Aluminum flywheel... Worth it?

[Dave149]

I have a 2000 GTS that is mostly stock. It has 3.54 gears, Borla catback, and K&N filters. This winter I will be installing a new tranny with higher 5th/6th gear ratios, and polyurethane engine and tranny mounts. Since the cops here in Ontario have the power to take my car away if they catch me speeding 50km/h over , I have decided it's time to do lots of track days. So, the car will be tracked often but still street driven.

I want to ask anybody that has installed an aluminum flywheel, are you happy with it? Are there any driveablility issues, or does the car have enough power to make it not noticable? Also, is a stock replacement clutch good enough, or should I upgrade (and to what)?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dave

 

[dave6666]

You will find as many people saying they like the lightened flywheel as those that don't. One conclusion I remember seeing is that for drag racing yes, for road course no.

I have the stock flywheel and with the stereo blasting and my thoughts on the teenager in the car next to me waving, I occasionally almost stall it. I would expect worse with the lighter flywheel.

Clutch stiffness can equal leg strength or leg soreness. I replaced my clutch recently with a $165.00 ebay Luk OEM unit. Easy on the wallet, easy on the leg. Unless you determine that you need more hook up you might stick with stock. They are cheap and reasonably strong for the semi stock car you have.

 

[ViperJohn]

You will find as many people saying they like the lightened flywheel as those that don't. One conclusion I remember seeing is that for drag racing yes, for road course no.

I have the stock flywheel and with the stereo blasting and my thoughts on the teenager in the car next to me waving, I occasionally almost stall it. I would expect worse with the lighter flywheel.

Clutch stiffness can equal leg strength or leg soreness. I replaced my clutch recently with a $165.00 ebay Luk OEM unit. Easy on the wallet, easy on the leg. Unless you determine that you need more hook up you might stick with stock. They are cheap and reasonably strong for the semi stock car you have.

It's actually the opposite, aluminum flywheel recommended for road racing and stock is best for drag racing.

I have an aluminum one and love it. Engine revs a little quicker due to less inertial mass. Downshifting is silky smooth. One negative on the aluminum flywheel is low speed bucking.

 

[dave6666]

It's actually the opposite, aluminum flywheel recommended for road racing and stock is best for drag racing.

I have an aluminum one and love it. Engine revs a little quicker due to less inertial mass. Downshifting is silky smooth. One negative on the aluminum flywheel is low speed bucking.

I've been corrected before...

 

[FE 065]

I had a lighter eBay chromoly flywheel installed a few months ago on my '01 ACR. 99% of the time there's no difference starting off from a stop with it than the OE.

Drive a bility-wise I don't think I could tell it was there if I didn't know it for certain.

 

[Asp Man]

I have a 2000 GTS that is mostly stock. It has 3.54 gears, Borla catback, and K&N filters. This winter I will be installing a new tranny with higher 5th/6th gear ratios, and polyurethane engine and tranny mounts. Since the cops here in Ontario have the power to take my car away if they catch me speeding 50km/h over , I have decided it's time to do lots of track days. So, the car will be tracked often but still street driven.

I want to ask anybody that has installed an aluminum flywheel, are you happy with it? Are there any driveablility issues, or does the car have enough power to make it not noticable? Also, is a stock replacement clutch good enough, or should I upgrade (and to what)?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dave

Let me know if you decide to get an alluminum f/w, I've got one new in the box that I'm probably never going to have time to install.

 

[v10kingsnake]

you will loose some torque going to an aluminum f/w. I suppose the gears would help you compensate for that though.

 

[SPI TWIN]

Aluminum flywheels are great for road racing. Anytime you reduce the weight of your rotating mass it will help you on the track. Although I have never found huge HP increases by using an aluminum flywheel, the engines we have tested have a made some more power earlier once the RPM's are in the higher ranges (4500 and up). A lighter flywheel will help your shifting up or down and give you a little more coming out of the turn and as you charge down a long straight.

 

[ViperJohn]

The best thing to do is drive someones car with an aluminum flywheel. That's what I did before I decided. I really liked the feel of it.

 

[Dave149]

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I'm still not sure if I'll get one or not. Luckily I have until late winter to think about it. Everybody's input and opinions are welcome and appreciated though. ViperJohn, I wish I could drive a car with it, but I don't know anybody else with a Viper. Living out in the sticks of Ontario doesn't help either. It's at least a 2 hour drive for me to get anywhere from home. Asp Man, thanks for the offer, I will let you know.

Thanks again
Dave

 

[FE 065]

you will loose some torque going to an aluminum f/w. I suppose the gears would help you compensate for that though.

I really don't think so. Where does the torque the engine is manufacturing go then?

Have you ever seen time to speed data when lightweight flywheels are tested before and after?

 

[Bluvenm97]

According to the stack of receipts/work orders I was given when I bought my '97 a couple years ago, it has an aluminum flywheel installed, so I've never known different.

I do notice there is some low speed bucking, which I now realize may be attributed to the flywheel. I was somewhat impressed however that the car fely "livelier" on the throttle, that is, it seemed to rev freer than a 99 Viper I drove a couple years back.

If your a drag racer, I'd stay with the stocker. Me, I like this truck motor to wind a little freer, so the aluminum flywheel will stay. In the end however, considering the $$ in labor it would cost to do the work, this would definitely be near the bottom of my mod list.
The time/effort it would take to do it myself is a little beyond my threshhold...