Flywheels Who's running what and why?

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

It's time to look into getting a new clutch and figured I'd get a new flywheel as well. Of course, I'll be upgrading both, but was wondering how many are running 8lb 9lb, or 17lb flywheels, how you like them and what the pros and cons are of each.

Car will continue to be daily driven and I have been looking for an excuse to put my 4 pulley UPD kit on too.

 

[SinisterSHO]

My 93 got a fidanza and southbend rally clutch last winter. I loved it. However, i also drove St. Louis SHO's 91 plus with a 17lb flywheel and it was also very smooth. I'd probably go with the 17 for everday though.

 

[St Louis SHO]

17lb for all around. I do NOT like the fidanza because of wear issues with certain clutch discs. SHOSource now offers the 17lb, and It is one sweet piece!

 

[Shoaz]

Stock FW for the street is fine. IMHO the main reason to use a lighter FW is for track use, so that rev-matching in heel-toe shifting happens faster. When I had a stock FW/PP I was always annoyed at how long it took to rev it unloaded just to make a downshift. Now I have a 17lb steel billet FW in the Pumpkin and it's solved that problem. It could be quicker, but for what I'm doing it's fast enough.

There's a small performance advantage to having a lighter FW, too, but for street use the drivability of the heavier FW is very, very nice. I wouldn't go with anything lighter than the 17lb on the street, FWIW.

 

[twr]

Running stock flywheel with DD presure plate. Reason, the aluminum flywheel flexes with the DD presure plate. Also helps with the idle.

 

[NWGRN94MTX]

17# Billet steel on my blower car.

 

[89SHOMAN666]

I have a shoshop bullet 17 in my 91. Its pretty nice, you get a lighter weight minus the drive ability issues associated with the Aluminum.

 

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

I figured more people would have the lighter weight (8lb) flywheels in their SHOs and was leaning more towards this option prior to asking. I'm not so much concerned with driveability with an 8lb flywheel as I am with things going wrong.

 

[AREA 91]

Fidanza in the Green Bastard. (This car lives above 4K)
Stock for the Mocha Frost daily driver.

IMHO, split the difference and go with the 17lb!


P.S. Sorry I couldn't make it to the meet Ken.:rainshit:

 

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

P.S. Sorry I couldn't make it to the meet Ken.:rainshit:

No problem. There will be others!

 

[K-Dawg]

I was going to stick with a stock flywheel in my car, but I ended up making an impulse buy on SHOSource's 17lb Billet Steel flywheel last night.

I had a Fidanza in my 95. No complaints if it's flat.

For a daily driver, I'd probably keep the stocker simply because its cheap.

 

[Eric VerValin]

After people screaming about not using an aluminum crank pully, I wonder why people would lighten up the flywheel... Same question would pop up... dosen't that weight help smooth out the engine pulses?

 

[K-Dawg]

The stock flywheel isn't made to act as a damper. It doesn't have rubber in it.

 

[Shoaz]

After people screaming about not using an aluminum crank pully, I wonder why people would lighten up the flywheel... Same question would pop up... dosen't that weight help smooth out the engine pulses?

Absolutely, that's why it's there. That's also what makes it nicely drivable.

Adding rotating weight doesn't help performance, though, and for stupid stuff like heel-toe shifting on a road course, a heavier flywheel makes it harder. It's the usual tradeoff stuff between drivability, harshness, and edginess/performance. For the street the stock or 17lb FW are great. For some folks on the track, other factors may dominate the decision.

 

[SinisterSHO]

For the two months I drove my car with the Fidanza, and all the other fidanza cars I've driven, I never had any problems with take off or anything.

FWIW I have heard of people having issues with the stage 2 cams and the 8/9 pound flywheels and idling.

 

[Lupo]

17lb flywheel and dual PP on my S/C car.

For the SHORanger: 17lb custom flywheel, and Tilton dual 7 1/2" clutch. Whole assembly weighs lighter than any Fidanza combo. About half the weight of a stock flywheel/clutch combo.


Billet steel is the only way to go! :woo-hoo:

 

[jonmon6691]

What exactly makes a 9# or lighter less suitable for daily use, I've made a habit of double clutching nearly every downshift in my regular driving and I have been considering a 9# to speed those shifts up until I read this post.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

It is possible to drive with an Alum flywheel, just have to get use to it. There is no need to double clutch though.

 

[jonmon6691]

I meant rev match: Clutch in, neutral, clutch out, blip throttle (this takes the longest, especially trying to downshift to first), clutch in, new gear. Basically its heel-toe, but I'm not necessarily using the brake (like passing or going up a hill.) I figure a light flywheel will make my sho life easier in the long run. Plus people won't be so confused when I'm approaching a corner and reving my engine trying to throw it into first at 20mph

 

[illSHOyou]

Put it this way...

No matter what flywheel you decide to go with in time you will get used to it. I had the 9lbs and loved it. The only reason you may not like your flywheel choice.... is say you own 5 SHO's....each setup differently, and your jumping in and out of each one.