Lightened flywheel. Update: how light and where to get it made?

[oldcorollas]

Our machinist is a certified aerospace machinist. When he is not lightening our flywheels, he is turning critical satellite parts.

I wonder how many critical parts on satellites are machined by hand

some cast irons are very tough, is not necessarily that bad

[egamirrorim]

Toyota lightening flywheels from the factory is one thing but letting loose an individual on your flywheel, no matter how many satellite parts they make, is quite another.

A purpose built lightweight flywheel is not expensive, as has been demonstrated above, if you cant afford this and want to lighten your flywheel in a questionable fashion then perhaps you cannot afford your legs either...

[Ashh]

Cheers for the responses guys. I'll give NPC a ring as they seem to know what they're doing. Has anyone else had any success with companies closer to Sydney with regards to getting a flywheel made?

I'm thinking a flywheel around 6-7kg would be really good? Given that the stock 2t one is 12 which is a real pig, but I think a fidanza at 4.4kg might be too light (especially with a button clutch...) for a daily driver.

[Ashh]

Oh and @ctrain:

I've heard that too but I think that's more if you want to build boost while not moving (I.e. By revving the engine, as a heavier flywheel puts more load on it). Once the car is actually moving the load of keeping it moving/accelerating will be much more than keeping the flywheel spinning (you'd hope).

[jondee86]

Some people want to try reading stuff with both eyes open !!! Then you might see that a business in the USA (the most litigious country on earth) is modifying flywheels for performance cars. Think about it for just a moment... how long do they stay in business if they are chopping peoples legs off on a regular basis ??

Yeah... I know the mention of satellite stuff provides a chance to dive off topic and conveniently ignore the real point of the post... it happens a lot when people don't want to actually think things through.

And while I'm at it.. I wonder how Toyota (or their supplier) modifying a flywheel makes it safer than the same flywheel modified in exactly the same way by an engineer ?? As I said before... myth and legend

Cheers... jondee86

[Ashh]

I think there's a very simple divide here.
You can lighten a flywheel safely if you know what you're doing. Fact. There is also potential to create something extremely dangerous. Also fact.

Engineers at Toyota know what they're doing. The bloke in a random shop... you don't know. If you want to go off their reputation, that's your business.

Nowwwww how hard is it to drive a 2/3T Turbo with a 7kg flywheel and where do I get one made out of STEEL?!

[Javal]

I have a 6kg flywheel on my 18RGEU, standard is up around 10.5-11kg. I haven't done a many of kilometers with it (<200) but the most noticeable 'real world' difference was that when I got off the throttle and let the engine brake, the deceleration was stronger / more immediate. I ended up needing to get back on the gas a few times because i'd slowed too quickly when approaching traffic lights.

Of course there are other things you'll notice like the engine being free-er revving, the RPM dropping between shifts quicker and it's a tiny bit easier to stall.

I had my flywheel made up by Direct Clutch Services in QLD. It's 6061 Billet Aluminium IIRC. They have a design for 18R engines on their system so it was just a matter of specifying what weight I wanted and sourcing a new ring gear. They may have a design for 2T / 3T motors, give them a call at least. If they don't, they can make you a custom one. Top blokes to deal with.

As far as driving a 2/3T turbo with a 7kg flywheel, I don't imagine you're going to struggle. It'll only be a pig if you build the engine to be a grumpy-barely-idling thing.

[jondee86]

This ^^^^ pretty much covers it The biggest issue you will have is finding someone who has all the relevant dimensions for the 2T/3T flywheel on hand. Otherwise you may need to supply a stock flywheel to measure up.

Nothing wrong with steel flywheels if they are correctly made, and I would have one in my car if my engine build justified the use of a higher performance flywheel. While flywheels are usually quoted as being a certain weight, it is the polar moment of inertia of the flywheel (basically the distribution of mass) that affects performance. Removing weight from the outer rim of the flywheel has much greater benefit than removing weight closer to the centre.

Reducing the moment of inertia allows the engine speed to increase more rapidly, and the car will accelerate better (more so in the lower gears). Energy that was diverted into accelerating the flywheel, is now going to the wheels. The reverse is also true, which can lead to some of the effects outlined in the previous post.

Put a picture up when you get your new flywheel

Cheers... jondee86

[Ashh]

Cheers for the responses! I'll give NPC and Direct Clutch Services a ring and see what the options are
Thinking around 6-7kg depending on how they say that is related to the stock one in terms of polar moment of inertia (I.e. Going for about half).

[WDE_BDY]

Try these guys, see what clutch they can do it to suit.
http://brdracing.com/t50_t40_w50_drivetrain.htm

Callum

[Hurricane]

my current 3t turbo has a Alloy Fidanza 3tgte Flywheel, around 10lbs Part No. 130001 Code. T0-3 drives better than ever.

Also had a 1ggte flywheel on it that was lighter than normal and drove fine before the alloy.

my first 3tc had a oem machined flywheel that i think was around 7kg with a worked motor and drove mint.
and now ive got a Alloy fidanza flywheel to run on it when its back together thats around 9LBS

the early motor was seeing 8000rpm alot with no issues.

i found the lighter flywheels did nothing but improve every asspect with no cons what so ever in any area.

taking off with a lumpy cam was fine, maybe idleing around with the cam in gear was alittle more 'choppy' than a heavyer flywheel?

I beleave these guys can supply Fidanza Parts and Fidanza also make custom and steel flywheels


CLUTCH INDUSTRIES LTD
15 MACQUARIE DRIVE
THOMATOWN VICTORIA 3074
AUSTRALIA
54.59 Miles
Phone: (03) 9463 2200
http://www.clutchindustries.com.au

[Hurricane]

http://youtu.be/E6ycnlG3Gdk

is an idea of the cam i was running

[Ashh]

Ooh 1ggte flywheels fit? Which generation? (Just googled and they seem to be incompatible with each other?)

So many options!

I drove my mates car with an aluminium flywheel that was ridiculously light and it just meant taking off/hill starts where a pain. His car was very very twitchy though.

[Hurricane]

i used first gen flywheels, the later have a different bolt PCD as far as i know.

i guess the lighter the flywheel the quicker the motor should rev up, so that my harm traction and smooth power delivery?

i found every thig was jjust as controlable though.

[river]

I thought about a lightened flywheel for Trini, as she is in the final phase of her magnificent return, with more power and other mods... but I will stick with the stock fly wheel.

For me, and the way I drive, as well as the purpose of Trini, there is no advantage to a light fly wheel. All it gives me is cost, and changes the engine rev up/down parameters (ie speed of revving up and speed of revving down - not ultimate rpm) which I find is not worth the cost of a light fly.

In regards to the cast iron wheels disintegrating... doesn't happen (unless you back yard job and shim it down like that).. and considering an engine like an 18R-G can get upwards of 8k rpm, the cast iron unit is fine. The amount of power an engine generates is irrelevant. It comes down to the centrifugal forces, and unless you are thinking of going 10k+ rpm, the cast unit is fine - unless you want the more "zippiness" in initial engine revs... and the subsequent dying of revs between gears changes.