1989 Flywheel ring gear issue
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
1989 Flywheel ring gear issue
Trying to help out (by long distance) a young guy I used to big-brother with. He's 18 now and just bought an '89. As with any older Corvette there's issues that need to be worked on, but the biggest at the moment appears (from his description) to be the ring gear. Occasionally the starter won't turn over the engine (although from the sound the starter motor is turning). He had replaced the starter prior to calling me so that doesn't appear to be the problem. A family friend helped him start it last week by manually rotating the engine a few degrees and then the engine fired right up when he hit the key. So, it sounds like the ring gear has a few bad teeth. My question is what to do. Can you replace the ring gear on the DM flywheels? It's my understanding that replacement DM flywheels are non-existent. Or, what's a good replacement flywheel if we have to go that route? I'm going to be over his way during a track day in the near future and I'd like to help him out with this problem.
Advice?
Thanks.
Advice?
Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
on the bottom forward end of the bellhousing is a stamped tin inspection cover; remove it if possible (starter might have to come out ?), or just loosen it and pull it away from the bellhousing; get a flashlight and take a peek at the ring gear for any damage. then go from there
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
Trying to help out (by long distance) a young guy I used to big-brother with. He's 18 now and just bought an '89. As with any older Corvette there's issues that need to be worked on, but the biggest at the moment appears (from his description) to be the ring gear. Occasionally the starter won't turn over the engine (although from the sound the starter motor is turning). He had replaced the starter prior to calling me so that doesn't appear to be the problem. A family friend helped him start it last week by manually rotating the engine a few degrees and then the engine fired right up when he hit the key. So, it sounds like the ring gear has a few bad teeth. My question is what to do. Can you replace the ring gear on the DM flywheels? It's my understanding that replacement DM flywheels are non-existent. Or, what's a good replacement flywheel if we have to go that route? I'm going to be over his way during a track day in the near future and I'd like to help him out with this problem.
Advice?
Thanks.
Advice?
Thanks.
http://www.powermastermotorsports.co..._GMMiniSta.pdf
Last edited by WVZR-1; Apr 22, 2013 at 12:09 AM.
Racer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 312
Likes: 19
replacing ring gear
We use to replace ring gears by heating the gear with a torch and tapping it off.(often times you could flip the gear heated up and tap it back on) With the dual mass flywheel you would want to make sure not to overheat the flywheel. The idea is to only heat the ring gear. Good Luck
