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aluminum flywheel for 1/4 mile car

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Old 05-07-2008, 12:10 PM
  #101  
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Originally Posted by JDP
ya, but its harder to turn the heavier weight faster,and its harder to get going.

i daily drove a car with a 9lb flywheel and it seemed like it revved like a sport bike, i not 80 years old, so when racing im not slow with shifts, the rpms dont really have a chance to drop.

the biggest thing is that ive heard a couple people say its not good for a car.

but i understand what your saying about how it wants to hold the rpm up with the heavier flywheel
i think people say that b/c at a certain hp aluminum flywheels arent as strong as steel and the clamping force of the clutch can cause problems. it will reduce your parasitic loss and imo over time will be alot lease stress on the motor. honestly though id suggest billet steel not quite as light as the aluminum but not as heavy as stock
Old 05-07-2008, 12:41 PM
  #102  
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I've got roughly 100 miles on my new flywheel and absolutely love it. It took a little time to get used to slow manevers like pulling the car into the garage and backing out of spaces, but not it's great. I feel like I actually have better use of power because before, anything over 1200 rpm and I blew the tires off or I had to ride the clutch for a while, but now I can got to 1500 rpm and let the clutch out smoothly and it takes off like a bat out of hell.

I did some data logging and saw a nice improvement in acceleration times compared to before. I dropped a solid 0.20 seconds from the 4000-6800 rpm window in second gear averaged over 6 different runs, which is huuge in my book. If I averaged that in a couple gears that's a drastic improvement for sure. Even if it's just in second gear, that's 2 tenths in the quarter mile. Granted, my old flywheel was a Mcleod which weighed 28.8lbs and the Fidanza weighs 12.4lbs, so that's a big difference. The other change I made was a underdrive pulley, but still. 2 tenths in second gear from 4000-6800rpm is a big difference.
Old 05-08-2008, 05:04 AM
  #103  
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what about torque? don't u lose torque on dyno? with aluminum flywheel?
Old 05-08-2008, 06:36 AM
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You do not lose torque at all. The only thing you lose is the initial momentum inertia when you let out the clutch. Once the clutch has fully mated to the flywheel, it's all positive gains with the lighter flywheel as you are spinng less mass. I dropped over 16lbs off my flywheel since my Mcleod was actually heavier than a stock flywheel.

It's a win-win in my book.
Old 05-28-2008, 08:05 PM
  #105  
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I think it all depends on the car and its setup. Kinda of like how you match a swaybar to your suspension set up.

There is no right answer.
Old 05-28-2008, 09:33 PM
  #106  
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i ordered a fidanza flywheel man, lets see how that goes!!!
Old 07-01-2008, 09:35 AM
  #107  
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Iv'e debated the same question and decided to go with the steel to keep the inertia (spelling?) up during hard launches.
Old 07-01-2008, 01:09 PM
  #108  
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Street use only alu, Street tack used billet steel I have driven a car with alu fly wheel at the track and it bogged like a ****! Even off the rev limiter
Old 07-01-2008, 01:45 PM
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So what everybody is saying is regardless of which setup you go with, its a must to get rid of the stock flywheel, RIGHT? My car is a daily driver and sees the track about 6 times out of the year. And I was thinking of going with the billet steel, just to meet in the middle. I really dont think putting an aluminum flywheel on a car with 4.10's is appropriate. Especially since I have 26 inch tires.
Old 07-07-2008, 10:31 PM
  #110  
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What flywheel would be a compromise between the aluminum and stock? Considering billet steel weighs about the same as stock.
Old 07-08-2008, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by 2QKTA
What flywheel would be a compromise between the aluminum and stock? Considering billet steel weighs about the same as stock.
Actually, from what I have been reading is that the billet steel weighs about 16 pounds and the stock one weighs in at about 28lbs. I could be wrong but lets see if someone else chimes in!

Last edited by fastvet; 07-08-2008 at 09:36 AM.
Old 07-08-2008, 09:12 AM
  #112  
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Steel = 1/4 track launches

Aluminum = road racing revs

if you are concerned with less rotational mass and faster revs, the problem does not lie in your flywheel but maybe with your clutch.

I use a Mcleod steel flywheel and the new Mcleod RST twin disk clutch. The RST is smaller in diameter but has amazing grab for racing and better then stock street manners because of the twin disk setup.

16 track passes in one day at 4500 rpm clutch dumps, and 4 hot lap passes within 4 mins, proves to me this is a damn good clutch.
Old 07-08-2008, 09:58 PM
  #113  
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Originally Posted by ibanez7
Steel = 1/4 track launches

Aluminum = road racing revs

if you are concerned with less rotational mass and faster revs, the problem does not lie in your flywheel but maybe with your clutch.

I use a Mcleod steel flywheel and the new Mcleod RST twin disk clutch. The RST is smaller in diameter but has amazing grab for racing and better then stock street manners because of the twin disk setup.

16 track passes in one day at 4500 rpm clutch dumps, and 4 hot lap passes within 4 mins, proves to me this is a damn good clutch.
I've done the same thing with my SPEC 3+ and aluminum flywheel, launching at similar rpms and greater. My impression is that as long as you can compensate on the launch with additional RPM, to prevent the bogging then you should be ahead of the game. You definitely need additional RPM on the launch or you will bog, no doubt. The rest of the gear changes are made with the gas pedal on the floor, stabbing the clutch and pull/push/pull, so RPM drop is minimal. I would love to leave off a 2-step just for kicks and see the difference it makes. Set that thing at 6000rpm, put it on the wood and go....

With the steel flywheel in my car 4500-5000 rpm was a typical launch rpm, with the aluminum flywheel its 5500-6000 and let her rip. I don't think dumping the clutch is nearly as hard on it as guys who slip it and ride it out. Harder on the driveline, but not the clutch?

Chris
Old 09-03-2008, 06:34 PM
  #114  
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aluminum
Old 09-06-2008, 12:25 PM
  #115  
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I was thinking of going aluminum fidanza flywheel and ls7 clutch.I am running an sts kit.
Old 09-11-2008, 08:50 AM
  #116  
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with the aluminum flywheel my car would bog with M/T drag radials. with the slicks though it would dig out and run its best.

With the iron flywheel it was not going to bog but you may or may not hook it. The shifts are much better for your avg. driver with the steel as the aluminum drops rpms to fast on the shifts unless you leave your foot on the gas pedal like I do
Old 09-12-2008, 09:14 AM
  #117  
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from what i've read, a light FW with the ls7 is a good option. since the ls7 is so freakin heavy to begin with.

probably would even themselves out.

all i know is my Spec 4 plus Fidanza are tricky to drive around at slow speeds. its even worse when they're cold

but the fast revs and added power are great.

but the squealing the clutch makes in 1st is , although it gets better as the clutch heats up.
Old 09-12-2008, 04:38 PM
  #118  
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on another note, an aluminum flywheel will allow more surging from your engine at idle.
Old 04-21-2009, 07:48 PM
  #119  
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yeah...my car surges like crazy.

some of its the tune...but i'm sure the fw isn't helping
Old 05-06-2009, 10:16 AM
  #120  
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I have seen a spec 3+ and fidanza aluminum go 1.30 60'.


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