Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

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exminiman
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Berkshire

Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by exminiman »

Hi Folks

In process of getting midget engine (1275) machined and need to get lightened flywheel sorted.

This one from SH Engineering http://www.shengineering.co.uk/sh/conte ... t-flywheel jumps out albeit a bit pricey and I am not familiiar with the clutch.

Any one got any experiance of this product or any other Flywheel clutch combinations worth trying.

Likley be using for light competition

Cheers
casper171072
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:12 pm
Location: Sheffield

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by casper171072 »

I had my existing flywheel lightend. When I rebuiilt the engine I have all the bottom end balanced and the fly wheel lighted. They seemed to make a good job and it has deffinatly made a difference to the responsivness on the go pedal. The company I used was in Doncaster near to me though.
roymck
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Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:26 am
Location: Haslemere Surrey

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by roymck »

I am running a Fidanza alloy flywheel that takes the standard sized clutch . I bought from American Ebay and got a friend to bring it back in his hand luggage . Cost about £220 with no duty to pay. Excellent quality.
But a lot of American sellers will ship to UK from Ebay , just see if they can keep the price keen as that keeps the import duty down.
exminiman
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Berkshire

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by exminiman »

Thats great info thanks,

How have you found the Fidanza flywheel ?
roymck
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Location: Haslemere Surrey

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by roymck »

Absolutely fine , good quality and good fit. The Alloy flywheel comes with ring gear fitted and renewable steel friction wear area that could be replaced in the future if needed.

Just works out a lot cheaper if buying yourself from USA
exminiman
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Berkshire

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by exminiman »

I may be missing the ovious but why would you not always buy an ally flywheel, rather than a steel one.

Assuming cost was not an issue
roymck
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by roymck »

Lightened flywheels are not too everybody's taste. If you had a radical cam in the engine you would find the tickover to be somewhat erratic, and the car would also be easier to stall. The lighter the car the lighter the flywheel can be. Its all about inertia!
A Highly tuned 1275 engine 4 up and doing a hill start on Porlock hill with a light flywheel, forget it.
Big Daddy
Posts: 7158
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:33 am

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Big Daddy »

exminiman wrote:I may be missing the ovious but why would you not always buy an ally flywheel, rather than a steel one.

Assuming cost was not an issue
Investigated aluminium (aluminum ?) flywheel when specifying Red Rocket. Discovered that structural integrity could be an issue, resolved by leaving additional material. This means an aluminium flywheel can have slightly more inertia than a lightweight high-strength steel equivalent. Reason why race cars typically still use steel flywheels.

High-strength steel used is usually EN24. Material properties are much superior to OE production cast or forged flywheels, which should not be lightened without ensuring adequate structural integrity is maintained. Exploding flywheels aren't funny :shock:

roymck wrote:Lightened flywheels are not too everybody's taste. If you had a radical cam in the engine you would find the tickover to be somewhat erratic, and the car would also be easier to stall. The lighter the car the lighter the flywheel can be. Its all about inertia!
:iagree: Agreed low inertia flywheel/clutch assemblies make initial pull away difficult. RR is a nightmare but there are compensations... :thumbs:
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roymck
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by roymck »

A friend has a bike engine Caterham clone and it drives really well , the engine has next to no flywheel but I doubt that engine would be as good on a heavier car.
And lets not forget the McLaren F1 road car , 6 litre V12 and virtually no flywheel at all.
Big Daddy
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Big Daddy »

roymck wrote:And lets not forget the McLaren F1 road car , 6 litre V12 and virtually no flywheel at all.
Haven't researched, but did McLaren F1 have sophisticated engine management including anti-stall perhaps :?:
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Dave Clark
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Dave Clark »

And maybe 12 pistons, 12 rods and a 12 cylinder crankshaft also provide a bit of inertia on their own ?
Big Daddy
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Big Daddy »

Dave Clark wrote:And maybe 12 pistons, 12 rods and a 12 cylinder crankshaft also provide a bit of inertia on their own ?
Yes they will but the flywheel/clutch assembly still dominates. As you know Dave, Red Rocket's engine responds as though it has minimal inertia and it has 8 of everything... :whistle:
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Dave Clark
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Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Dave Clark »

Do I !!!

My take on lightened flywheels is that for a road car the standard flywheel is best. Only in competitive motorsport will a lighter flywheel convey advantages that out weight the values of an original design flywheel.

Steve, you will probably disagree, because of our viewpoints differ in that you are a racer and I am just a public road user . :whistle: :whistle:
Big Daddy
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Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:33 am

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by Big Daddy »

Dave Clark wrote:My take on lightened flywheels is that for a road car the standard flywheel is best.
With criticality of engine calibration (ask VW), it would take a brave man to meddle with base powertrain inertia on a modern car... :whistle:

On older cars before everything became so complex (aka emission compliant), lightened flywheel will significantly improve acceleration in lower gears (effect proportional to gear ratio ^2). Heavy flywheels on many old cars give some latitude to reduce inertia before ease of pull-away and idle quality become problematic. So you take the choice according to application and preference.
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exminiman
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Berkshire

Re: Lightened Flywhweel Suggestions ?

Post by exminiman »

Some interesting views

Having followed things up a bit more, it seems that if you go ultra light http://www.shengineering.co.uk/sh/conte ... t-flywheel

Here you use F3 type clutch and life of gear train could be effected unless it's strengthened as no "give" also no good for road as it's just like an on off switch. Ultralight is just competition, despite looking really "sick" as my sons would say!

However somewhere in between is this http://www.med-engineering.co.uk/produc ... bly/inline
Which it seems would be better for conventional gear box, road and track day type driving.

Does anyone have experiance of the MED offering
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