Balancing Flywheel, the mystery continues... please help!!
#21
Melting Slicks
So, if there are no weights on the OEM factory installed flywheel does that mean your engine is in balance and as long as your new flywheel is balanced you are good to go or should you still get the new flywheel balanced? This question is assuming someone didn't buy the clutch and flywheel together.
#22
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#23
Le Mans Master
The LS7 setup is zero balanced, and that is not the issue. Some corvette rotating assemblies were not balanced properly at the factory, and on those cars they used the flywheel pins to finish balancing the engine. When you pull off the factory setup and put on a zero balanced flywheel, the engine itself isn't balanced anymore. Make sense? The problem is that the factory setup was NOT zero balanced and you are replacing it with one that is. The best thing to do -if you suspect that your engine had an incorrect balance and was corrected with flywheel weights- is to take your old setup and the new setup both to a machine shop and have them balance the new setup just like the old setup, and install it just like the old one came off. Make sense?
This is the correct, as close as you can get to a "guarantee" method to use.
#24
Le Mans Master
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nothing for nothing, I recall reading the crank pulley also may have weights installed
either way, you should be fine, just hold onto the OE unit in case
you can only bolt the fw to the crank one way, you'll see the index hole in the fw AND crank
either way, you should be fine, just hold onto the OE unit in case
you can only bolt the fw to the crank one way, you'll see the index hole in the fw AND crank
#25
Premium Supporting Vendor
So, if there are no weights on the OEM factory installed flywheel does that mean your engine is in balance and as long as your new flywheel is balanced you are good to go or should you still get the new flywheel balanced? This question is assuming someone didn't buy the clutch and flywheel together.
#26
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I may have made a boo boo with this one. I replaced the old clutch and flywheel assembly and did not keep it. I know have a significant vibration. How do i Know if it is the pp/ fw or my engine?
#27
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I bought a zero/neutral balanced Luk Pro Gold/aluminum flywheel and had it installed on my '01 Zo6....
it had vibrations between certain rpms
My old flywheel was resurfaced and put back in (it had the dowel weights) along with the new Luk clutch (dumped the alum flywheel) and it was perfectly smooth.
My clutch shop couldn't/wouldn't try to balance match the (im)balance from the old onto the new...
Hope this helps.
it had vibrations between certain rpms
My old flywheel was resurfaced and put back in (it had the dowel weights) along with the new Luk clutch (dumped the alum flywheel) and it was perfectly smooth.
My clutch shop couldn't/wouldn't try to balance match the (im)balance from the old onto the new...
Hope this helps.
#28
Burning Brakes
Yeah, it really happens. My 2000 FW had the weights, and at the time, the dealer didn't even know about it. They ended up replacing 4 vibrating flywheels before I filed for the lemon law, and the factory rep came down and balanced the 4th flywheel with weights, using an external strobe balancer.
Of course, many don't have weights, and some that do are very minor and not really noticeable if they are left off.
The question is "Do you feel lucky, punk".
I like the idea of carefully, positively locating the position of the weights, then having the option of installing/removing them on the new flywheel through the inspection cover hole. Can this really be done without removing the whole torque tube?
DG
Of course, many don't have weights, and some that do are very minor and not really noticeable if they are left off.
The question is "Do you feel lucky, punk".
I like the idea of carefully, positively locating the position of the weights, then having the option of installing/removing them on the new flywheel through the inspection cover hole. Can this really be done without removing the whole torque tube?
DG
#30
Burning Brakes
Good to see this thread resurface. There's a lot of good advice here.
Once more, if you are installing a new flywheel, at the very least take some time to understand the weighted-flywheel possibility, and look to see if your factory FW has the weights, and where they are/what they weigh, before switching it out.
Cheers,
DG
Once more, if you are installing a new flywheel, at the very least take some time to understand the weighted-flywheel possibility, and look to see if your factory FW has the weights, and where they are/what they weigh, before switching it out.
Cheers,
DG
#31
I installed the LS7 clutch in my 98 at 50,000 miles. I gave the shop a heads up on the transfer of the balance pin. It was transfered and the car was silky smooth.
After 10,000 mile I'd had enough of the LS7 unit and decided to put a stock C5 clutch back in. I don't race and have a stock engine. (The pedal throw doesn't come out right with the LS7. Beware)
Anyway, even though I requested the tech at the dealership to transfer the weight, he didn't. Now there's a terrible vibration and they're going to have to take it back apart on their dime.
I believe the early cars like mine had the flywheel and engines balanced together. So if you replace the clutch with a balanced unit. Your engine may still need the pin.
I suggest replacing the pin. Or at least, mark the flywheel where it should go before you put the car back together. That way if there is a vibration, you can put it in later.
After 10,000 mile I'd had enough of the LS7 unit and decided to put a stock C5 clutch back in. I don't race and have a stock engine. (The pedal throw doesn't come out right with the LS7. Beware)
Anyway, even though I requested the tech at the dealership to transfer the weight, he didn't. Now there's a terrible vibration and they're going to have to take it back apart on their dime.
I believe the early cars like mine had the flywheel and engines balanced together. So if you replace the clutch with a balanced unit. Your engine may still need the pin.
I suggest replacing the pin. Or at least, mark the flywheel where it should go before you put the car back together. That way if there is a vibration, you can put it in later.
#33
Le Mans Master
Had a Spec 3+ and Spec flywheel installed a few years ago by shop in Tempe, they kept my flywheel and went out of business.
Ever since it has had a vibration at 2000-2400. Not that the clutch is toast, I need to fix this vibration when I put a new clutch in.
I have no stock flywheel to look at or transfer weights....what do I do ?
#34
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#36
Drifting
I had a heck of a time with mine I swappped in an LS6 clutch PP and flywheel and had vibrations from 800rpm's and up it was horrible!!!!! After it was all said and done I had had it out a total of 6 times in the end i ended up having to use my original flywheel which I had resurfaced and the LS6 clutch and PP. Its good now but what a PIA. I did get really good at pulling the drivetrain out though I also put a remote bleeder in and all new hydrualics.
#37
Tech Contributor
I had a heck of a time with mine I swappped in an LS6 clutch PP and flywheel and had vibrations from 800rpm's and up it was horrible!!!!! After it was all said and done I had had it out a total of 6 times in the end i ended up having to use my original flywheel which I had resurfaced and the LS6 clutch and PP. Its good now but what a PIA. I did get really good at pulling the drivetrain out though I also put a remote bleeder in and all new hydrualics.
#38
Le Mans Master
#39
Tech Contributor
Ya know, I never understand when guys ..."live with the vibration". A vibration in the driveline or engine suggests an out of balance condition, which will only lead to more damage..premature failure, etc.
#40
Le Mans Master
Yeah, but read the thread from start to finish.....what am I gonna do since my OEM flywheel is gone. I have no way to know how much weight to add to the zero balanced flywheel to make it the same as the OEM one.