Steel Flywheel Experience
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Steel Flywheel Experience
Hello everyone,
I'm thinking of converting my 89 corvette zf 6 speed from a dual mass flywheel to a single mass solid steel flywheel from Carolina Clutch. However, I'm worried about the new sounds that may arise with this less expensive, and less complex, flywheel. Would someone who has converted their own car please give me some clue as to the difference in sound between the two flywheels? Is it simply a matter of more gear whine, or is there a rocks in a can rattling kind of sound present? Please share your experiences. You would be a big help to me.
Thanks!
Joshua
I'm thinking of converting my 89 corvette zf 6 speed from a dual mass flywheel to a single mass solid steel flywheel from Carolina Clutch. However, I'm worried about the new sounds that may arise with this less expensive, and less complex, flywheel. Would someone who has converted their own car please give me some clue as to the difference in sound between the two flywheels? Is it simply a matter of more gear whine, or is there a rocks in a can rattling kind of sound present? Please share your experiences. You would be a big help to me.
Thanks!
Joshua
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,014
Likes: 18
From: Raleigh, NC
I have a single mass in my 91. It's louder than the DMF by about 10% at cruise, and the rocks sound is much more prevalent.
If you're looking for quiet, it's not the way to go.
I did run an aluminum flywheel with a McLeod twin disk clutch for awhile, and it was quiet as could be at idle. It was louder at cruise, but for some reason that combo didn't make any noise at all when idling.
If you're looking for quiet, it's not the way to go.
I did run an aluminum flywheel with a McLeod twin disk clutch for awhile, and it was quiet as could be at idle. It was louder at cruise, but for some reason that combo didn't make any noise at all when idling.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
I have never had a DMF, but I believe that everyone believes that the SMF is louder than the DMF
If you want the least noise, the DMF appears to be the solution, if you can find, recent forum purchasers indicate a cost @ of $900-$1000 for a DMF
Most loudness
1. Aluminum Fidanza FW
2. Single Mass FW
3. Dual Mass Fw
If you want the least noise, the DMF appears to be the solution, if you can find, recent forum purchasers indicate a cost @ of $900-$1000 for a DMF
Most loudness
1. Aluminum Fidanza FW
2. Single Mass FW
3. Dual Mass Fw
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 2
From: High Ridge Missouri
Had '91 with SM aluminum. With the stock cam the and a chip tuned to idle at 900+rpm the engine was smooth enough that at idle it made no more noise than the DM. This was just my experience, it seems that everyone has varying results.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
if the entire enviorment is noisey it won't matter much, but if it is stock, the rattleing at idle and 1100 -1600 rpm crusie state has a loud roar, at least in my case, in every gear
forget the single mass you'll lose some inertia and make it a little harder to take off.
get dmf unless you want every last bit of HP to get trophies....
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Slick,
Horsepower is not entering into the equation at all. I'm simply trying to find an economical, reliable way to fix the flywheel. Chevrolet is the only place that I can find the flywheel, but they want about $1100 for it. I spoke with Carolina Clutch, the supplier of a single mass steel flywheel kit, and they claim that the increase in noise is noticeable, yet minimal.
Joshua
Horsepower is not entering into the equation at all. I'm simply trying to find an economical, reliable way to fix the flywheel. Chevrolet is the only place that I can find the flywheel, but they want about $1100 for it. I spoke with Carolina Clutch, the supplier of a single mass steel flywheel kit, and they claim that the increase in noise is noticeable, yet minimal.
Joshua
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
Slick,
Horsepower is not entering into the equation at all. I'm simply trying to find an economical, reliable way to fix the flywheel. Chevrolet is the only place that I can find the flywheel, but they want about $1100 for it. I spoke with Carolina Clutch, the supplier of a single mass steel flywheel kit, and they claim that the increase in noise is noticeable, yet minimal.
Joshua
Horsepower is not entering into the equation at all. I'm simply trying to find an economical, reliable way to fix the flywheel. Chevrolet is the only place that I can find the flywheel, but they want about $1100 for it. I spoke with Carolina Clutch, the supplier of a single mass steel flywheel kit, and they claim that the increase in noise is noticeable, yet minimal.
Joshua
choke up the money auto zone sells them for around 700...
you will appriciate the quiet, plain and simple, my corsa and engine is so loud it doesn't matter, it is just a noise machine otoh, yours may not be..
keep your sanity, i don't have any experience with a sprung hub disc which supposedly helps with the
"racket", i could not find one that fit, after 2 tries with summit i gave up and threw the old stock one back in....
Last edited by slickfx3; Jun 30, 2009 at 12:46 PM.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Slick,
Auto Zone gave me a price of $650 for the DM flywheel, which sounded awesome. The only problem is that they've been discontinued and are hence not available right now. I don't mind paying $650, but $1100, which seems to be the best I can find, is a tad too much for me personally.
Joshua
Auto Zone gave me a price of $650 for the DM flywheel, which sounded awesome. The only problem is that they've been discontinued and are hence not available right now. I don't mind paying $650, but $1100, which seems to be the best I can find, is a tad too much for me personally.
Joshua
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
Slick,
Auto Zone gave me a price of $650 for the DM flywheel, which sounded awesome. The only problem is that they've been discontinued and are hence not available right now. I don't mind paying $650, but $1100, which seems to be the best I can find, is a tad too much for me personally.
Joshua
Auto Zone gave me a price of $650 for the DM flywheel, which sounded awesome. The only problem is that they've been discontinued and are hence not available right now. I don't mind paying $650, but $1100, which seems to be the best I can find, is a tad too much for me personally.
Joshua
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
change your atittude, the 35k miles is low in my estimation, plausably ( there are differing opinions about rubber dampers even existing in these things, there may be 2 types the original and the updated dmf, yours may not have that update and may not have rubber coushions, Ive seen confusion on this with no difinitive answers even from GM chevy mechanics) not even having a problem.
save your time and money and drive it until you can't and the car won't go, that is what i would do, but that is just me, those dmf are very very strong and 38 lbs.
this is my regurgitation of information i learned from here, so it could just be barf.
Last edited by slickfx3; Jun 30, 2009 at 01:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Thanks very much for your advice, Slick. Unfortunately though, it is not a quiet sound and does demand immediate attention. I wish I didn't have to be so truncated right now in my speech, but I'm at work right now and trying to write this in the middle of dealing with customers.
Joshua
Joshua