Flywheel question

Not sure what is going on but I'm restoring a 48 B that's never
ran. I changed the cork seal on the flywheel side and cleaned
up the spacer. Put it all together and the crank turns fine until I
put the flywheel back on. The flywheel has the nub that
engages the slot in the spacer and as I try to tighten it up it
gets almost impossible to turn the flywheel. Is it because of the
new cork seal( did soak it in oil ) and it just takes time or is it
something else going on.

it has been awhile since i changed a cork seal but that is not keeping it from turning did you center the cover on the crank i know it moves a little bit and i remember reading about making sure that it is centered

I did center it. It seems it doesn't want to move when the flywheel is on and engaging the slot on the spacer. If it just sits on the crank loose and away from that slot not engaging it then it's fine.

Two things not clear here for me. Are you sure the oil slinger is turning with the crankshaft when the flywheel isn't engaged to it via the key slot? You may have it pinched against the housing somehow internally. Left a spacer out of there or put on wrong? IIRC the spacer I'm thinking about has a large bevel on the inside diameter that is supposed to go the crankcase side so as to allow for the generous radius put on the crankshaft as it comes down to spline diameter. If that is on backwards your oil slinger is bound up in the housing by the housing mounting bolts. Have to pull the seal to fix this one.

Second confusion here seems to indicate that you're fine right up until you tighten up the flywheel bolts? Ok then, when working on my 44 A I had the situation where no matter how tight I put it up against things to get minimum end play, as I put more torque on those clamping bolts the end play grew from zero to .010 and I could NEVER get it closer than that. Maybe your clamps tend to tighten up end play clearance where mine are tending to loosen the end play. This solution is to then start with extra end play and wind up just right when tight. Try putting .015 feeler gauge in between things, get it part way tight and pull the gauge to tighten up good, any joy then?

If you loosen the bolts that hold the cover over the oil seal slinger, does this allow the engine to turn? Is your B a late one with a pressed steel frame? I was thinking the late ones used a square rubber packing on the slinger, not the cork like the earlier B's.

Thanks for help Lee. I'm going to start all over after the holidays. That spacer must be the issue as it turns but not real smooth. At first I thought it was just the new cork seal but may be another issue.

You are tightening the flywheel adjusting nut too far & running out of endplay. Get a manual. You need 5-8 thousandths Endplay when the clamping nuts are tight & this must be done correctly.

Gtx I do have a manual thanks. No I'm not anywhere near .005 to .010 thanks for your input though.

The oil slinger had some high spots around it when I placed it inside the cover plate would rub. Took a file to it and solved the problem.