scoobyis2cool
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 08:35 AM |
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Is it worth lightening my flywheel?
Hi, I went to mac1 motorsport at the weekend to pick up some stuff I'd ordered and the guy there recommended lightening my flywheel. Has anyone
done this? If so, has it made a noticable difference?
By the way, mac1 were really friendly and spent a good hour showing me all their cars and helping me out, highly recommended!
Pete
It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care...
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scoobyis2cool
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 08:37 AM |
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By the way, I'm already thinking of using a 1600 flywheel to keep it lighter anyway...
It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care...
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DaveFJ
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 08:59 AM |
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I guess from your posts that you are running a pinto ?
if so then the general consensus of opinion seems to be that the 1600 flywheel is actually heavier than the 2.0l
either getting your flywheel professionally lightened or buying a lightweight one is definately worthwhile and should noticeably improve acceleration,
although not top end speed.
If you intend to lighten your flywheel I would DEFINATELY recomend getting it done professionally, the consquences could be drastic!
HTH
Dave
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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scoobyis2cool
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 09:04 AM |
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That seems strange that the 1600 flywheel is heavier than the 2000, do you know why this is?
Thanks for the advice, i'm pretty tempted now, the guy at mac1 said it would only be about £50 or so, seems worth doing if it will make a
noticable difference.
By the way, yes it was a pinto i was talking about, except in the last half hour i'm now thinking about fitting a zetec, i'm very
indecisive you see...
It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care...
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 09:10 AM |
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we weighed several flywheel,they were within a couple of ounces of each other,1600 has a smaller clutch,that makes it lighter
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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DaveFJ
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 09:12 AM |
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If you haven't commited yet and have the funds available i would say go for the zetec (they do fit in a MK don't they ? ) just make sure
it is pre-CAT ('95 i think)
There was much debate about the weight of the pinto flywheel's a while back and as i say the general consenssu held that the 1600 was
heavier...... however i have no proof of this.
dave
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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TPG
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 01:22 PM |
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You will also gain more engine braking as well as quicker rev build up.Lift off and the engine will slow quicker due to the lack of spinny round heavy
bits.
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scoobyis2cool
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 02:40 PM |
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I am very tempted by a zetec and i know people have fitted them in Indys so they will fit. Does the standard engine fit under the bonnet or will I
need to fit twin carbs or throttle bodies? These look too expensive for me really so unless I can use the engine in standard tune i'm pretty
sure i'll have to stick with my pinto.
Pete
It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care...
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macspeedy
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 05:52 PM |
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got mine lightened from std 9 to 6kg see photo archive by machine shop/engine builder cost £20
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david walker
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| posted on 27/1/04 at 10:58 PM |
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Beware of lightened flywheels. I say this as someone who builds and tunes engines for a living.
I lighten flywheels all the time but what I am also able to do is dynamically balance the thing afterwards. My machining is pretty good I think but
the out of balance I see when I spin it up afterwards is often frightening.
The problem is that the std cast flywheel has a fair area of unmachined casting on it. When you machine to lighten you machine these areas true. There
will be some often heavy balancing holes drilled by the factory to compensate for these irregularities. When you machine you will not remove all of
these. They WILL cause an out of balance problem.
Getting your local machine shop to lighten it is cheap and easy but beware of the downside.
No doubt someone will come on and tell us the one about getting your leg chopped off as well. This is more myth than fact. It used to be a bit of a
problem with minis but the whole configuration of a mini crank assembly is different anyway. When a mini flywheel came off it would come through into
the drivers footwell - giving good cause for concern!. There is not the same problem with RWD cars IF the flywheel is correctly machined and balanced
and new flywheel bolts are used and torqued to the correct level.
As a general rule of thumb you are OK to machine a cast iron flywheel as long as no section is taken to less than 10mm. (providing it's balanced
afterwards).
Dave Walker, Race Engine Services - 07957 454659 or 01636 671277
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macspeedy
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| posted on 31/1/04 at 06:57 PM |
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you are totaly right i have mentioned the fact it is better have a good bottom end to build on so many times i forgot to mention it, get the crank and
rods and clutch all balanced to !
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