Lightweight Flywheel Mod
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Engleood, CO
Originally Posted by McG35
Installing a lightened flywheel will in fact make your car faster at the drag strip...
...When shifting, a heavy flywheel will keep the engine reved up to make the engagments smoother. Some race cars with no flywheel will drop to idle during shifts, the driver has to tap the throttle to keep the engine up in revs for a clean engagement.
...When shifting, a heavy flywheel will keep the engine reved up to make the engagments smoother. Some race cars with no flywheel will drop to idle during shifts, the driver has to tap the throttle to keep the engine up in revs for a clean engagement.
Originally Posted by shooter
reducing the rotational mass (crank pulley) was the best mod so far (for increase in torque) for very little money......wheels are so expensive that it will a long time before that happens......
i am having too much fun modding this car!
i am having too much fun modding this car!
Originally Posted by Section8
Thank you Capt. Obvious. I was trying to make a point about why he was bothering to get one (even if he could) because of all the other extra weight in his car.
Your welcome.
Maybe you have said this instead to be more clear.
Originally Posted by Section8
A lightweight flex plate (if one existed) will certainly counteract all the extra weight from your stereo and dynamat.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: San Diego
A lightweight flywheel will definitly reduce drivetrain loss. However, it is more unforgiving to mistakes. Once moving, the OEM FW has more inertia to maintain engine revs when shifting. With the lighter FW, your RPM drops fairly fast while shifting. This can kill you in the 1/4 if you mistime your shifts.
Originally Posted by McG35
Installing a lightened flywheel will in fact make your car faster at the drag strip. Engines have to accelerate the mass of the car, as well as the mass of all rotational items, such as wheels, gears in the tranny, crankshaft, and accessories. However, lightening rotational drivetrain components (like a flywheel) have a more pronouced effect on make a car faster than just reducing mass of the body of the car, because the engine doesn't have a mechanical advantage to drive a flywheel, it is a direct connection. The transmission of a car is like a lever helping the engine accelerate the mass of the car. So, a 5lb savings on a flywheel could be equivalent to taking 50lbs out of the trunk.
Driveablility will suffer. When shifting, a heavy flywheel will keep the engine reved up to make the engagments smoother. Some race cars with no flywheel will drop to idle during shifts, the driver has to tap the throttle to keep the engine up in revs for a clean engagement.
Golden rule .....Force = Mass x Acceleration, to increase acceleration you have to either increase force (more hp) or decrease mass. Same applies whether you are talking linear acceleration or rotational acceleration.
Driveablility will suffer. When shifting, a heavy flywheel will keep the engine reved up to make the engagments smoother. Some race cars with no flywheel will drop to idle during shifts, the driver has to tap the throttle to keep the engine up in revs for a clean engagement.
Golden rule .....Force = Mass x Acceleration, to increase acceleration you have to either increase force (more hp) or decrease mass. Same applies whether you are talking linear acceleration or rotational acceleration.
If road racing is your game, then the lightened flywheel is a great mod because the start of the race isn't as crucial. Road racers use this mod not because it makes fractionally better power, but instead it's because it's easier to execute rev match downshifts. If you've ever road raced, you'd know that perfect downshifts are key to keeping the car and chassis in balance.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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DaveB,
I can't argue with your logic for launching a car at a drag strip, heavier flywheels are better for getting off the line. Launch aside, a lighter flywheel will be easier for the engine to accelerate, and easier to accelerate the rest of the car.
Also, top-fuel cars (and other "serious" drag cars) don't have flywheels. They instead have massive clutches that are engaged by weighted-levers (essentially govenors). These clutches engage automatically and slip almost half-way down the track. Since the drivers don't really modulate the clutch during launches, they have no need for the extra rotational mass of a flywheel.
I can't argue with your logic for launching a car at a drag strip, heavier flywheels are better for getting off the line. Launch aside, a lighter flywheel will be easier for the engine to accelerate, and easier to accelerate the rest of the car.
Also, top-fuel cars (and other "serious" drag cars) don't have flywheels. They instead have massive clutches that are engaged by weighted-levers (essentially govenors). These clutches engage automatically and slip almost half-way down the track. Since the drivers don't really modulate the clutch during launches, they have no need for the extra rotational mass of a flywheel.
Originally Posted by McG35
DaveB,
I can't argue with your logic for launching a car at a drag strip, heavier flywheels are better for getting off the line. Launch aside, a lighter flywheel will be easier for the engine to accelerate, and easier to accelerate the rest of the car.
I can't argue with your logic for launching a car at a drag strip, heavier flywheels are better for getting off the line. Launch aside, a lighter flywheel will be easier for the engine to accelerate, and easier to accelerate the rest of the car.
Most of us like lowend grunt because that's where most of the acceleration Gs are felt. You're not going to notice an extra 5whp when accelerating in the upper gears because the acceleration Gs are so low. Adding a lightweight flywheel will make the car feel more zoomy, but off the line it will feel rather doggish. That's was my point.
Also, top-fuel cars (and other "serious" drag cars) don't have flywheels. They instead have massive clutches that are engaged by weighted-levers (essentially govenors). These clutches engage automatically and slip almost half-way down the track. Since the drivers don't really modulate the clutch during launches, they have no need for the extra rotational mass of a flywheel.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52
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From: Engleood, CO
Originally Posted by Deang35c6
So what you're saying is that this is not a mod for the novice 6MT driver. I might be getting a new tranny and would love to throw in a UR flywheel. Sounds to me that with the lightweight flywheel, you have to stay on the gas 3/4 throttle during shifts.
If it's something you would like to do, go for it. You can always improve shifting with practice. However, keep in mind if you want to build a fast off the line drag, then LFW isn't a good idea.
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