engine guy and parts guy flywheel throw-down
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From: Tampa / Ft. Myers FL
engine guy and parts guy flywheel throw-down
OK here’s the deal, got the parts guy and the engine guy about ready to come to blows over what flywheel to use. The engine guy says the lighter flywheel is better; the parts guy says the heavier one will make more torque (still trying to get my head around that one). It’s for a ’69 with a 383, not been finished or dyno’d yet so not sure of the HP.
My plan for the car is 90% street with some auto-x and road racing mixed in there somewhere with a 5 speed going in eventually. Soooo bottom line, I’m looking to you guys for some help/opinions on the great flywheel debate. Is heavier or lighter better for my application?
Thanks
My plan for the car is 90% street with some auto-x and road racing mixed in there somewhere with a 5 speed going in eventually. Soooo bottom line, I’m looking to you guys for some help/opinions on the great flywheel debate. Is heavier or lighter better for my application?
Thanks
Burning Brakes
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From: Stratford Ontario
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Drifting
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From: Oxford Ohio
Engine makes the torque. The flywheel stores it. The heavier wheel will store more than the light wheel but for your racing application I agree the light wheel. The lighter the wheel the faster it will bring up the R's.
If a hard launch was your goal I go with the heavy wheel. It would have more stored energy. Like the blade of a chopper stores energy in the rotors.
If a hard launch was your goal I go with the heavy wheel. It would have more stored energy. Like the blade of a chopper stores energy in the rotors.
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Drifting
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Purely for the sake of exposing you to both sides of the argument, let me point out whats better about a heavy flywheel.
Its easier to take off from a dead stop without having to slip the clutch. The inertia of the heavier flywheel helps with that.
The car will typically upshift smoother when you are just driving around in regular driving situations too.
I originally used an aluminum flywheel behind the big block in my car. It worked just fine, but I damaged some teeth on the flywheel and replaced it with a steel part (30lbs vs 15).
I personally like the way the car drives a bit better with the heavy flywheel. I do not do any auto-X or road racing though.
Its easier to take off from a dead stop without having to slip the clutch. The inertia of the heavier flywheel helps with that.
The car will typically upshift smoother when you are just driving around in regular driving situations too.
I originally used an aluminum flywheel behind the big block in my car. It worked just fine, but I damaged some teeth on the flywheel and replaced it with a steel part (30lbs vs 15).
I personally like the way the car drives a bit better with the heavy flywheel. I do not do any auto-X or road racing though.
Burning Brakes
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I have an L88 clone engine-barely streetable- and the heavy oem flywheel helps me in keep the engine running and not hesitating at low speed operation ( around town).the engine revs fast anyway . I haven't tried a lightweight flywheel but i think it would be detrimental considering a general use of the car in my application
Le Mans Master
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If your plans for the car are 90% street I say stick with the steel flywheel. Everyone pretty much summed it up though as mentioned before if you want to rev quicker and autox use the aluminum. The steel flywheel is great for the street and drag racing due to the intertia.
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Thanks for all the inputs. Having a guy put together a quote for a TKO 600, alum F/W, the works. Let's see what that gets me. 
That was my first thought. the engine guy is prob 65+ and the parts guy is prob 5'8' 300lbs+ could be very entertaining. 
:
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Team Owner
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I use a 20 or so pound billet steel SFI rated. Because aluminum will fatigue over time by being slammed by higher HP handling pressure plates. I was just told by a vendor that he did not recommend 14 pound aluminum flywheels with bigger motor setups. I did install my spare 383 for a short period of time with my 20 pound and tko 600. It was a wonderfull to drive. It was almost a shame to pull it out when my 434 ci came back