Does lightened flywheel help/hurt 1/4 performance?
Originally Posted by Masaccio
Hm, I didn't think of that. I'll have to consider stiffer mounts. I'm just worried about excessive vibration at idle.
post #26
Originally Posted by xloki77x
i just installed the unorthodox flywheel, an ACT 4 puck clutch and UDP's (I installed the clutch and FW a week before i put the pulleys in to see th difference). Without the pulleys i can chirp third gear. I could barely, just barely get second before. Now, if i drop down to second at like 40mph, i can boil the tires. Just so there is no arguing about what kind of tires i have and how worn, I have yokohama AV520 225/45/ZR17 with about 4k on them. As for 1/4 mile times, the flywheel and clutch are probably the best mods ive done to my car (.3-.5 off the 1/4). And for a daily driver, the clutch/FW/UDP mods are nothing that a little getting use to can't cure. I have about 1k on my new setup and it's like driving a brand new car. I love it. I say go for it...it's well worth it!
do you recall the dates in between the .3-.5 gains ? Im wondering how the weather, or even differences in 60 foot times could sway your overall et? if you could shed more light regarding this it would be a great help to me.
my clutch is gone, and my tranny is right behind it, so the chariot is parked. So im shopping for a clutch, transmission and possbily a flywheel this month. Again, im just curious to any other factors that could have effect on your times.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 902
i just broke in my clutch and finally had a chance to wind out the gears with the fidanza flywheel. I still cant beleive how fast 1st gear rolls out.I have 225/45/17 Kumho 712s and they break loose right around 3.5k RPMs in 1st every time now if I have it floored. the RPM needle moves up faster in 1st than it does revving the car while idling, a lot faster. Ive also noticed gains in second, and a little in third. Flywheel is very worth it. It does take a lot of learning to launch though.
Starting off the line is the only thing that could be difficult, shifting feels like it did before, RPMs dont fall that fast.
Starting off the line is the only thing that could be difficult, shifting feels like it did before, RPMs dont fall that fast.
Originally Posted by billy_corgan
i just broke in my clutch and finally had a chance to wind out the gears with the fidanza flywheel. I still cant beleive how fast 1st gear rolls out.I have 225/45/17 Kumho 712s and they break loose right around 3.5k RPMs in 1st every time now if I have it floored. the RPM needle moves up faster in 1st than it does revving the car while idling, a lot faster. Ive also noticed gains in second, and a little in third. Flywheel is very worth it. It does take a lot of learning to launch though.
Starting off the line is the only thing that could be difficult, shifting feels like it did before, RPMs dont fall that fast.
Starting off the line is the only thing that could be difficult, shifting feels like it did before, RPMs dont fall that fast.
Thats all with stock 215s with plenty of tread left. And my 1st gear is long, i can hit 40-ish at redline.
Besides that, glad to hear your clutch/flywheel combo is working out good. We'll see how it matches up against my automagic come may 28th.
Billy_Corgan... He1l yea to your sig. 5th gens lost their looks- only slightly improved by the 6th. I guess this is not on topic tho.
Talking about tire chirp resulting from a mod is a bit silly... Are they Z rated? W rated? or less? If I put some H or worse rated tire on my car I could probably chrip 4th!
Wait, is that on topic?
Lightented flywheel! YEA!! My chit iz fazta!!
Talking about tire chirp resulting from a mod is a bit silly... Are they Z rated? W rated? or less? If I put some H or worse rated tire on my car I could probably chrip 4th!
Wait, is that on topic?
Lightented flywheel! YEA!! My chit iz fazta!!
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 902
Originally Posted by BlueC
...glad to hear your clutch/flywheel combo is working out good...
Originally Posted by BlueC
...We'll see how it matches up against my automagic come may 28th.
Way to go automatic. Yay. 
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 902
Originally Posted by Spaniard
Billy_Corgan... He1l yea to your sig. 5th gens lost their looks- only slightly improved by the 6th. I guess this is not on topic tho.
Talking about tire chirp resulting from a mod is a bit silly... Are they Z rated? W rated? or less? If I put some H or worse rated tire on my car I could probably chrip 4th!
Wait, is that on topic?
Lightented flywheel! YEA!! My chit iz fazta!!
Talking about tire chirp resulting from a mod is a bit silly... Are they Z rated? W rated? or less? If I put some H or worse rated tire on my car I could probably chrip 4th!
Wait, is that on topic?
Lightented flywheel! YEA!! My chit iz fazta!!
and yeah, I know I get flamed for this but........4th gen > 5th gen
Originally Posted by billy_corgan
err...clutch grabs relly good, but there is some major shuddering every time i shift. slows me down a bit. I already have the Nissan OEM clutch on the way, liked that a lot more. Ill still have this ACT for May 28 though. Maybe the shudder goes away, who knows, but it feels F'd up.
You mean you'll actually run your car???? Wow. I can't wait. Not to rain on your parade, but when I had my 215 Potenzas, my tires would break loose in 1st and second, no flywheel. Good for you though! Way to go automatic. Yay.
You mean you'll actually run your car???? Wow. I can't wait. Not to rain on your parade, but when I had my 215 Potenzas, my tires would break loose in 1st and second, no flywheel. Good for you though!
Way to go automatic. Yay. 
I don't really see how the lightened flywheel would hurt your 1/4 mile times if you were still able to get a good launch like others have said. I mean, when you are racing at the track, you are shifting fast enough that the rpms don't have a chance to fall that fast, no matter how fast they fall. Even if you are revving up and then just putting into neutral, they don't fall all that fast. Not fast enough to effect it.
It is all in the launch, because I imagine that it would be a little harder to get used to the launch with a lightened flywheel.
When this stock clutch goes out(if it goes out...ha ha), I will be doing the lightened flywheel.
It is all in the launch, because I imagine that it would be a little harder to get used to the launch with a lightened flywheel.
When this stock clutch goes out(if it goes out...ha ha), I will be doing the lightened flywheel.
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,549
Originally Posted by Brudaddy
I don't really see how the lightened flywheel would hurt your 1/4 mile times if you were still able to get a good launch like others have said. I mean, when you are racing at the track, you are shifting fast enough that the rpms don't have a chance to fall that fast, no matter how fast they fall. Even if you are revving up and then just putting into neutral, they don't fall all that fast. Not fast enough to effect it.
It is all in the launch, because I imagine that it would be a little harder to get used to the launch with a lightened flywheel.
When this stock clutch goes out(if it goes out...ha ha), I will be doing the lightened flywheel.
It is all in the launch, because I imagine that it would be a little harder to get used to the launch with a lightened flywheel.
When this stock clutch goes out(if it goes out...ha ha), I will be doing the lightened flywheel.
Dave
Why is it so hard not to bog with a light fly? Why can't you just rev to 3 or 4 grand and drop the clutch as usual, albeit with more gas as needed? Doesn't seem like it would be difficult.
Originally Posted by Masaccio
Why is it so hard not to bog with a light fly? Why can't you just rev to 3 or 4 grand and drop the clutch as usual, albeit with more gas as needed? Doesn't seem like it would be difficult.
4K clutch drop? Major wheels sping and wheel hop come to mind and it's still possible to bog.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 229
From all of your analysis this is the conclusion i came to, Correct me if i am wrong. A lighten Flywheel greatly increase your chances of Bogging. With a perfect launch you will notice a slight gain. I read some where that a flywheel would give a ~15% increase in horsepower is that true for your cars? I am going to be replacing my clutch next month, I dont want to spend $350+ on a flywheel for a minimum gain. Then again i wouldnt want to spend another 350+ down the road to install a flywheel.
Thanks
Thanks
If it is that much, 15% is nothing to laugh at.
I doubt it is that much gain.
Also, it is not gain in every gear, they are saying.
First=a lot of gain.
2nd=still a good bit of gain.
3rd=not so much, etc.
I doubt it is that much gain.
Also, it is not gain in every gear, they are saying.
First=a lot of gain.
2nd=still a good bit of gain.
3rd=not so much, etc.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 133
good thread. And I do stand corrected. Any decent driver shouldnt have to worry too much about shifting 2/3/4, its the launch that counts. One (maybe insignificant) question. Does the flywheel seem to help the clutch grab in situations in which it could burn?
Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 81
My question is to those that have experiene with the lightened flywheel, is what RPM's are you launching at to where it does not bog down but you can still get a good launch. And also do you just drop the clutch and floor it or do you drop it and ease in to ease into it.
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,549
Seeing that you're in 1st gear for a very short period of time and that you should be coming off the line at 3000+rpms, the 1/4 gains of the flywheel are pretty minimal. I've done the calculations and assuming you can get off the line effectively without bogging, you'll see about a 0.04-0.06 improvement. That's less than a tenth of second. It's not 15% more power.
Lightened flywheels are ideal for road racing, not drag racing. Most road racers don't get the lightened flywheels for acceleration, but instead for improved mid to high rpm rev matching when downshifting and reduced chassis movement on the downshift.
Dave
Lightened flywheels are ideal for road racing, not drag racing. Most road racers don't get the lightened flywheels for acceleration, but instead for improved mid to high rpm rev matching when downshifting and reduced chassis movement on the downshift.
Dave
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 229
Originally Posted by Dave B
Seeing that you're in 1st gear for a very short period of time and that you should be coming off the line at 3000+rpms, the 1/4 gains of the flywheel are pretty minimal. I've done the calculations and assuming you can get off the line effectively without bogging, you'll see about a 0.04-0.06 improvement. That's less than a tenth of second. It's not 15% more power.
Lightened flywheels are ideal for road racing, not drag racing. Most road racers don't get the lightened flywheels for acceleration, but instead for improved mid to high rpm rev matching when downshifting and reduced chassis movement on the downshift.
Dave
Lightened flywheels are ideal for road racing, not drag racing. Most road racers don't get the lightened flywheels for acceleration, but instead for improved mid to high rpm rev matching when downshifting and reduced chassis movement on the downshift.
Dave
Thanks
Mo
Originally Posted by Jeff92se
Um.. auto trannies don't have flywheels per say. They have a sheet metal plate with a ring gear for the starter. Torque convertor is what takes the place of a flywheel in an auto.
Originally Posted by Brudaddy
Tell that to all these guys on here with a max that are smoking Mustangs in 1/4 mile.
Brudaddy, I wouldn't worry about the 1/4 thing, for what you gain in just driving more than makes up for it, not to mention better gas mileage.
I dont even like driving my Dad's 2000SE 5spd compared to my VE with the Fidanza, it just feels so sluggish
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