Hey guys. I gotta finally get the rear main seal changed on my 87 GT. It drips, been getting worse over the years, and nothing I add to slow or stop it works. I have a King Cobra clutch which is in great shape, but have the original flywheel which was resurfaced when clutch was done years ago. I know a performance flywheel adds no power, but does increase your acceleration. Think I got that right. Anyway car makes about 360 at flywheel, and would like anyone's input on what unit they would recommend. Let me know what you think.
Performance Flywheel
- Thread starter 1hot87gt
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Are you wanting a new flywheel?
You can go from anywhere from stock to stainless to aluminum.
If you have the money, get a stainless one.
You can go from anywhere from stock to stainless to aluminum.
If you have the money, get a stainless one.
Hey man, I totally agree with you. But I have to do that rear main seal and the flywheel is right there. I need to do something performance oriented to the car while it's apart to justify spending $500 on a damn leaking seal. Does that make any sense to anyone? So if anyone has gone the route of a performance flywheel please let me know what you used and how it performed.
500 bucks, I take it your not doing this yourself. If it's stock just make sure the one you have is not scored, clutch plate is good, stick it back together and run with it. Save your money for upgrades you'll notice. Better brakes, gears or maybe women and booze.
Depends. Theoretically an aluminum flywheel makes the car faster on the street, but it won't idle as well. Both of those differences are so negligible you would never be able to tell the difference. Theoretically a steel flywheel is faster at the drag strip because you can transfer more kinetic energy off the line. Honestly, if you have to replace the flywheel for balance reasons, or the stock one is broken, I would spend the money for a Billet steel one. Given that you have a King Cobra clutch, I am going to assume you aren't into the performance regime where you really need to apply theoreticals. Also, no matter how hard you try, a new flywheel will never have as good of a balance as the original unless the crank is out of the engine, and they balance it with the harmonic balancer as well. So actually, replacing the flywheel can make it worse. If the clutch works fine, I would save your money for elsewhere, no matter how much it hurts your pride.
Kurt
Kurt
What he said ^
A lot of times guys think all performance parts will make a car faster, but the truth is you need to consider the pros and cons and how it will work together with the rest of the combo.
A lot of times guys think all performance parts will make a car faster, but the truth is you need to consider the pros and cons and how it will work together with the rest of the combo.
Lets clarify the benefits of either one...
A steel or iron flywheel isn't going to make you faster, but because it has more rotating mass it will basically keep the engine from losing RPM as fast between shifts. This can help when drag racing, but I'm sure there are slews of aluminum flywheels out there being used because..
An aluminum flywheel has less rotating mass, which means it has less parasitic drag than a steel/iron flywheel. This works the same way as any other rotating piece on a car that is made lighter, such as brake rotors/rims, less rotating weight means the engine doesn't need to try as hard to make it spin, and that energy that would have been spent on turning the flywheel is sent to the back wheels. This also allows the engine to rev higher faster because there is less weight being spun up. There is potential to make more power at the wheels because of this, but the biggest benefit is seen in a faster revving engine, which is typically more useful in road racing.
The biggest area you'll see a difference is in driving on the street, where an aluminum flywheel is much easier to stall, because there is a good amount of resistance in a rotating engine assembly...an engine doesn't want to spin freely (you'll understand this if you ever try to turn one over by hand) and so despite the fact that it will rev much faster, it will also drop RPM equally as fast, meaning you tend to slip the clutch a bit more when taking off. Once you're moving there isn't any difference in how this feels, but that was the most obvious difference I've noticed aside from the faster revs and faster RPM drops.
Of the two, honestly I prefer the aluminum. It's just so badass how fast they rev and the take off is something you can adjust to. I've driven and raced both and I really didn't see the aluminum flywheel as being a problem at the track, there never was a point where we said "hey ya know the car might be faster with a steel/iron flywheel".
That said, I have a stainless flywheel in my car because it was better than the stock iron wheel and cheaper than aluminum and I was on a budget. If I ever change my 14 year old King Cobra clutch (that thing is immortal) I really want an aluminum flywheel.
A steel or iron flywheel isn't going to make you faster, but because it has more rotating mass it will basically keep the engine from losing RPM as fast between shifts. This can help when drag racing, but I'm sure there are slews of aluminum flywheels out there being used because..
An aluminum flywheel has less rotating mass, which means it has less parasitic drag than a steel/iron flywheel. This works the same way as any other rotating piece on a car that is made lighter, such as brake rotors/rims, less rotating weight means the engine doesn't need to try as hard to make it spin, and that energy that would have been spent on turning the flywheel is sent to the back wheels. This also allows the engine to rev higher faster because there is less weight being spun up. There is potential to make more power at the wheels because of this, but the biggest benefit is seen in a faster revving engine, which is typically more useful in road racing.
The biggest area you'll see a difference is in driving on the street, where an aluminum flywheel is much easier to stall, because there is a good amount of resistance in a rotating engine assembly...an engine doesn't want to spin freely (you'll understand this if you ever try to turn one over by hand) and so despite the fact that it will rev much faster, it will also drop RPM equally as fast, meaning you tend to slip the clutch a bit more when taking off. Once you're moving there isn't any difference in how this feels, but that was the most obvious difference I've noticed aside from the faster revs and faster RPM drops.
Of the two, honestly I prefer the aluminum. It's just so badass how fast they rev and the take off is something you can adjust to. I've driven and raced both and I really didn't see the aluminum flywheel as being a problem at the track, there never was a point where we said "hey ya know the car might be faster with a steel/iron flywheel".
That said, I have a stainless flywheel in my car because it was better than the stock iron wheel and cheaper than aluminum and I was on a budget. If I ever change my 14 year old King Cobra clutch (that thing is immortal) I really want an aluminum flywheel.
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
I like my fidanza aluminum flywheel. 12 years no problems. Do you 'need' one, probably not. I needed an sfi 28oz balance flywheel so it made sense for me. No downfalls except the cost. I like any rotating stuff thats light weight. When I did my 347 I spent a few bucks extra on stuff like lightweight I beam rods, lightweight flywheel and lightweight balancer.
Heavy car = heavy flywheel. The flywheel stores rotational energy to get your lead sled off the line without bogging. Use a heavy flywheel when all your power is in the upper RPM range and you want some kick when you dump the clutch at part throttle.
Lightweight car = lightweight flywheel. Excellent idea for a car with a stripped out interior and lightened using all the tricks. Keep in mind that when you dump the clutch, the RPM's will drop if you don't have lots of power to keep them up. Lightweight flywheels may bog off the line, but are great once you get rolling. They are the best for road race type applications where the engine is constantly running up & down the RPM range. . Less rotational mass means the engine will accelerate and decelerate quicker.
Lightweight car = lightweight flywheel. Excellent idea for a car with a stripped out interior and lightened using all the tricks. Keep in mind that when you dump the clutch, the RPM's will drop if you don't have lots of power to keep them up. Lightweight flywheels may bog off the line, but are great once you get rolling. They are the best for road race type applications where the engine is constantly running up & down the RPM range. . Less rotational mass means the engine will accelerate and decelerate quicker.
That's super cool until that Chinese piece blows through the tunnel into your leg. I hate to be morbid, but I had a close friend who spent 3 months in traction, went bankrupt, and ended up divorced due to an inferior quality flywheel and clutch.
Kurt
I always found that holding the gas pedal to the floor is the best way to keep from losing RPMs between shifts.
Kurt
That makes zero sense. Any flywheel could potentially break and go flying into the car, not just a fidanza aluminum. They're made in America fyi not china.
Well excuse me. Everything I have ever seen of Fidanza was Chinese junk and didn't last long. Cheap junk has a tendency to scatter.
Kurt
Do you guys recommend replacing the fly wheel when installing a new clutch? My clutch is on its way out and I am looking into replacing it. I was looking at one of the master clutch kits from LMR but I don't really want to put their house brand flywheel in my car.
It wouldn't be a bad idea if it the original flywheel has been turned. I bought a new one myself (aluminum Fidanza in a CF kit from Summit as I've used on street car before and preferred it over the steel) as getting mine turned, etc. is a PITA. Half of a new stock one is the going rate to have one turned around me.
First off, terribly sorry to hear of your friends misfortunes... somehow that word doesn't quite do it.
At any rate, I would like to know more about the circumstances of the failure for personal education.
Additionally, anyone that intends on spending time on a prep'd surface with sticky tires really needs to invest in a scatter shield, even if the NHRA/IHRA guidelines do not apply to you... the above is a real threat. Friend of mine narrowly escaped the same outcome when his tires dead hooked in the burnout box and he proceeded to do a burnout on the clutch... thankfully he had a scatter shield (LakeWood) as the clutch let go right there in the burnout box.
manufacturing located at 4285 Main St. in Perry, Ohio... at least that's what a 5 second google told me.
A factory flywheel can usually be turned a few times. It really depends on your time frame and location. I live in a big city with several clutch shops in driving distance. The clutch guy I use has been in the business for 50 years (like seriously can't figure out why he isn't retired already). Do you have time to drive down and get your flywheel turned, and do you have someone nearby who can do it?
Kurt
Bull
! Everything Fidanza I have seen so far had 'CHINA' clearly stamped in it. Maybe they they put the Chinese pressure plate in the box in Ohio, or maybe the even go as far as to apply a brand specific spray paint there. I spent enough years in the auto parts business to understand how this really works.My friend was bumped in the rear in a late model car on a short track. The rear axle lifted momentarily causing the engine to surge slightly passed the rev limiter. The clutch came through the floor and the remnants passed through his leg just above the knee. He usually ran a free-world clutch, but it had failed the week before. In a frenzie to make the next race, he bought what was available. The inferior clutch failed on the first night.
Kurt
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