Flywheel!

[Krooked]

Gentlemen,

I don't pretend to be a master mechanic... I don't pretend to always know what I'm doing... But I can usually figure out what is wrong anyway.

Saw: John Deere 65EV (Echo 650EVL)

Symptom: Broken flywheel fin

Problem: I DON'T KNOW!

Scenario: Figured I'd pull the flywheel and try to find a new one, or at the very least try a JB weld fix (have the broken fin) or something creative. The flywheel looks ordinary enough... I'll give it a try without any "special" tools.

Put in a piston stop... let a little liquid wrench set overnight... ooohhhhmannnnn Ouch! Need a bar... that's beettterr. Got it loose! Need a beer...

Went back to take nut off and it JUST SPINS! Shaft doesn't spin but the nut does. I'll apply a little "upwards" pressure and turn. Nope... Need another leinies.

Anyone experience such a deal? I suppose I'll HAVE to get a special tool. I've tried everthing in my repitoire (not very large) and even picked the minds of some guys at church that might be in the know. Nothing...

Any suggestions from you fellas (and fellarettes)?

Thanks for any help and/or grief (I'm thinking this might be one of those DUH! moments).

Matt

 

[sedanman]

Is it possible you turned the nut the wrong way and stripped it? Man, I hope not.

 

[Krooked]

stripped

Oh man, I hope not... the clutch was left-handed and I just assumed the flywheel would be too!

I remembered back in school that the B&S engines followed the guidelines of if its half-inch then left -- 5/8 then right... well this beast is metric -- 17mm. What's that tell me besides drop-kickin' it?

matt

 

[Dadatwins]

Sounds like you may have turned it the wrong way and stripped thread Hopefully just the nut, not the shaft. Flywheel nuts are usually right hand thread. As for jb weld on flywheel not a good idea, Flywheel is balanced and anything that throws it off balance will cause problems later on. good luck

 

[Krooked]

Crud

you might be right!!!! I didn't think I was reefin' on it that hard. I used a 3/8 with a short bar (mainly because my socket wrench is a "shorty".

Oh, I know! I'll try to tighten it back down... that should tell me if its stripped, right? Be right back...



I can't tighten it! Man... I got this saw from my dad and I can never resist the temptation to tear something new apart then put it back together again (usually don't have this much trouble -- well... I take that back). That's the best way to learn I suppose.

I'll cut off the nut and see if I can get a decent re-thread.

JBWeld - I figured it would throw it off... hoping that someone may have tried before... I hope a new flywheel is still available.

Great forum, by the way. It's been interesting to read past posts etc. Shrooms, Nirvanachick (is that right?), and chipmunk! All this and great advice too!

Thank you gentlemen,
Matt

 

[rupedoggy]

Buy a nut splitter. Split the nut. Take it off. Clean the threads and install a new one. Take your handy dandy grinder and smooth up the broken fin. Go to the opposite fin and cut off a like amount and smooth it the same. Go back to cutting wood. Mike

 

[Krooked]

Yeah, man I hate it when I do crap like this! Instead of using my splitter though, I'm going to try my brand new handy dandy **** and randy dremel! Right now, though, I promised my daugther I would get off the 'puter and color. I can never resist when I hear her say "Daddy Pleeaasse?"

What's a man to do?

Matt

 

[user 2993]

Hate to say it, but clutch side is left hand thread, flywheel side is right hand. Hopefully just the threads on the nut are stripped.
Good luck,
George

 

[Krooked]

Just so I know I wasn't completely looney, I found one of my old shop class books.......on page 182 of "Small Gas Engines - How to Repair and Maintain Them" by Paul Weissler pub. by... aw forget it.

Anyway it mentions the "rule of thumb" concerning flywheels I mentioned earlier. As I page through this dust collector I also notice pictures where the author is removing the flywheel from a couple of different chainsaws. Although I wouldn't know for sure, but it appears as though he is set up for a clockwise turn (no caption pertaining to this, of course).

From what I am hearing is it safe to assume that the clutch will be left handed and the flywheel right handed in most all cases?

I know that I should have probably waited until Monday and called a JD or Echo tech, but man, I can't stare at the saw for that long! I need that flywheel off NOW! Know what I mean?

I haven't cut the nut (new handle anyone? KUTTHENUT) yet because I noticed on the parts catalog that there is a "flat spring" directly under the nut. Might this have anything to do with my problems or am I just reaching at this point and should move this to the "dumb things a person does" thread.

peace out,
matt

 

[glens]

The rule of thumb on fasteners which rotate is that they will tighten themselves in normal use.  That is, if you were to have the nut/clutch/whatever loose and hold it stationary while rotating the shaft in it's normal rotation, the device will tighten.

Good luck on this one.

Glen

 

[NeTree]

I wouldn't be worried so much about the JB throwing it off balance, but if it lets go at speed you gotta piece of fin acting like a missle, ready to to do some serious damage.

 

[max2cam]

I like the idea of taking off the opposite fin to the broken one and then grinding down both stubs the same.

Don't think I've heard of that before, but it sounds like a winner to me!

http://www.atthecreation.com/

 

[Krooked]

oh, I'm so embarrassed....:blush:

I'll fix 'er though. You'll see.

It'll be the best saw EVER, man!

peace out,
matt

 

[bandmiller]

Matt, after you solve the nut problem,remove the same amount of material from oposite fin.I had the same problem and i cant notice any more vibration.

 

[Krooked]

Copy that, Bandmiller...

Just found an Echo 650EVL on ebay and snagged it for a good price. I guess that's one of the benefits of having an "off" brand. Never used ebay before... like to touch what I buy, normally. Owner said that it ran fine one day, then wouldn't start the next. "No spark," he thought. I'm hoping it's a switch problem like mine had.

Between the two saws I should be able to come up with something presentable.


Squashed the threads on the crank, by the way. Should be able to re-thread...

I'll keep you posted, if you like. Thanks for the help so far.

Peace out,
Matt

 

[jokers]

Wow Matt, That 650 looks almost new! The 650EVL was considered kind of a hotrod mid size saw for Echo when it was produced. 14.1 pounds and 64.2cc and it also revved a little higher than the other midsize Echos.

Russ

 

[Krooked]

Thanks Russ,

"That 650 looks almost new!"

That's what I thought too... I'm pretty skeptical about buying off the www, but the price was right - would it be in bad taste to let you know? Well, let's just say I got it for a buck a cc (and some change). It's a gamble nonetheless.

"14.1 pounds and 64.2cc "

I grew up cutting wood w/dad and my uncle Buck and never given much thought to this power/weight ratio thing I been reading so much of. I do remember, however that my dad's Jonsered (70E, I think) was a beast. I think that being a lefty must have helped to handle the bigger saws; although, I think it contributes to my propensity to cut "crooked" - right to left angle. Anyway... I assume the pwr/wt ratio for my saw is 4.55 - no clue. I'll have to search around for its meaning. Cool to know, though.

"revved a little higher than the other midsize Echos"

Yeah, I want to say 8-9000 rpms? Read it somewhere... could be WAY off. My JD65EV (650EVL), after I got it running, seemed pretty sluggish - not the "whine" I'm accustomed to. I've got it tore down now and things look real good except the exaust port is f-i-l-t-h-y and I assume the muffler is good and plugged up (kind of a different muffler set up). The previous owner had the "screen" taken out but I think he ran it way too rich - including a lower gas/oil ratio than JD's recommended 50:1. So that might contribute to what I am construing as "sluggish". Or Echos, in general, are not as high revving as other saws.

All in all, though, I'm having a blast tinkering with this (these) saws. It's kind of nice having something a little different...


Thanks for your comments

Matt

 

[Grateful11]

Hey Krooked,
You got a deal on that saw, looked it up on eBay. Hopefully it's something simple.
Grateful