On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:03:06 -0700, James H. wrote:

On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:05:38 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:
As for breaking the intake manifold, that's your fault. You should've
looked before prying. Pry on something that isn't the intake manifold.

I don't disagree with you ... that it's my fault for breaking the intake
manifold by prying down on it.

What I learned is that this engine (at least) isn't designed for prying
up and banging down.

It's designed for you to tap a 1/4 x 20 thread into the two pre-existing
holes in the flywheel and simply pulling the flywheel off with a
harmonic balancer pulley.

I'll snap some pictures and post them so you guys can see all this.

Mostly I want the next poor guy to get the point that smacking down on
the crankshaft and pulling up on the flywheel might not be the first
choice for engines such as my Briggs and Stratton Craftsman lawnmower!


Mechanics have been using the pull up, smack down method for maybe 60
years. I have a puller and I have a device that screws on the crank to
allow you to rap on it without damaging the threaded top of the crank.
I've even just screwed the nut back on a few thread and gave the crank a
rap. It's something you develop a feel for if you do it enough and having
done it many times myself I can do it in my sleep and not damage
anything. The part of the crank that the flywheel sits on is tapered a
bit and this is why that initial jolt loosens the flywheel. If it wasn't
tapered you would need to use a puller.