by Area 51% » Thu Sep 12, 2019 12:02 pm
There is only one way the flywheel will engage all 8 pins, as one of the pins is offset.
Our dowel pins looked as if someone took a cut-off wheel to some of them to make them the correct length. That gives them very sharp edges and makes it difficult to get the flywheel on far enough to engage more than one thread of the gland nut. The pins should have a radius around their ends and should look like a new pencil eraser. Hopefully, you only stripped the first thread on the gland nut. Do not reuse it.
You should be able to tap the flywheel far enough onto the crankshaft to get enough thread engagement to draw it down the rest of the way. Don't use the thick spring washer under the gland nut to draw down the flywheel. Use a thinner washer, then replace it with the thick spring washer after the flywheel is seated.
I removed all of the factory pins and confirmed that the holes were indeed different depths. Bought a drilling jig and a set of pins to remedy the fault.
PM me your email and I'll send you pictures of what I mean.