new flywheel NO DOWEL PINS???

I have a 91 mustang gt with a 347 stroker and a tko 500 trans. I just installed the trans after burning up yet another clutch. this is my 3rd clutch since april when i built the motor. i jut realized today that ever since april when i installed the 28oz flywheel, i never swapped over the dowel pins as well. so now i just put in the new trans and a 3rd clutch but no dowel pins on the flywheel. could this cause the clutch to go so soon? it seems all alligned when i install the clutch but this could be a stupid mistake on my part. any help is GREATLY appreciated. thanks!!!

I've run clutches with and without dowel pins, They are only ther for centering to achieve balance and set.

If yours set's fine without them and there is no vibration, then you just need to buy a better clutch, or learn how to drive

I wouldn't run w/o dowels, as they are designed to take the majority of the shear stresses while the bolts are designed only to clamp it down.

Hmmmmmm... You may have a point, but I've seen truck clutches without them, and the torque there is huge in comparative.

Originally Posted by troutman49

I have a 91 mustang gt with a 347 stroker and a tko 500 trans. I just installed the trans after burning up yet another clutch. this is my 3rd clutch since april when i built the motor. i jut realized today that ever since april when i installed the 28oz flywheel, i never swapped over the dowel pins as well. so now i just put in the new trans and a 3rd clutch but no dowel pins on the flywheel. could this cause the clutch to go so soon? it seems all alligned when i install the clutch but this could be a stupid mistake on my part. any help is GREATLY appreciated. thanks!!!

Put'em in. they are not required, but the keep things located. Remember, they use them on bellhousings, heads for a reason - then keep thing in proper alignment.

What kind of disc plate are you using. There are several designs of disc plates, using paddles 4, 6, 8, full disc with different materials on the sides (organic on one side, metallic on the other), regular full discs. Then there's the longs vs Mcleods vs diaphram thing. As abuse goes up you need to start evaluating what is needed. Obviously 2 -3 months on a clutch means something is wrong. I figure you are feathering the clutch on launch to keep from blowing the tires...that'll wear out an organic clutch in short order.

Either your launch style or your clutch material should change. Burning up clutches at the rate you are - doesn't leave much time for racing or sciencing out your combination.

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

Hmmmmmm... You may have a point, but I've seen truck clutches without them, and the torque there is huge in comparative.

Steady torque is not the same as shock torque - the instant stress is different. Least in my mind.

I heard something about how some modern bullet proof vest can protect against bullets but not against someone stabbing you with a knife... not sure how it fits this scenerio, but it does make a person think about protection and how its not the same for all conditions.

I've seen the input shaft or axle shafts that come out of a truck looking clean, straight. After a few runs behind a high horsepower small block, those same stock axles are twisted and the splines have a 1/8 or 1/4 jag in them where the yoke engages.

I get you. But I've seen them both way's.

machine shop will have some dowels for him.

Is it just me or isn't a late model motor supposed to run a 50oz balance flywheel? Unless you have it balanced for the stated 28oz that might be the reason for eating clutches?

Originally Posted by JD66Falcon

Is it just me or isn't a late model motor supposed to run a 50oz balance flywheel? Unless you have it balanced for the stated 28oz that might be the reason for eating clutches?

Yes, the 5.0 engine should be a 50oz. balance, stock. A 347 stroker is no longer a stock motor, although its fast becoming a commodity, Ford motorsport, SVT, Roush - heck, everybody has a 347 kit, crate or crank for sale today.... might as well be thought of as a stock motor. - all stocked up. with good stuff...

Even though the Op didn't mention why he was using 28oz. flywheel, from personal experience I can tell you that he would likely be asking a whole other set of questions if the engine balance was off. The vibration would make the engine near impossible to 'rpm' at anything over 1500 - 2000. There may be some folks that would do it anyway, not knowing any better, but anyone driving or riding in the car would surely notice.

As a stroker motor, with a new crank, pistons, rods - he has a choice of whether to build it as a 50 oz. or 28 oz (or even zero balance). Most folks prefer the least off-set possilbe - zero balance is usually more expensive, so the smart money settles for 28 oz as it a more common off the self solution and has a catalog of parts that has a legacy going back to the 260 - 289 days.

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

Hmmmmmm... You may have a point, but I've seen truck clutches without them, and the torque there is huge in comparative.

Trucks may not need them for strength because either the bolts are much larger, more numerous, etc. However, I bet it mostly has to do w/ the fact that the clutches are larger so less force is on the bolts (torque=force*length). Also, don't forget that trucks don't really go past 4,000 rpm and in most cases, it's power and rpm that kills parts, not low rpm torque.