This is the first time I've ever replaced a flywheel so bear with me.

I bought a Fidanza 143281 aluminum flywheel some time ago and will be pairing it with a Centerforce II clutch, as per the recommendation of the folks at Motorsport Auto.

The flywheel came with three dowels and there are nine blind holes drilled into the flywheel where they might reside. After test fittings, I found the combination where the clutch engages with the dowels. So far, so good.

The kit also came with a small tube of an adhesive called Turbo-Fuse Retaining Compound HT, which is a super glue material and is to be used to keep the dowels in place when bolting the clutch to the flywheel once the latter is bolted to the crank and in a vertical position.

Fidanza's instruction sheet says to use "a small amount" of adhesive on each dowel (one drop, two drops?). It also says the dowels should be "pressed in with a vise," but the dowels I have fit easily into the holes.

Does anyone have an idea of how much of this adhesive I need to use? Normally, a drop in the bottom of a blind hole should be sufficient, but...

I've called Fidanza twice this week and each time had to leave a voicemail. No response yet. Have also called the Turbo-Fuse manufacturer (Palm Labs Adhesives) as well. Same response situation.

"Super glue's" cure in the absence of air. So, in the gap between the dowel and the metal of the flywheel in this case. I'd just put a drop on the dowel surface itself before inserting it in the hole. Give it a spin as you insert it. Capillary forces will spread it around the gap, then it will cure. You'll probably see some uncured material at the edge of the holes but you can just wipe that off or leave it.

https://www.huyett.com/adrc03-17ht-gn1m

It's going to be a lot like this Loctite product. Might even be made by Loctite.

https://datasheets.tdx.henkel.com/LOCTITE-660-en_GL.pdf

That was my thinking as well. The glue simply holds the dowels in place until the clutch gets bolted to the flywheel after which it becomes unnecessary.

Like Brylcreem, "A little dab'll do you."

I think it's meant to be permanent. That's why they are using high temperature compound. Most dowel pins are an interference fit and need to be tapped in. It's actually odd that Fidanza's are not. Might be that they made the holes too big and chose the retaining compound as a fix.

If you're planning to remove the dowels after torquing the pressure plate down then don't use any retaining compound.

The Loctite data sheet is an interesting read. Retaining compounds are pretty durable. It should be fine to leave the dowels in place.

The dowels are actually "stepped" in that the part above the flywheel surface is a smaller OD than the part in the blind hole. So, them there dowels are there for the duration once the clutch is bolted on. Fidanza says they're for extra shearing resistance.

1 hour ago, Seppi72 said:

The dowels are actually "stepped" in that the part above the flywheel surface is a smaller OD than the part in the blind hole.

That is unusual. Have you stuck the pin through the hole in the pressure plate? The main purpose is alignment.

Here's a Nissan pin. It's pressed in. If it was loose it could fall out.

https://www.thezstore.com/product/1026/factory-clutch-dowel-pin-70-96-240z-260z-280z-280zx-300zx-z31-z32

Yes, the clutch neatly aligns with these dowels.

As I said at the start, this flywheel is allegedly specific for an L28 engine (the flywheel has a hand-engraved NIS1-143281part number as well as a similarly-engraved serial number) yet it has three sets of three blind holes at slightly different radii from the center of the flywheel (120 degree spacings) into which the dowels could go. You can see the three different blind holes in the first photo along with the stepped dowel. After some experimentation, I found the hole set that works with my Centerforce II clutch (second photo). I suppose the other two sets might work with other manufacturers' clutches although MSA specifically says to use a Centerforce II clutch.

The problem I have now is that with the clutch disc in place, the clutch housing doesn't seat on the flywheel as the third photo shows. I don't know what that's all about so I'll have to ask MSA about it.

Edited September 18Sep 18 by Seppi72

All the pressure plates I've messed with need the bolts to pull them down against the finger springs. I suspect the other dowel layouts are for the turbo pressure plate or a smaller pressure plate

The different hole patterns might be for the coupe and 2+2 pressure plates. By the way, common wording is either pressure plate and/or clutch cover.

The pressure plate bolts will pull the cover down to the flywheel. They are what apply the force that creates the friction that allows the clutch assembly to transfer power. It's important to tighten the bolts evenly to avoid warping the cover. As you tighten the bolts the pressure plate springs will take a load.

Patcon posted while I was writing...

As I said at the top, I'm a newbie at this.🫢

Thanks, guys.