[DeTomaso] Aluminum Flywheels
Charles McCall
charlesmccall at gmail.com
Wed May 7 05:44:16 EDT 2014
The bucking and snorting that MIke mentions as a downside to an Aluminum
flywheel might be more pronounced with a super-lightweight unit, but I have
not noticed any decrease in driveability with my Fidanza flywheel.
I also didn't notice a huge difference in speed of revving. Perhaps an even
lighter aluminum unit would be more noticeable, and would also introduce
difficulty in driveability since the two things are directly related.
On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 5:38 AM, <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:
> 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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-------------- next part --------------
The bucking and snorting that MIke mentions as a downside to an
Aluminum flywheel might be more pronounced with a super-lightweight
unit, but I have not noticed any decrease in driveability with my
Fidanza flywheel.
A
I also didn't notice a huge difference in speed of revving. Perhaps an
even lighter aluminum unit would be more noticeable, and would also
introduce difficulty in driveability since the two things are directly
related.
On Wed, May 7, 2014 at 5:38 AM, <[1]MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:
A A In a message dated 5/6/14 16 18 6, [2]mghibli7 at hotmail.com
writes:
A A A What's the general consensus on Aluminum Flywheels? Are they
the way
A A A to go? Any drawbacks?
A A >>>Like anything else that's "performance", they have
advantages and
A A drawbacks.
A A Engines have flywheels for a reason. A They exist to dampen the
pulses
A A from the ignition cycle, and also to conserve rotational energy
so it
A A can be used when it's needed. A When you are setting off from a
stop,
A A that conserved energy is what lets the car start rolling. A A
car with
A A no flywheel would be impossible to drive--the engine would
stall the
A A moment you tried to ease the clutch out.
A A So, flywheel = good.
A A The problem with a flywheel is that it requires a lot of power
(or
A A torque, if you prefer) to accelerate it. A When you are at 2000
rpm and
A A you put your foot to the floor, the engine is trying to speed
up. A Part
A A of what is holding it back is the aerodynamic drag, and the
flywheel
A A effect of the wheels and tires, but part of it is the engine
flywheel
A A itself. A It 'hurts' you when you are trying to accelerate the
engine.
A A A lighter-than-stock flywheel (whether it's aluminum or
lightened
A A steel) will allow the engine to accelerate more quickly, which
in turn
A A will allow the car to accelerate more quickly. A It will also
make the
A A car slightly more difficult to drive gently, may make it
slightly more
A A difficult to downshift (at least until you get used to it), and
will be
A A considerably more difficult to drive in traffic. A Whereas
before, if
A A you were creeping along in a line of traffic, you could let
your foot
A A off the clutch and just loaf along at 5 mph in first gear, now
the car
A A will buck and snort, and you will have to constantly dip the
clutch,
A A partially engage/slip the clutch, dip the clutch etc.
A A So it really depends on how you drive the car. A If traffic is
no
A A concern, you might really like it. A If you want your Pantera
to behave
A A like a regular car, you might want to save the $500 plus
balancing
A A costs and stick with what you've got.
A A A >If they are recommended, whose are you using and how many
miles do
A A A you have on it?
A A >>>I don't know what kind of aluminum flywheel I have--I
literally
A A found it in my parts room one day and had no idea how it got
there!
A A Apparently it came to me in a huge stash of other parts and I
simply
A A failed to notice it, or thought it was a stock flywheel at the
time.
A A When I had my engine rebuilt, I switched. A Since the entire
engine was
A A changed, I can't tell you the specific effect the flywheel has
had.
A A The old engine with the iron was a fair bit more tractable than
the new
A A one, but it also had half as much horsepower.
A A Mike
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References
1. mailto:MikeLDrew at aol.com
2. mailto:mghibli7 at hotmail.com
3. mailto:DeTomaso at poca.com
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