[DeTomaso] Aluminum Flywheels

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Tue May 6 23:38:08 EDT 2014


In a message dated 5/6/14 16 18 6, mghibli7 at hotmail.com writes:


> What's the general consensus on Aluminum Flywheels? Are they the way to 
> go? Any drawbacks?
> 
>>>Like anything else that's "performance", they have advantages and 
drawbacks.

Engines have flywheels for a reason.   They exist to dampen the pulses from 
the ignition cycle, and also to conserve rotational energy so it can be 
used when it's needed.   When you are setting off from a stop, that conserved 
energy is what lets the car start rolling.   A car with no flywheel would be 
impossible to drive--the engine would stall the moment you tried to ease the 
clutch out.

So, flywheel = good.

The problem with a flywheel is that it requires a lot of power (or torque, 
if you prefer) to accelerate it.   When you are at 2000 rpm and you put your 
foot to the floor, the engine is trying to speed up.   Part of what is 
holding it back is the aerodynamic drag, and the flywheel effect of the wheels 
and tires, but part of it is the engine flywheel itself.   It 'hurts' you 
when you are trying to accelerate the engine.

A lighter-than-stock flywheel (whether it's aluminum or lightened steel) 
will allow the engine to accelerate more quickly, which in turn will allow the 
car to accelerate more quickly.   It will also make the car slightly more 
difficult to drive gently, may make it slightly more difficult to downshift 
(at least until you get used to it), and will be considerably more difficult 
to drive in traffic.   Whereas before, if you were creeping along in a line 
of traffic, you could let your foot off the clutch and just loaf along at 5 
mph in first gear, now the car will buck and snort, and you will have to 
constantly dip the clutch, partially engage/slip the clutch, dip the clutch 
etc.

So it really depends on how you drive the car.   If traffic is no concern, 
you might really like it.   If you want your Pantera to behave like a 
regular car, you might want to save the $500 plus balancing costs and stick with 
what you've got.
> 
> >If they are recommended, whose are you using and how many miles do you 
> have on it?
> 
> >>>I don't know what kind of aluminum flywheel I have--I literally found it 
in my parts room one day and had no idea how it got there!   Apparently it 
came to me in a huge stash of other parts and I simply failed to notice it, 
or thought it was a stock flywheel at the time.   When I had my engine 
rebuilt, I switched.   Since the entire engine was changed, I can't tell you the 
specific effect the flywheel has had.   The old engine with the iron was a 
fair bit more tractable than the new one, but it also had half as much 
horsepower.

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   In a message dated 5/6/14 16 18 6, mghibli7 at hotmail.com writes:

     What's the general consensus on Aluminum Flywheels? Are they the way
     to go? Any drawbacks?

   >>>Like anything else that's "performance", they have advantages and
   drawbacks.
   Engines have flywheels for a reason.  They exist to dampen the pulses
   from the ignition cycle, and also to conserve rotational energy so it
   can be used when it's needed.  When you are setting off from a stop,
   that conserved energy is what lets the car start rolling.  A car with
   no flywheel would be impossible to drive--the engine would stall the
   moment you tried to ease the clutch out.
   So, flywheel = good.
   The problem with a flywheel is that it requires a lot of power (or
   torque, if you prefer) to accelerate it.  When you are at 2000 rpm and
   you put your foot to the floor, the engine is trying to speed up.  Part
   of what is holding it back is the aerodynamic drag, and the flywheel
   effect of the wheels and tires, but part of it is the engine flywheel
   itself.  It 'hurts' you when you are trying to accelerate the engine.
   A lighter-than-stock flywheel (whether it's aluminum or lightened
   steel) will allow the engine to accelerate more quickly, which in turn
   will allow the car to accelerate more quickly.  It will also make the
   car slightly more difficult to drive gently, may make it slightly more
   difficult to downshift (at least until you get used to it), and will be
   considerably more difficult to drive in traffic.  Whereas before, if
   you were creeping along in a line of traffic, you could let your foot
   off the clutch and just loaf along at 5 mph in first gear, now the car
   will buck and snort, and you will have to constantly dip the clutch,
   partially engage/slip the clutch, dip the clutch etc.
   So it really depends on how you drive the car.  If traffic is no
   concern, you might really like it.  If you want your Pantera to behave
   like a regular car, you might want to save the $500 plus balancing
   costs and stick with what you've got.

     >If they are recommended, whose are you using and how many miles do
     you have on it?

   >>>I don't know what kind of aluminum flywheel I have--I literally
   found it in my parts room one day and had no idea how it got there!
   Apparently it came to me in a huge stash of other parts and I simply
   failed to notice it, or thought it was a stock flywheel at the time.
   When I had my engine rebuilt, I switched.  Since the entire engine was
   changed, I can't tell you the specific effect the flywheel has had.
   The old engine with the iron was a fair bit more tractable than the new
   one, but it also had half as much horsepower.
   Mike


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