I read through numerous threads on here, i'm still confused. I have a choice between keeping my Fidanza Flywheel, going with a 5th gen flywheel, or the slightly lighter 4th gen flywheel. I know a few boosted guys have just taken their lightened flywheel off and have gone back to stock and have not looked back. When I boost the car, I have no first gear at all, and even second kinda flys by. Should I go with the 4th gen stock flywheel so I can stay in boost longer in every gear? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

Recently, the gear ring shifted off of my fidanza flywheel, so I have to drop the transmission on Friday anyway.I have to decide whether I want to keep my Fidanza Flywheel or just pick up a used 4th gen flywheel from a friend of mine. What shall I do? Thanks in advance for the input.

 

I was on the same boat you are about 3weeks ago. I decided to keep the stock flywheel on my 4th gen. I spoke with another org member who had both the Fidanza and the stocker and he said to me that the fidanza was a no no. He kept his stocker. Now that i got the new clutch in Im glad i kept the stock one and not waste my money on it. But at the end everyone has their own opinion about it.

 

But why did you, or he, feel it was better? What benefits does the stocker have over the Fidanza?

 

The stocker makes you drive the car alot easyer than the lighter flywheel, depending on what kind of clutch you get. If i would have gone with the lighter flywheel i would have had WAY more chatter on the 6puck clutch i got than the stocker.

This might help! It came from a second boosted members point of view on the stocker VS lighter flywheel

As far as an aftermarket flywheel - don't bother. Unless you plan on road racing or auto crossing the car, it's in my opinion a completely pointless mod for an FI vehicle. NA vehicles which need to squeeze every tiny last bit of power out of a tapped out setup it might be worth it, but for FI - no way. Spend that money on the FI setup to make it better and stick with a stock flywheel

 

Yeah I read that. Nealoc wrote that in another thread. I just wanted some more input on it. But thanks for the info Stillen Maxima.

 

Ok, let me see if I understand this, the lightwieght flywheel revs through the gear faster (i.e. you are accelerating faster), and as a performance mod you would like to go to a heavier flywheel so that your go slower through the gears (i.e. the car accelerates slower). Something is wrong with this picture. Maybe you could even add weight to the stock flywheel to stay in the gear even longer, lol. Luv my 7lb flywheel on my 22psi (one of my favorite mods as the car is peppier out of boost).

 

Its been a loooong time since I was on the stock flywheel. Personally, I think Im going to stay with it. I actually like how fast the rpms climb. True, from a stop they go a bit too fast, first gear is basicly nonexistent if I floor it, but I imagine even witout it, being SCed would basicy do the same anyway. On the highway however, I like being able to drop a gear and punch it and just being able to accelerate and pull away quickly.
As far as only NA setupsneeding to squezze out every HP possible, I feel being boosted is the same way. Why else would we be dropping pulley sizes, changing charge pipe diameters, opening up the exhaust flow etc. if not to squeeze out every bit of HP that we can?

 

What's maxima.org without the sarcasm? If I were to race my car with the fidanza vs my car without it. I think my car with the stock flywheel will take me off the line. It's not really THAT stupid a question, thanks though.

Flava, I feel you. Good point.

 

The guys who live and breathe DSM drivetrain components seem to have a different opinion than yours...


Anyways to the OP, you already know my opinion on them. I've driven turbocharged maximas with and without lightweight flywheels and noticed zero difference. I don't feel the fidanza is light enough to hurt driveability, but I wouldn't spend money on one. There are much more effective ways to spend your money on a boosted car. But since you already have one that isn't your concern.

A general note about flyweels, in addition to the fact that too light of a flywheel can make your car harder to drive, the mass of a flywheel also absorbs the heat energy produced by the friction between it and the clutch. Less mass = less ability to absorb that heat, which isn't good.

 

Thanks Neal. Helpful as always.

 

Just wanted to add, that my opinion of them has to do with lightweight flywheels and drag racing and street driving - where going too light could hurt driveabiliy and the launchng of the car. I actually might be picking one up because I want to get back into road course lapping with my turbo car, and a lighter flywheel does help with rev matching and whatnot. So they do have their benefits, as long as they aren't too light (like I said, I don't think the Fidanza is too light, I've driven one on a turbo maxima both at the drag strip and on the street), but those benefits (easier rev matching, etc) are seen in situations that 99% of maxima owners won't ever be in.

 

i would stay with the fidanza. lighter is always better.

 

I haven't been on a stock flywheel in a long time, but I don't see any negative drivability issues with the Fidanza flywheel on my SC setup. I would suspect that the added drag from the SC would cause the RPMs to plummet, but I can't say that's that case. Perhaps I am just used to it

 

im not sure, but doesnt the type of clutch you use have something to do with it. when i was stick i had the stillen flywheel and organic clutch and it caught and pulled lovely.

 

There are several things that determine the easy of driveability with the clutch. The first is determined you by if decide to use a full face disk, 6 puck, 4 puck. Full face is smoothest but holds the least amount of power typically. On the other end of things a 4 puck(i would never own one) holds a lot of power, but is a pita to drive daily imo.

Another key thing to determine driveability is if it is a sprung hub or not. Sprung hub clutches are MUCH smoother to drive but if you run a huge pressure plate and shift real hard the springs are much more likely to pop out cause clutch failure, while this phenomena does not exist in unsprung.

The pressure plate is another thing to consider. If you run a full face disk and need to hold a lot of hp you can still run it if you choose a higher weight pressure plate. The only downfall is that the pedal is harder to push.

The material is another aspect to consider there are materials used in the disk there are organics, ceramics, kevlar, iron composite, etc. Organics are smoothest but burn up quickest, ceramics are like on off switches, and iron composite (what I use) don't deteriorate quickly and are like on off switches but, can be feathered as they do not burn up.

I am just trying to give you an overview of clutch options. The smoothness and easy of driveability is determined mostly by your selection in clutch. Personally, unless you are trying to make crazy power I'd do a solid disk, sprung hub, a medium pressure plate, and you decide on the material you think fits you best. I worked with competition clutch to develop their "iron man" clutch for dsm's and they will make about anything you can dream up. Let me know if you have any questions because I have fooled with way more clutches than I would like to admit.

 

Oh yeah, didn't see one on the sight but you may be able to call exedy about it, but if you are a baller the twin disk clutches are the sh**.

 

Fidanza on the left, Stock Flywheel on right. Note the welds on the stock flywheel and the holes for screws on the aluminum.





I loosened the screws to remove the back plate of the FW. This ring with the teeth on it (the thicker ring w/teeth) is the Gear Ring.

 

Stock Flywheel prepped to go back on, Pressure plate, tranny, etc.


Timing ring, right fellas? LOL.

 

That was my end result. Just threw the stock FW in, if I want to go back to the fidanza I will do it during my clutch change I guess.

 

i personally recommend the organic clutch, it worked real good for me. before i changed it i had the same problems as you, my stock flywheel was worthless in first and second under hard acceleration. and it still gives that smooth stock ride when your chilling.

 

Organic clutches? I'm new to the 5spd game, it's a clutch made with leaves and trees and herbs and stuff right?

 

lol, knucklehead. its the texture of the clutch its like winter tires compared to summer tires, very grippy but they dont last forever. i got mine from stillen.

 

For what it’s worth, I have just recently just upgraded to a Fidanza FW. And I like the increase drivability of the car when it’s not in boost. Then it pulls faster in every gear when in boost…..Guess I can live with it

 

im a turbo'd 3rd gen with a fidanza and i think it was a good decision with my purchase.
there isnt much chatter for me and i have a 6 puck stage 3 act. and its fine. i like the pull i get through all geras

 

light weight is the way to go