Please share your experience with Aluminum Flywheels

raynist1 · Apr 3, 2009

Hi,

I am looking for first hand experience from people who have switched to an aluminum flywheel.

How does the car drive now? Do you have any issues accellerating from a stop? How about pulling out on a hill?

I am converting my car (see sig) over to a TKO-600 and ordered a 16lb aluminum Findaza flywheel.

I have heard conflicting info about how this will effect my car. It will be a weekend cruiser, racing days are probably over.

Thanks!!!
Ray Nist

1989 GT; 12.7 @ 108.4; 1.82 60ft on 275/50/15 DR's Kenne Bell SC (5psi) - Lentech Street Terminator
GT40 Irons - Ported Stock Lower Intake 3.73 Gears
75mm MAF; 70mm TB
MAC Headers/H-PIPE/Cat Back
Comucam 2040 Camshaft
March Ram Air; KB FPR / 190lph Pump / 30lb Inj

now: 8psi, bypass, Boost-a-Spark, C&L Tube, MAC Prochamber, 255lph Pump and custom chip from Kauffmann's. AFR 165 61cc Heads, 42lb inj and 1.6 rockers

301hp/413tq

Coming soon: Flowzilla for Stock Lower, Holleymax Lower

fordfan89 · Apr 3, 2009

I have an aluminum flywheel on my 89 GT. I don`t have any issues with it at all. The biggest problem I have is my clutch is too grabby but, that has nothing to do with the flywheel. I bought mine because I found it at a good price. All in all I`m happy with it. Engine revs real quick not sure if the flywheel has much to do with that or not but I have heard that it will. By the way I have a Ram flywheel.

raynist1 · Apr 3, 2009

fordfan89 said:
I have an aluminum flywheel on my 89 GT. I don`t have any issues with it at all. The biggest problem I have is my clutch is too grabby but, that has nothing to do with the flywheel. I bought mine because I found it at a good price. All in all I`m happy with it. Engine revs real quick not sure if the flywheel has much to do with that or not but I have heard that it will. By the way I have a Ram flywheel.

Thanks, what clutch do you have and what kind of power are you making?

90lxcoupe · Apr 3, 2009

fordfan89 said:
The biggest problem I have is my clutch is too grabby but, that has nothing to do with the flywheel.

Aluminum flywheels tend to make the car harder to drive and this what makes it feel "grabby" A friend of myne owns a transmission shop and when he drove my car he commented on how much of a PIA it was to get moving and asked if i had an aluminum flywheel.

So to answer your question, yes, it does make the car a little harder to drive, the flywheel has less inertia than a steel flywheel, so when you slip the clutch out, its a different animal.

I have mixed feelings about aluminum flywheels, my car is a biznatch to get moving, but with the combination of the lightweight internals of my motor and the aluminum flywheel, my car revs faster than anything ive ever seen. So i like the fact that the car revs so fast, but you lose driveability with that.

Also, the whole idea of an aluminum flywheel makes me nervous, think about revving the car to 5500 rpms, dropping the hammer and how much stress it is on the flywheel, especially the bolt circle, aluminum is not very strong, and if it comes apart pray that you still have ankles.

If i ever have to replace the flywheel, i will be getting a SPEC billet steel piece, just for my own piece of mind

8.8mustang · Apr 3, 2009

I have a chrommoly flywheel in my honda. loved the light flywheel so much I bought 2 fidanza aluminum's for my 5.0 mustangs. You just have to shift it a little faster. You really have to drive a car with one. I have no problems starting stopping anywhere. There are several cars that come from the factory with light flywheels now the 2003-2004 cobra is one of them so you make your choice. I like the light flywheel better than the 40lbs one I tried that was a waist.

Grn92LX · Apr 3, 2009

No problems with mine.

No its not any harder to start from a stop.

No its not any harder going up a hill.

My crankshaft thanks me every time I drive the car

raynist1 · Apr 3, 2009

Thanks for the responses so far.

It is a hard decision. If you do a search, you get so many posts of people saying it will make your car hard to pull out and it will bog. I also hear people saying how the revs drop too fast and it will lose speed going up a hill.

Most of the people you hear from that actually have them like them.

I live in Pittsburgh where it is very hilly, so there will be many times that I am sitting on a fairly steep hill and will need to pull out. Also, my wife and father may drive the car from time to time, I don't want something only I can drive.

I would imagine the effects of the lighter FW will be lessened by my Kenne Bell SC which makes max boost just off of idle.

Thanks
Ray

phutch11 · Apr 3, 2009

My question is how can it possibly be any worse than driving a 4cyl with a stick.

To move with any hurry at all, I have to rev my Fusion to 2 grand -- and it will stall at the drop of a hat.

How can a V8 possibly be wosre than that?

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jrichker · Apr 3, 2009

Aluminum flywheel pros & cons.

Heavy car = heavy flywheel. The flywheel stores rotational energy to get your lead sled off the line without bogging. Use a heavy flywheel when all your power is in the upper RPM range and you want some kick when you dump the clutch at part throttle. You will get smoother takeoffs when doing the stop and driving thing in heavy traffic.

Lightweight car = lightweight flywheel. Excellent idea for a car with a stripped out interior and lightened using all the tricks. Keep in mind that when you dump the clutch, the RPM's will drop if you don't have lots of power to keep them up. Lightweight flywheels may bog off the line, but are great once you get rolling. They are the best for road race type applications where the engine is constantly running up & down the RPM range. . Less rotational mass means the engine will accelerate and decelerate quicker. Aluminum flywheels are not the best choice for street driving, especially if you have to do stop and go driving in traffic.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 3, 2009

Another thing to keep in mind as a con, is that your RPM will drop much faster between shifts because the light weight allows the engine to rev down quicker...so at the track your shifts need to be that much faster.

raynist1 · Apr 3, 2009

I will not be racing the car as I am not into drag racing any longer, just taking it out for some fun drives and some car cruises/shows.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 3, 2009

I think for just cruising i personally couldn't justify the price over a decent billet steel flywheel. It's one of those things like an aluminum driveshaft, where unless you really need it or just want it for the cool factor then you can do without it and never know the difference. (which may be a good thing depending on how you look at it).

fordfan89 · Apr 10, 2009

raynist1 said:
Thanks, what clutch do you have and what kind of power are you making?

I`m making 385hp and 400tq at the wheels right now. I have a Ram clutch I can`t remember the part number though.

Please share your experience with Aluminum Flywheels

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