Alignment Dowel for Flywheel-How Important?

[Girvin]

I was about to put the clutch and flywheel assembly on my new motor today when I noticed that the machine shop had ground off the flywheel alignment dowel on the crank. I immediately contacted the machine shop and they said they would send me a new dowel ASAP. Back to the block I went....I drilled it and was tapping it with a M6x1 when my tap snapped off(I had planned on using a slide hammer on a M6 bolt).

Question is........is the alignment dowel absolutely necessary?

I know that some DSMer's with fully built motors are using NT blocks. Does this mean that you guys are using the NT cranks that dont have dowels? Any input would be greatly appreciated.



PS: Just for the record, I'm using a Fidanza flywheel with new OEM bolts and a liberal dose of red Loctite.

 

[m3the01]

The loctite is 100% useless. If your building it, do it right! You wont have to do it again

There are a couple very important things your missing.

1) since your using the fidanza flywheel you need to purchase the steel a/t spacer. Aluminum is soft and those bolts are like a hot knife through butter. The steel plate is sandwiched between the bolts and the flywheel preventing the bolt head from contacting the aluminum directly.

2)Purchase the ARP Toyota Supra Turbo flywheel bolts. They are longer and provide more thread contact.

3)Go buy the highed temp "Retaining compound" u can buy. It should be green. This wont break apart under high heat and is actually used in high temp assembly plants

4)If you want to get really crazy, use lock-wire on all the bolts. Lucky your on a 6 bolt, 1 lock wire between two bolts. This is the same crap as on motorbikes to prevent bolts from backing out.

Any questions shoot me a pm, i seldom check these boards.

 

[Girvin]

Thank you for the info. I'll be sure to use the green retaining compound. I have some available to me at the mine I work at.

If I use the ARP's, steel plate(Im guessing you're talking about the one FP offers) and the fore mentioned retaining compound would that still require the use of the dowel?

Im asking because I would have to remove the crank to get the dowel/tap removed and then a new one installed.

 

[m3the01]

Thats such a bi***, i want to say dont worry about cause all the hastle of removing it. Honestly though get the dowel done, you need!

As for the retaining compount, make sure its the extreme high temp version. As per the steel plate it can be bought locally at any mitsu dealer ask around for the part number.