Villiers Mk 15 Fly Wheel Removal

Hello Together.

I am struggling to understand how to remove the flywheel from my Villiers Mark 15.  I do not know if the nut in the centre holds the fly wheel in place or is an actual part of the flywheel. Some diagrams on-line show the nut as separate and some show it as being part of the flywheel.  Can anyone assist with some advice before I do some real damage?



Many thanks

Reach

Happy New Year to All

Hi Reach.
All the Villiers mag's I have .Un screw the nut in two goes (anti clock) first turns loosens the tapper then keep turning which pulls the fly wheel off.
Hope this helps happy New Year.

John.

Hi John,

Many thanks and good to know..

To stop the whole engine turning whist I undo the nut, Is it that the flywheel that I need to keep clamped while undoing the nut or is it the spindle, that is to say, is the nut 'n flywheel joined together?

Thanks for a quick response.

Reach.

The nut is loose in the flywheel but 'captive' in it so it can't come out. It should be VERY tight at first so may need the well fitting ring spanner hitting with a hammer to get it moving, then it will go loose for a couple of turns and then tighten up again. This is when it starts acting as a puller so may need force to move it again when it will undo easily pulling the flywheel off with it.

Pete.

One thing I would add, DON'T try to stop the flywheel turning by jamming something in the vanes, you'll just likely snap one off. I see the head is still on so I would turn the engine to BDC and feed a length of thin cord through the spark plug hole (about a metre should do it) and then slowly turn the engine over until it locks up.

My method for 'jamming' the flywheel is to bolt the engine to the bench then slip a piece of wood of suitable thickness under the flywheel (not the vanes). Also, I prefer to use a socket rather than a spanner. A good clout should get in moving, if not some heating/cooling and PlusGas should help. A few sharp taps on the nut in the direction of the shaft may also help 'spring' the threads but be careful not to damages the nut.

Patience is way forward with seized parts.

BTW Most of my Villiers have captive nut holding the flywheel but my MK40 has a woodruff key. Can anyone please confirm that the MK15 isn't keyed?

Woodsman wrote:

BTW Most of my Villiers have captive nut holding the flywheel but my MK40 has a woodruff key. Can anyone please confirm that the MK15 isn't keyed?

My MK15 isn't, it has the 'standard' Villiers nut as above.

Hi Reach.
I have always managed by griping the fly wheel by hand and tap the spanner with a mallet .

John.

I cheat and use my battery impact driver I bought a few years ago to use on cars/bikes

Just have to hold the flywheel by hand.

Hello Together,

Thank you all for your advice and tips, we have success and the flywheel is off.  All your comments were very helpful in helping me to understand what was going on.

To secure the shaft and flywheel remained the bugbear and though I read all your tips   I remembered the proverb that you can’t break a stick in a bundle.  You told me not to use the fins to hold the shaft, but what about all the fins?

I made a thing.  There are 14 fins on my flywheel (yes one was already broken off) so this thing held the fins whilst being screwed to the bench (see photo)



As instructed the captive nut came off in two attempts and the fly wheel is free.

Thanks all..

Reach..

An unusual solution, the main thing is it worked

Don't forget to write "Mk15" on it as when you get more engines with different sized flywheels you will need a way of identifying the holders

Very clever!