True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing.
True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing. True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing. I have heard much debate for and against both sides, and still don't have a conclusive answer. I have 4.30s, and will be launching at 5000+, will an aluminum flywheel help or hurt me? I know that it will make the engine rev quicker, and weighs less (more power), but what will it do at the track and on the street? The cam is big, fwiw.
Launching!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Burnsville, Minnesota.
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing. I would think that it would be better. First off, Aluminum is lighter - therefor it will rev faster and have less drivetrain loss. Also, if the tranny is takin' a beating, the alumnum will disipate the heat a lot faster.
Thats just my opinion.
Thats just my opinion.
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing. They aren't good for drag racing. The lower weight bogs easier on launch. The heavier flywheels hold energy better.
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing.
They aren't good for drag racing. The lower weight bogs easier on launch. The heavier flywheels hold energy better.
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing.
They aren't good for drag racing. The lower weight bogs easier on launch. The heavier flywheels hold energy better.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing. a heavier flywheel will retain more rotating inertia for a launch in drag racing, which helps launch the car for a better 60'. the lighter the car, HP level and gears can counter act this as well... if your car is 2800 lbs with 4.30's and a short tire with 500lbs of tq off the line you will be fine... but if your talking a 3600lb+ F-body its not recommended if you spend most of your time on the drag strip.. if you auto X or raod race more often then the light flywheel will help you off the corners with faster acceleration. hope this helps!! good luck
Re: True or False: Aluminum flywheel is bad for drag racing.
They aren't good for drag racing. The lower weight bogs easier on launch. The heavier flywheels hold energy better.
BUT...once the car IS moving (split second after launch), the aluminum becomes the better because the engine no longer needs that inertia to keep turning (car is already moving) and now the light weight flywheel allows the engine to spin up faster thus getting through gears faster and ultimately going faster....
if you have enough power (either by CIs or higher RPM dump) and/or you don't have enough tire to hook (no slicks), then the aluminum flywheel is better...
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If youre flywheel has enough weight for the car to idle, it is almost too heavy. Drag launching may require a higher rpm launch, but the motor will rev faster after that. Ultralight flywheels do take a bit of getting used to in traffic, however.
My trans is out right now being rebuilt and I need a clutch/flywheel....
What if i have 4.10 gears and drag radials......will a alumunum flywheel be alright....
at the track with a 3.42 gear and drag radials I was launching at 3500 and was bogging.....hooked at about 4000
So my thinking is that with the 4.10 gear that should compinsate for the Aluminum wheel so I should be about the same........
What if i have 4.10 gears and drag radials......will a alumunum flywheel be alright....
at the track with a 3.42 gear and drag radials I was launching at 3500 and was bogging.....hooked at about 4000
So my thinking is that with the 4.10 gear that should compinsate for the Aluminum wheel so I should be about the same........
well, as said twice above theres two parts to it:
1. the heavier flywheel stores more energy.. so its better at keeping a heavily cammed car idling, and it has more power stored in it for launching off the line. it will also "pop" the car more between gears.
2. the lighter flywheel is less mass to spin.. so once the car is moving, theres less dead weight for the car to accelerate..
as to whats best.. i used to think the heavy one was.. and for a street car, i think it is... i mean, it idles better, and launches better.
but for a drag car, i now think the lightweight one is.... because you can fix the launch "problem" with gearing and a higher RPM launch... but once you're moving, you cant take the weight off the flywheel.... the downside to this is on a street/strip car.. you'll have a big cam you expect to use on the street..and to idle, it will have to spin faster... so you now have a higher idle speed... and with that lighter flywheel, it is stall prone too.. making it even more of a pain to drive on the road.
1. the heavier flywheel stores more energy.. so its better at keeping a heavily cammed car idling, and it has more power stored in it for launching off the line. it will also "pop" the car more between gears.
2. the lighter flywheel is less mass to spin.. so once the car is moving, theres less dead weight for the car to accelerate..
as to whats best.. i used to think the heavy one was.. and for a street car, i think it is... i mean, it idles better, and launches better.
but for a drag car, i now think the lightweight one is.... because you can fix the launch "problem" with gearing and a higher RPM launch... but once you're moving, you cant take the weight off the flywheel.... the downside to this is on a street/strip car.. you'll have a big cam you expect to use on the street..and to idle, it will have to spin faster... so you now have a higher idle speed... and with that lighter flywheel, it is stall prone too.. making it even more of a pain to drive on the road.
clutch being used has a big part in this as well. I pulled 1.59's with stock iron flywheel, and aluminum flywheel with a spec 3 clutch. When I went to a 3+ I cant buy my way to a 1.59 . I leave on the rev limiter and it either spins bad or boggs.
I usually leave at 6300 and it boggs to a 1.78 .
I leave at 6300 on the ntrous and my dry kit sprays forward and then gets sucked into the engine which goes into the engine just after the start of a bog then recovers with the added tq to a 1.66 the last time out.
On the street, the aluminum flywheel is awsome. I can leave with out hitting the tires to hard and dead hook at 4300 and then hammer the gas . from the time it hooks to the end of the 1/4 the aluminum is great.
I am going back to a stock flywheel to get the added inertia off the line. I have a 3700 lb car
I usually leave at 6300 and it boggs to a 1.78 .
I leave at 6300 on the ntrous and my dry kit sprays forward and then gets sucked into the engine which goes into the engine just after the start of a bog then recovers with the added tq to a 1.66 the last time out.
On the street, the aluminum flywheel is awsome. I can leave with out hitting the tires to hard and dead hook at 4300 and then hammer the gas . from the time it hooks to the end of the 1/4 the aluminum is great.
I am going back to a stock flywheel to get the added inertia off the line. I have a 3700 lb car
