kenp

iTrader: (9)

Well, I just installed a Spec I and Fidanza Aluminum flywheel in my relatively stock 2002 SS. A couple of things. First, I've read all of those threads about how the light weight flywheel will screw up your shifting and a lighter flywheel will somehow cause RPM's to drop faster because there is less weight. My experience is just the opposite. It seems like the car achieves higher RPM's faster and it also seems like the car wants to maintain speed and RPM's longer. For example, I was going about eighty and when I let off the throttle to exit the interstate, the car just wasn't slowing down as it had with the heavier stock flywheel. I tried this several times and I get the same result. So anyone who is avoiding the lighter flywheel for fear RPM"s will drop faster between shifts shouldn't worry about it. Second, I did my install exactly the way it was suppose to be done and my clutch is chattering from a dead stop. Everything was wiped down and cleaned prior to the install and I was very caareful not to get anything on any of the surfaces. What did happen during the install was thas the bolt holes on the pressure plate didn't line up right and I had to ream them out slightly before it would bolt up. By the way, I checked it against my original steel flywheel and it wouldn't bolt to it either, so it wasn't the Fidanza.

I've sent emails to Spec and Fidanza for their advice. I suspect my only option is to tear it down again, but how the heck do you determine what isn't right? It is a whole bunch of work to pull the tranny and bell housing on these things and I don't want to do it more than one more time.

We wait.

Griswold

iTrader: (5)

I just installed my spec 3 and fidanza aluminum flywheel two weeks ago. The chatter was really bad at first but it is noticeably better after 250 miles. Probably one third of that are highway miles so they don't really count for break in. I have heard that most, if not all spec clutches, will chatter for the break in period and then go away after a little bit of spirited driving. I am very pleased over all with this setup. The motor seems to rev a lot faster with the aluminum flywheel.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

Chatter is gonna happen a little bit with those Specs 1-3 Stages and maybe even a 4. It will improve drastically with about 500+ miles of constant city driving.

kenp

iTrader: (9)

This chatter seems a too pronounced to me. It's a car shaking chatter. It isn't just a small thing you can feel a little bit. You can hear it and you can see the car jumping. And they don't even recommend a break-in period for the Spec Stage I. I have to say I'm disappointed at this point, but I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone at Spec yet.

But thanks for the consoling words.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

they dont really help out much....or they didnt when i was asking questions. Must depend on who you talk to. (Yeah my car still shakes, I guess that I am immune to it now.) You almost have to get the perfect disengage combo in order for it to just go instead of shake like crazy.

BBQLS1

What you are describing should be correct. The lighter flywheel will be less resistant to change in rpm. Force = Mass X Acceleration. But momentum will be less. Mass X Velocity = momentum.

redline2k

iTrader: (9)

I have a spec aluminum flywheel. They will make the motor rev faster and will keep the revs up between shifts. The problem with them is they make the car harder to launch.

kenp

iTrader: (9)

Well, I did talk to the folks at Spec today and they are very friendly and assure me they will stand behind their product. However, they did say the chatter is normal and that the clutch has to "burn in". If I had known that in the first place I would have just gotten the Z06 clutch kit.

It seems absurd to me that you would drive 500 miles of city driving with your car shaking and ratteling so a clutch would smooth out. And I really didn't get any assurances it would stop the chatter, just that most of it would go away.

So for those of you thinking you want a better clutch for your daily driver, save yourselves the agony and just get the Z06 kit. My original LS1 setup lasted 37000 miles and it got banged around a fair amount. No sticky tires or high rpm clutch dumps or anything, but fairly spirited driving none the less. I doubt seriously that I'll ever get 37000 miles out of this Spec assembly.

So, I'll do what they advised and launch at 1500 rpm's so I don't get as much chatter and I'll put up with the smell of the clutch turning to dust. They say it's all normal - part of the burn-in process. If it doesn't stop the chattering soon I'll need to wear a protective mouth piece to keep my teeth from getting rattled out.

Actually, if it doesn't get better I'm getting the Z06 kit. Screw this!

Vertigo

iTrader: (1)

The pressure plate not linning up with the dowls concerns me. Those dowl pins on the flywheel line up only 1 way with the pressure plate....just fyi if you didn't know....

kenp

iTrader: (9)

The dowels lined up fine and the bolt holes were tight but ok with the exception of one. I just used a round file to remove a bit of material and it the bolts went in fine.

I did get a response from Fidanza and they say if you have a clutch disk with metal content it will chatter. According to Spec, the Stage I does have a fairly high metal content. I have asked Fidanza for their recommendation if not the Z06 disk/kit.

I've just been out driving it and launching it from a stop at 1500 rpms. It smells like I'm burning the clutch up instead of "burinig it in". I've got nothing to loose but a little more 93 octane gas from gunning it on takeoff. If I'm not satisfied with it Spec says they'll fix/replace it. If so, I guess I'll sell it because if I tear it down again, the Z06 is going in.