replace flywheel?

[Jeong]

i read somewhere that replacing the flywheel has a big impact on car. heard that its where most power is lost. im still learning about cars sooo yah.

anyways i was thinking of changing the flywheel, but someone told me that if i change the flywheel i should change the clutch also. is that mandatory or can i choose to change the clutch later on?

[Ingen]

The flywheel and clutch are right there together, and it's about a ten hour job to access them. Because of the amount of time involved in digging them out, most people choose to do both at the same time rather than have to do the process twice.

That said.... Have you done any other modifications? I mean, a lighter flywheel will certainly rev much faster, but it will also be more difficult to drive in a normal setting - it's more prone to stalling due to having less angular momentum. But if ya want it, do it Just know it can be a pain in the ass.

Most people keep their stock clutch until other mods cause it to slip.

[NOHOME]

Pointless in this car. Get the same effect for less money by buying light rims and decent tires. If you shave 5 pounds off each corner of the car, it will be a better effort, cost about the same and look better than a clutch and flywheel job.

My other point to all who go about modifying a car. What is the baseline measurement that you are trying to improve upon? If you can't put a number on something, then you cant improve upon it. So, what parameter are you measuring, how are you measuring it and what final value are your trying to attain for what kind of money?

In the case of wheels and tires, you can weight the before and after, you are reducing rotational mass that can be validated with the 0-60 time and same for stopping distance since both less rotational mass AND better tires are going to come into play. The other good thing about this upgrade is that there is no trade-off in drive-ability as there would be with the flywheel.

[Kuzuri]

Originally Posted by NOHOME

Pointless in this car. Get the same effect for less money by buying light rims and decent tires. If you shave 5 pounds off each corner of the car, it will be a better effort, cost about the same and look better than a clutch and flywheel job.

My other point to all who go about modifying a car. What is the baseline measurement that you are trying to improve upon? If you can't put a number on something, then you cant improve upon it. So, what parameter are you measuring, how are you measuring it and what final value are your trying to attain for what kind of money?

In the case of wheels and tires, you can weight the before and after, you are reducing rotational mass that can be validated with the 0-60 time and same for stopping distance since both less rotational mass AND better tires are going to come into play. The other good thing about this upgrade is that there is no trade-off in drive-ability as there would be with the flywheel.

or do a light flywheel AND light racing wheels together.

[CaptainSlow]

Cheaper and easier to replace the UDP.

[d1ck]

Originally Posted by NOHOME

Pointless in this car. Get the same effect for less money by buying light rims and decent tires. If you shave 5 pounds off each corner of the car, it will be a better effort, cost about the same and look better than a clutch and flywheel job.

My other point to all who go about modifying a car. What is the baseline measurement that you are trying to improve upon? If you can't put a number on something, then you cant improve upon it. So, what parameter are you measuring, how are you measuring it and what final value are your trying to attain for what kind of money?

In the case of wheels and tires, you can weight the before and after, you are reducing rotational mass that can be validated with the 0-60 time and same for stopping distance since both less rotational mass AND better tires are going to come into play. The other good thing about this upgrade is that there is no trade-off in drive-ability as there would be with the flywheel.

You seem to be completely against changing the flywheel. Have you ever driven a vehicle with a lighter flywheel? It significantly improves engine response for both accelerating and decelerating with the clutch in. Also, I constantly hear people say "It will ruin driveability". However, everyone I've talked to who's actually lived with one has said driveability is actually improved.

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Originally Posted by d1ck

You seem to be completely against changing the flywheel. Have you ever driven a vehicle with a lighter flywheel? It significantly improves engine response for both accelerating and decelerating with the clutch in. Also, I constantly hear people say "It will ruin driveability". However, everyone I've talked to who's actually lived with one has said driveability is actually improved.

I agree!

A lightweight flywheel will SIGNIFICANTLY change the way the car drives and rev's, for the better IMO. If you are going to do a clutch I would highly recommend this change. The improvement with well worth it especially in an low HP and light N/A car like the twins.

We are installing the ACT lightweight flywheel and Street Clutch kit in our car very soon. Cannot wait to drive it after this is done.

[Frostyman]

I absolutely LOVE my ACT clutch and 10lb. flywheel. The yellow box they shipped in is so pretty sitting there in my closet since November. I bet a dollar I'll love them even more once I finally find someone who is less than three hours away, or wants less than a grand to install them! (shops in Va Beach hate aftermarket apparently)

[Supermassive]

Originally Posted by FT-86 SpeedFactory

I agree!

A lightweight flywheel will SIGNIFICANTLY change the way the car drives and rev's, for the better IMO. If you are going to do a clutch I would highly recommend this change. The improvement with well worth it especially in an low HP and light N/A car like the twins.

We are installing the ACT lightweight flywheel and Street Clutch kit in our car very soon. Cannot wait to drive it after this is done.

I have a lightweight flywheel/clutch in my car as well as a lightweight crank pulley and like FT86SpeedFactory and others have said, this makes a substantial change in the character ofthe engine for the better. Anyone saying that lighter wheels will give you the same improvement is both mechanically and reality challenged. Light wheels affect acceleration and handling yes...but to truly wake up this sleepy engine taking loads off the crank helps it to rev quicker and respond like a sports car. The stock flywheel and clutch weighs just a hair over 34lbs while the FX400 clutch and flywheel from clutchmasters rings in under 25lbs. My car revs like a superbike now, all the way to my 8500 rpm redline. It makes rev matching a breeze, but does require deft throttle control for the best upshifts.

The swap can be completed easily in a day if you are mechanically inclined, shops can do it much faster, but since I prefer to do my own work I did it myself. I even wrote up a handy dandy DIY for it here: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25054

[Synack]

10 hours install? There's no way it takes that long.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Synack

10 hours install? There's no way it takes that long.

If you don't know what you're doing it could take a whole weekend easily, at best it'll be a long hard day for a first timer IF he's got all the proper tools and advice to make the job easy. My truck was up for about three weeks when I did my clutch (delayed due to parts, inexperience and a stubborn drain plug) in the garage.

[Synack]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

If you don't know what you're doing it could take a whole weekend easily, at best it'll be a long hard day for a first timer IF he's got all the proper tools and advice to make the job easy. My truck was up for about three weeks when I did my clutch (delayed due to parts, inexperience and a stubborn drain plug) in the garage.

I was thinking labor hours in terms of a shop. If that were the case the job could approach $1000 depending on where you go. Not to mention clutches start at like $600.

[Orthow]

Originally Posted by Synack

10 hours install? There's no way it takes that long.

That has to be the book time for Dealerships to perform the task.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Synack

I was thinking labor hours in terms of a shop. If that were the case the job could approach $1000 depending on where you go. Not to mention clutches start at like $600.

Any good shop should keep it less than a day, I would guess a good shop would bill 4-6 hours on a simple RWD car.

What clutches are you buying? Last one I bought was <$300, admittedly not performance but still $600 seems a tad high for OEM replacement.