Flywheel Cover Fell Off

chieffan

chieffan

Tractorologist
Senior Member
Member
Was using the Polaris Ranger to haul some feed and bird see the other day. Suddenly the loudest screaming sound I have heard in a long time emitted from the engine area. Shut it off and started looking. Right off I saw a gap between the engine block and the flywheel cover at the top of the engine. I knew right away what happened. When we put this engine in last summer the screws were not torqued down to hold that cover on. The last of 9 bolts fell out and the cover got to close to the ring gear. I got replacement bolts, 1/4 x 3/4 fine thread. Dealer had 6 at $2. Picked up 4 at the hardware store for $.39 each but they are hex head. Not sure I have room for a full hex head bolt on the cover. If not will cut a slot in the head and mill the head down to fit. Big problem is the mud flap that keep mud from the rear wheel from being thrown forward onto the gas tank area, and the gas tank has to be removed to get at the cover. Have the tank drained but no heat in the shop and 30° or less is a bit cold for that kind of work. May be time for the forced air heater to come into play.
 
chieffan said:
Was using the Polaris Ranger to haul some feed and bird see the other day. Suddenly the loudest screaming sound I have heard in a long time emitted from the engine area. Shut it off and started looking. Right off I saw a gap between the engine block and the flywheel cover at the top of the engine. I knew right away what happened. When we put this engine in last summer the screws were not torqued down to hold that cover on. The last of 9 bolts fell out and the cover got to close to the ring gear. I got replacement bolts, 1/4 x 3/4 fine thread. Dealer had 6 at $2. Picked up 4 at the hardware store for $.39 each but they are hex head. Not sure I have room for a full hex head bolt on the cover. If not will cut a slot in the head and mill the head down to fit. Big problem is the mud flap that keep mud from the rear wheel from being thrown forward onto the gas tank area, and the gas tank has to be removed to get at the cover. Have the tank drained but no heat in the shop and 30° or less is a bit cold for that kind of work. May be time for the forced air heater to come into play.
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I think the dealer bolts would have been my choice, a whole lot less trouble especially this time of year.
 
Sawdust said:
I think the dealer bolts would have been my choice, a whole lot less trouble especially this time of year.
Click to expand...
Dealer only had 6 and it takes 9. Said it would be week to 10 days to get more in. Wasn't figuring on the weather turning colder right away. It was up in the mid 40's when it happened. I may wait now and get the other 4 bolts.
 
chieffan said:
Dealer only had 6 and it takes 9. Said it would be week to 10 days to get more in. Wasn't figuring on the weather turning colder right away. It was up in the mid 40's when it happened. I may wait now and get the other 4 bolts.
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I needed some fine thread bolts back in the summer and TSC didn’t have what I needed but Ace Hardware did. Our local TSC still a 25 minute drive away has been going down hill lately.
 
I did not find the bolts I need at Bolt Depot. Flange bolt, ¼" x 1" 28 TPI. Micro Fasteners did not show any flange bolts. Fastenal is out of stock most places. Nothing close (150 miles) has them. Any other place that did have them came in a package of 10 and then pay shipping minimum. I'll wait till the dealer get them in. I think I can get the last 3 in from the top by removing the exhaust heat shield.
 
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Never heard from the dealer on the 3 bolts I need so called him. No idea when they will come in. Checked Amazon and eBay. Guy had just listed a package of 10 for $15 & free shipping. I bought them instantly. With the nice weather Thursday I got after the job. Empty gas tank and remove it. Remove heat shield and top motor mount. Shield was just scratched up some on the inside but not hurt any. Found one of the original bolts so was down to 2 that I was short. Luckily there was 2 holes on the top that can be reached from the top with everything else in place. Put everything back together, less those two bolts. Tossed on a heaping loads of fire place wood and got it in the mud room. About an hour later my package of bolts arrived. Went right out to the shop and put the last two in so that project is complete. Good to have that old girl back running again. I don't know what thread those bolts have but could not get a 1/4" fine thread to go in, but a fine thread nut would thread on the original bolt. Also fouind out the same bolts are used on the valve cover and a couple other covers on that engine.
 
Glad you got it back together that sure was an adventure project. I had a bolt on that little cultivator back in the summer I couldn’t find anywhere. With the hardware I have I seldom have to go buy something unless I need a lot of it. I ended up re tapping it for what I had.
 
As I mentioned earlier I hired a guy to help do that motor install. I woke up the night before I put the cover on thinking he got carried away with the drill driver and twisted a couple or more of those bolts off. Didn't get much sleep after that and was almost afraid to check each hole. Finally used a small screw driver inserted in each of the 9 holes and it went in to the same bottom depth on every one. Oh what a relief it is when that happens. From what I have found those engines were built by Kohler for Polaris. The 500 cc engine was used in several machines for a lot of years . This engine came out of a scrambler 4 wheeler with 555 miles on it, 2005 model year. Polaris started EFI in 2005 I believe but kept the carb motors for their lower end machines.
 
While I was waiting for those bolts to show up I completely forgot to replace the thermos switch for the radiator fan. Drove about 1½miles along terices, etc. this morning looking for a possible deer when I got a red light that reminded me of it. 3/4 mile from the house, 50' from the creek for water to cool it down with but nothing to get water in. So - a walk to the house to get antifreeze and a side cutter to make a jumper for that fan switch. Was cooled of when we got back to the Ranger, had Carolyn come along to drive the pickup back. Took about 2 cups of antifreeze. Made a jumper out of some electric fence wire I had in the glove box and got the fan running. and drove it home. Tomorrow moring there is going to be a new thermo switch put in. Paying for that long walk through corn stalks this evening.
 
I got replacement bolts, 1/4 x 3/4 fine thread. Dealer had 6 at $2. Picked up 4 at the hardware store for $.39 each but they are hex head. Not sure I have room for a full hex head bolt on the cover. If not will cut a slot in the head and mill the head down to fit. Big problem is the mud flap that keep mud from the rear wheel from being thrown forward onto the gas tank area, and the gas tank has to be removed to get at the cover. Have the tank drained but no heat in the shop and 30° or less is a bit cold for that kind of work. May be time for the forced air heater to come into play.
 
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