A pilot friend of mine brought his sweet 7,000 original miles, 1968 Plymouth GTX 426 Hemi to the airport this weekend. Many years ago he was into drag racing in a big way. He told me a story about a flywheel that cut loose and flew thru the passenger floor board, dash and shattered the windshield.

He was looking at my Vette and suggested that I should have a shatter proof bell housing. I have never seen this subject brought up before. Do Vettes come from the factory with a shatter proof bell housing? Is it a issue? A lot of people on this list are running a lot more power than I am and I am wondering if this is a concern for anyone.

 

I don't think anyone makes a scatter shield for the bell housing.

 

c5 ya
Have you ever heard of any shattered bell housings on a Vette or is it only the 60's cars that this was an issue?
Norm

 

I've heard of other cars (LS1 Fbodys) getting tranny scatter shields or scatter proof bell housings. Haven't heard anything about that on our cars though.

 

the only scatter shield available for the C5 is from Vinci. I am currently installing that little wonder right now. It's a nice piece, the only improvement would be for it to have a more half bowl shape to mimic the form of the upper bell housing versus the collar look it has in it's present form.

Although I have heard of very few incidents with exploding clutches,flywheel , etc, once you get under your car and see how very little protection you would have from a possible mishap, the scattershield in it's present form is better than betting on no protection at all.

 

2nd Vette
So reading between the lines, there is chance of a fly wheel can shatter and it doesn't only apply to the 60/70's cars. Do you have any idea of the hp/rpm a car would need to make it a risk?
Norm

 

I have heard of a couple of exploding clutches that have sent shrapnel through the firewall, one of those also delivering a few high-velocity projectiles into the driver's calf. These are rare occurances in C5's in my experience. I've read of more frequent mishaps on f-bodies. Lots of those guys run scatter shields as well as drive shaft loops.

 

That sounds like a horrible way to loose the family jewels. Do you think that only happens to cars that are red line above 7 grand or do you think it can happen on any car?
Norm

 

Risk is as risk does. I don't know how anyone could predict failure of any material. You can statistically map out probability, but, to me, why bother? Just noting that you have a spinning mass of materials near your right leg and foot, ranging between 1500 and 6000+ RPM with your only protection from an explosion being the aluminum bellhousing, the cockpit subfloor and some carpet and maybe some plastic, I really think it (the scattershield) a worthwhile mod, especially if you are in the middle of a clutch repair.

As I said, there have been scant few reports of this type of mishap happening to the C5. Whether or not it is a worthwhile mod is of personal choice.

 

In some cases it's not a choice that's left to you to make, some IHRA tech regulations require them depending on the performance category you're in.

With carefull examination of components, you can greatly reduce your risk - loose flywheel bolts allow movement that can start microscopic cracks, which then grow with use, especially under hard use like drag racing where stress as well as temperatures are highest. However, there is a massive amount of energy in a flywheel spinning 6000rpm, and having a bellhousing designed to help contain the energy or having a shrapel blanket around can only help things.

Sam

 

Yes, I remember hearing of one C5 that had sent shrapnel through the dash. It is rare, but can happen.

 

Yeah I remember that, it was a Cartek clutch. Think it actually totalled the car. It destroyed the wiring harnesses and stuff even. I might be wrong about the totalling, but I remember it was very very expensive.

Dope

 

here's a pic of the VHP shield.


can buy it from this page. scroll down the bar on left and click transmission.
http://www.vincihighperformance.com/...1MAINPAGE.HTML

 

That was my car, happened July 03 got the car back on the road Dec. 03, the car wasn't technically totaled but did about 19k in damage. The car looked like it was in a wreck from the inside out, wish I would have heard about that litlle wonder before the accident or even before I put it back together.

 

When that happened were you running a stock flywheel and clutch and what were the circumstances? How close was that damage to your legs and feet?
Norm

 

With all due respect to Bad Bob it was my 99 coupe that experienced the first clutch/bell housing explosion with a well known tuner's aftermarket clutch.

The car was not totalled and I am happy to say I think it is better today than ever!

The damage was extensive and included cracked windshield, disintegrated bell housing, pieces of bell housing came through firewall, cut wiring harness, cut coolant hoses, destroyed the headers, destroyed the torque tube, damaged the cat back exhaust and broke the passenger windshield wiper.

What is important to know here is that the flywheel remained intact and the crank was not damaged.

The protective piece being offered by Vinci WILL NOT protect against the type of explosion that Bad Bob or I experienced. It WILL protect the driver of the vehicle in the event of a flywheel letting go but even then the part will NOT prevent damage to the vehicle.

Some guys use a kevlar transmission blanket but I was unsuccessful in having this part clear the extremely limited space that exists between the bell housing and the headers. It just would not clear that for me.

I have been told that even this type of blanket application will most likely NOT contain the type of explosion that is possible from within the bell housing.

IMHO the only absolute safe thing to do is buy a custom made steel bell housing that will completely contain such an explosion protecting both the driver and the car.

Hope this helps and stay safe!