Help w/Removing Flywheel Homelite Super-XL
- Thread starter leeave96
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Ax-man
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes, but you need a flywheel puller for small engines . If you can find one that is made to do just chainsaw flywheels so much the better Don't get this tool confused with a gear puller they are different. More people respond to this question and say to use a gear puller. I have yet to run into a chainsaw where a gear puller will work.
Step one is to remove the flywheel nut. It is a right handed nut.
Usually there are holes tapped into the flywheel to put some screws or small bolts into them for the puller to attach to. If no holes are present then the starter dogs or pawls along with the springs have to be removed and use those holes to attach the puller.
Having the tool won't guarentee you won't break something. Those holes for the puller come in many different diameters and type of threads. You need a variety of screws and small diameter bolts.
If you get this far getting the flywheel off an old saw is still going to be tough. Some of those darn flywheels can be just plained siezed onto the shaft due to old age and rust and don't budge.
If this is the case lot's of penetrating oil is called for and in extreme cases a little heat from a heat gun or a propane torch. This is a last resort though. The saw would have to be a keeper for my collection to go this far.
Another tip if you run into a stubborn flywheel is to hold the saw up by the puller and lightly hit the body of the saw with a soft hammer. The weight of the saw will usually break the flywheel loose.
A real sludge hammer approach to this problem if you don't have the tools is to come in from the clutch side if possible with a long skinny punch and hit the flywheel with the punch where the magnets are and then rotate to the counter weight opposite the magnets. This works but not really recommended as you can break a flywheel doing this. The flywheel is the thickest at these points and can take a hit from a punch if common sense is applied. I have done it so I know it works.
If it didn't have a puller to get at the points I wouldn't work on a point ignition saw.
Do a search for puller or flywheel. I think there is a picture of my puller buried in the archives here somewhere.
Good luck
Larry
Step one is to remove the flywheel nut. It is a right handed nut.
Usually there are holes tapped into the flywheel to put some screws or small bolts into them for the puller to attach to. If no holes are present then the starter dogs or pawls along with the springs have to be removed and use those holes to attach the puller.
Having the tool won't guarentee you won't break something. Those holes for the puller come in many different diameters and type of threads. You need a variety of screws and small diameter bolts.
If you get this far getting the flywheel off an old saw is still going to be tough. Some of those darn flywheels can be just plained siezed onto the shaft due to old age and rust and don't budge.
If this is the case lot's of penetrating oil is called for and in extreme cases a little heat from a heat gun or a propane torch. This is a last resort though. The saw would have to be a keeper for my collection to go this far.
Another tip if you run into a stubborn flywheel is to hold the saw up by the puller and lightly hit the body of the saw with a soft hammer. The weight of the saw will usually break the flywheel loose.
A real sludge hammer approach to this problem if you don't have the tools is to come in from the clutch side if possible with a long skinny punch and hit the flywheel with the punch where the magnets are and then rotate to the counter weight opposite the magnets. This works but not really recommended as you can break a flywheel doing this. The flywheel is the thickest at these points and can take a hit from a punch if common sense is applied. I have done it so I know it works.
If it didn't have a puller to get at the points I wouldn't work on a point ignition saw.
Do a search for puller or flywheel. I think there is a picture of my puller buried in the archives here somewhere.
Good luck
Larry
Last edited:
OnlyHomelites
ArboristSite Member
Short-cut
Ax-Man pretty much covered it. The best way is with a puller, but the redneck way usually works too (Guilty!): after you've removed the nut, take a rubber mallet and smack the flywheel right on the magnet side. After a few good smacks, most will fall right off. Personally, I haven't broken a flywheel yet doing this, but I guess there's always a first time!
Ax-Man pretty much covered it. The best way is with a puller, but the redneck way usually works too (Guilty!): after you've removed the nut, take a rubber mallet and smack the flywheel right on the magnet side. After a few good smacks, most will fall right off. Personally, I haven't broken a flywheel yet doing this, but I guess there's always a first time!
