Aluminum Flywheel....

I have heard that a lighter flywheel is not good for drag racing. The stock heavier flywheel has more inertia than a lightweight one and helps get the car off the line quicker.

Joey

I use one. I didn't just install the flywheel so I can't tell you any gains from it alone. It will help for sure along with the other benefits you listed its also LESS wear and tear on your bearings/rotating assembly. I have no issues at all with it, drive no different than a heavier iron flywheel.

Its a lot of work though to put in a flywheel so I don't know if the benefits are worth the trouble. Pick up some arp flywheel bolts if you do it, part # arp-200-2802. I say go for it if you got the money and don't mind the work.

The Alum flywheel is great for a higher rpm combo or for a power adder combo that wants to take a little tq out down low to help get the car off the liner easier.

I think the alum flywheel would be a nice little addition to your combo.

The aluminum flywheel will help you decelerate quicker and accelerate a tick quicker if you want that little extra addition but some things to think about with the AFW is starting from a stop, particularly on hills, may require more slipping of the clutch to make up for the lower momentum than is stored in the heavier stock flywheel. Some jerking can be occured due to the loss of momentum possibly in between shifts for example as the rpm will drop sooner.

I would stay away from an aluminum flywheel on a daily driver and plus some of the harder grabbing clutches can tear up the aluminum flywheels...and aren't recommended with a aluminum flywheel.

Get a stock replacement or a nice billet steel one...(more expensive)...

This is posted from FastDriver - The answer to your question is that a 15 lbs weight would be easier to catch/stop if it has been thrown at you at the same speed as a 40 lb weight. A pretty obvious answer, but I think you are misinterpretting the results. A drag racing launch has nothing to do with ease of launch. If it did, you wouldn't launch at 6500 rpm, you'd launch right off of idle. Also, my clutch doesn't seem to have any problems grabbing my flywheel at any rpm. My tranny doesn't seem to have any problem managing the shock, and with the right tires and suspension, I will launch this car right off of redline with a single clutch drop.

The point is that you want as much stored energy to jump into your tires as possible, and you want your suspension/weight distribution/ tire combination set up so that it can handle all of the power and effectively put it to the ground - as opposed to wasting it by blowing away the tires.

In regard to your posit about stored energy being meaningless, I'll counter that stored evergy has everything to do with the difference between a heavy flywheel and a light one. In fact, stored energy is the only cause of a performance difference between an aluminum and iron flywheel.

The aluminum flywheel does not store as much energy as rpms increase which gives it an advantage in that the energy that would be stored in the flywheel has instead been exerted into the rotational force in the drivetrain and hence the driving force/power of your car.

In drag racing, that extra stored energy in the flywheel at a stop is put into your tires as soon as the clutch is dropped causing more force/power driving your car as it leaves the line. As your car moves down the track and rpms increase, the energy is transferred back and forth from the flywheel to the tires as rpms increase and then decrease (as you shift). Finally, when you cross the traps, rpms at the top of their powerband, the stored energy in the flywheel did not get put to good use. So, the advantage after you leave the line is to the lighter aluminum flywheel. Does it make up for the Iron one? Possibly. The longer the track, the more likely. However, will the difference be significant enough to justify the extra expenditure? Not to me.

Good Luck with your choice.

QDRHRSE said:

GrnLX:
The work is no big deal. You can't feel a difference though? How could that be? Did you put your stroker in at the same time....something like that? I'm getting one as soon as my clutch eats it. I will be sure to get the recommended bolts too. Thanks!

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Yeah I did the 347 at the same time. The car drives, shifts and accelerates normal from a stop no different than my old stock iron flywheel. No extra gas or clutch slipping is needed to accelerate it from a stop, a hill or where ever. If you don't mind the work, go for it. I bought it through Rick and if it was gonna hurt my street car, I don't think he'd let me buy it

Rick 91GT said:

The Alum flywheel is great for a higher rpm combo or for a power adder combo that wants to take a little tq out down low to help get the car off the liner easier.

I think the alum flywheel would be a nice little addition to your combo.

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Agree'd.
Friend has a pro-charged 302 ~430hp w/ aluminum flywheel and spec 3 clutch.
I thought it was going to be a nightmare to drive around town, but, was quite managable. I should imagine with a CF clutch or something that'll slip more easily the alum. flywheel would be unnoticable in that car.
The idea of dropping excessive rev's between gears and jerkyness was not apparent in this car.

Good luck.

There is a difference between a "street car" and a daily driver.

QDRHRSE said:

We are definitely talking about a "street car". I have a brand new Honda Civic as a daily driver and a truck for chores, hauling, etc. I do drive a lot....and I'm not afraid to take the mustang anywhere. However, I think that I'd shoot myself if I had to commute in it!

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If you have a daily driver (civic) then get the AFW

I just don't like the characteristics they give on a car you drive anywhere and everywhere like mine...