for the Delco starter. any expert here to confirm before I order the 129 tooth ring gear?

[Thomasso]

Rialto,  I've heard the engine stopping in only three places statement before.  Is there an explanation?

[MarkH]

I received the flywheel that I purchased on Ebay and it has 124 teeth. I have a Darrin and I believe a Delco starter so if I interpret all of the earlier post I will need a 129 tooth gear for the Delco starter. any expert here to confirm before I order the 129 tooth ring gear?

Given the variety of info in this thread I think I'd first do a temporary mock-up with your parts. Bolt the plate to your motor, starter to the plate, mount the wheel & see if the starter teeth will mesh properly.

[Fid]

Here's another picture of flywheel from my Delco equipped '53 Henry J six. I counted and marked 129 teeth on it. Click on the pic and it will enlarge.  Also, if you can download the pic, enlarge it and count them again to be sure.

[rialto]

I tried to look up the interchange on Willys flywheels in the Hollander manual. The Willys flywheels are all listed by model number. I don't know the model number of the car you are working on. If you post the model name , model number and year maybe I can look it up. While looking it seems that Autolite and Delco are different on Henry J flywheels but 4 cyl or 6 cyl doesn't matter.

[joefrazer]

I enlarged the picture and noticed a part number - 802925 - that sounded a whole lot like a Willys number. So, I pulled out my 52-53 Aero parts book and the number matched the flywheel used on the 52-53 four and six cylinder cars equipped with the Autolite MCH-6203 starter. Interesting.

[rialto]

A typical six cylinder engine will usually stop in one of three places due to engine compression. When shut off the engine will continue to spin until the piston in the next cylinder in the firing order comes up on it's compression stroke. When the pressure in that cylinder gets high enough it will stop the engine there. A six cylinder has a compression stroke every 120 degrees. Three evenly spaced spots in a 360 degree circle.

[Fid]

noticed a part number - 802925 - that sounded a whole lot like a Willys number. So, I pulled out my 52-53 Aero parts book and the number matched the flywheel used on the 52-53 four and six cylinder cars equipped with the Autolite MCH-6203 starter. Interesting.

Very interesting indeed as the flywheel in that picture is in my '53 Henry J and it has a Delco starter.

[warren]

I agree that is interesting. I counter 129 teeth also but what it seems I have read in earlier post that the Delco starter used a 124 tooth ring gear. That is a good idea someone suggested, I can do a fit check without the bellhousing, just the motor plate and I can see what fits like.

[Thomasso]

Makes sense.  Thanks.