I managed to smoke my clutch recently, and the replacement I am lookin at comes with an aluminum flywheel for about $150 more.

Does anyone here have an aluminnum flywheel on their car? How does it affect street driveability?

An aluminum flywheel is supposed to allow the engine to rev a bit quicker, increasing throttle response, correct? At the expense of quick "drag race" style launches due to the loss of engine momentum and the rapid loss of rpms ("bogging") due to this?

Is this an accurate desciption of an aluminum flywheel on a car from anyones experiences?

Most of my buddies are more into drag racing and they keep pushing me away from it, but I'd gladly give up the wheel smoking (and diferential busting) burnouts for a snappier throttle and faster acceleration once rolling!

Thanks for any replies!

BTW: my car is a 2002 V8 Camaro, if that affects your recommendations.

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'02 Z28 : MTI lid, TTS headers, Corsa exaust, ASP pulley, Pro5.0 w/Lou's ShortStick, Konis (front) Bilsteins (rear), 35mm ST swaybar, SS wheels, SLP SFCs, disabled DRLs, *all* the free mods! :NEXT: ported TB?, NAAAAWZ?? LS1edit???

 

I would agree with your characterizations of an aluminum flywheel. When you talk about the throttle response, etc, keep in mind that you'd be talking about the weight not only of the flywheel,but the pressure plate, disk(s), etc. So for example, the street twin, with aluminum flywheel, weighs pretty much the same as the stock clutch/flywheel, and has about the same response. The steel flywheel with that clutch is heavier, and has that feel.

Another thing to know is that you'll need to balance match the new flywheel against your stock one, assuming that's what was in there.

Dave

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1997 LPE 383/n2o Camaro Z28 Convertible
12.39@112.2, 1.76 60' (na) 11.27@124.6, 1.76 60' (n2o)
LT1 Diagnostics, New to Nitrous? Northern California Racing Club

 

I have been running a Fidanza aluminum flywheel with a Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch for the past year on my 1994 Z28M6 and it is very streetable (very little chatter and relatively easy to move smoothly and slowly). However, I changed the rear gears from 3.42 to 3.73 ratio at the same time. The stock steel flywheel is about 19 to 20 lbs whereas the Fidanza weighs in at about 13 lbs. The Centerforce clutch is a little heavier, but my net reduction in weight must still be about 5 lbs. As I don't use slicks, I have not noticed any performance loss on hard launches. The heavier the flywheel, the harder it will launch at the drags. Traction is still limited with 13.8 quarter miles at 107mph. My car is set up more for handling (which is why my license plate says "I CORNER"). However, the engine revs much more quickly now. I used to be able to do full throttle shifts at 5500rpm without ever revving past 5900rpm, with the steel flywheel. A recent fast power-shift hit my rev-limiter setting at 6200rpm with the aluminum flywheel. I don't think that the aluminum flywheel would be a problem with a 3.42 gear, but I know the 3.73's work.

Good luck.
Rick R

 

the SLP billet steel flywheel weighs 12.6 pounds and costs less.

 

I see SLPs steel flywheel is now $355. I recall that it cost more when I bought my Fidanza for $399. I had seriously considered the SLP. I think the Fidanza is the best made of all of the aluminum flywheels available for our cars. Aluminum dissipates heat better and uses replaceable steel friction facings. Either way, a 6 to 7 lb reduction in rotating weight will have the same effect.

Rick R

 

Thanks for the responses guys. I keep hearing about those 2 flywheels, the aluminum Fidanza with the steel ring for the clutch, and the SLP billet steel flywheel that is similar in weight to the Fidanza. I hear great things about both, here and at other sites.

At this point I think I am going to drop out of the McLeod group purchase I was looking at and just by either the Fidanza or the SLP flywheel seperately along with an adjustable McLeod Master Cylinder, plus a clutch and pressure plate from someone else.

Not sure who's clutch and pressure plate to buy though. Can anyone recommend one for use with the SLP billet flywheel or the Fidanza aluminum flywheel with the steel ring?

I-CORNER, are you happy with the CENTERFORCE clutch and pressure plate you bought? Would you buy them again for use with the Fidanza?

Thanks again guys!

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'02 Z28 : MTI lid, TTS headers, Corsa exaust, ASP pulley, Pro5.0 w/Lou's ShortStick, Konis (front) Bilsteins (rear), 35mm ST swaybar, SS wheels, SLP SFCs, disabled DRLs, *all* the free mods! :NEXT: ported TB?, NAAAAWZ?? LS1edit???

 

Spike,

I love the aluminum flywheel!

... but am not totally happy with the Centerforce DF clutch. It is a little more notchy, but it is very streetable and smooth enough to drive daily. It does not slip on full throttle power shifts, that toasted my stock clutch (bad smell!) after 10 powershifts. However, I am getting strange minor vibrations at random RPMs above 2200. It will rev to 6000 rpm without shaking severely, but I get strange imbalances at steady state rpms. It is almost like the weights slide out different distances each time I rev up the engine. The CFDF also requires much more effort to shift cleanly, especially at high revs. Some other people on this board, seem to hate the CFDF, but then the Spec and McCleod clutches have some negative reports too. Jury is still out.

Always honest.
Good luck,
Rick R

 

If your not making tons of power why not just buy an LT4 clutch/pp? Nice price.

 

I would go w/ SLP for both. I had a centerforce clutch/stock flywheel and the clutch weighed as much as both the flywheel and clutch from SLP! Plus you know they will go together well. None of this shimming to have them mesh correctly crap. The only BAD thing I've found is that when driving casually, the RPMs can drop faster between shifts (less mass) and you need to blip the throttle a little to match the rpms up (this is when shifting really slowly though). My friend has an M3 and was amazed at my engine performance. Most V8s dont have the throttle response of ours I guess. Also all that useable torque at 2400rmps helps too (M3s need to be at about 4000+).

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'96 Z-28
79k Miles
Toyo RA1 275/45Z17, SLP Coated Headers, SLP Clutch and Flywheel, G2 Coilovers (Bilstein and Eibach), LS1 Driveshaft, G2 PowerPulley, G2 CAI, B&M Ripper, G2 Pedal Covers, TB Airfoil, Borla 3" catback, G2 Panhard Rod (adj. w/ rodends), G2 Subframe Connectors, G2 Enginebay Brace (4 point), G2 Swaybars, Poly Trans Mount, Autopower 'Race' rollbar, Spacro 5 point harness, Driver & Passenger Sparco Evo2 Seats, Powerslot Rotors w/ PFC Pads, Stainless Steel Brake lines, ACES SureShift2 Seq. Shift Light, Spohn Torque arm, LCA(rod/poly) and relocation bracket, McEwen White Gauge Faces.
On order: McCord Power Plate cutout, LG Spoiler and stripe, and ScanMasterLT1
Just a few parts away from my ZR-28