clutch and flywheel help

[thistle3585]

Swapped my '79 AMC 304 for a '72 AMC 304 . A couple questions before I reassemble the flywheel, clutch etc. How do I determine if a flywheel is off a 360 or a AMC 304 ? I know they are balanced differently, but I want to make sure the flywheel I recently acquired is actually for a AMC 304 . Is there any distinguishing features? Am I better off just replacing the ring gear on the one I know is a AMC 304 ? I have two clutch covers. One with three large "arms" and one with a bunch of "fingers". Is one better than the other? The one with the three arms has a pretty deep score in it from a worn disc whereas the one with the fingers has some surface rust on the disk but is otherwise new.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Swapped my '79 AMC 304 for a '72 AMC 304 . A couple questions before I reassemble the flywheel, clutch etc. How do I determine if a flywheel is off a 360 or a AMC 304 ? I know they are balanced differently, but I want to make sure the flywheel I recently acquired is actually for a AMC 304 . Is there any distinguishing features? Am I better off just replacing the ring gear on the one I know is a AMC 304 ? I have two clutch covers. One with three large "arms" and one with a bunch of "fingers". Is one better than the other? The one with the three arms has a pretty deep score in it from a worn disc whereas the one with the fingers has some surface rust on the disk but is otherwise new.

The one that comes from a 360 should have balancing weights on it.. I think.

For the clutch covers Id run the one with the surface rust. if you want to clean it up you can hit it with some WD-40 and either a scotch pad or some medium grit paper and then clean it with a can of brake cleaner. The one with the deep score needs to go in the trash.. just verify that the parts you pick will all bolt up together

 

[Hedgehog]

The flywheel will have a large chumk of metal molded in for balance. They actually drill holes in the fly wheel for the correct balance.

Its easy to replace the ring and thats the way I'd go. My 360 needed a flywheel and the one I got needed a new ring gear so I replaced it myself. This was a first for me, but it won't be the last, it was that easy.

Put your flywheel on a hard surface with the face up. Use a nice 2 pound hammer and a punch, I used a brick cutting chisel. Don't be afraid to give the ring a good smack, you will feel the ring move. Go around the ring several times moving it down until it falls off. If you don't have a torch put your new ring in the oven and bake it at 550 degrees for about an hour. I also froze my flywheel. After at least an hour place the frozen flywheel on a solid surface with the back up. Craeful now! Take the hot ring, (you will notice that one of the inside ring chamfers is larger than the other, place the large champhered side on the FW. Mine didn't drop on, I needed to tap it on with a hammer and soft rod. All in all it was an easy job to do and it made me feel like I knew what I was doing. That's always a cool feeling.

 

[thistle3585]

Thanks to all. So, I have a good flywheel for a 360 and not for my AMC 304 . Anyone know if I can pull the ring gear off the 360 flywheel and install it on the one for the AMC 304 ?

 

[Hedgehog]

it should go right on. Pulling it with heat wont damage it, putting it on won't damage it. Don't quench it, that might be bad, I don't really know, but why risk it.