light flywheels questions
 

If i buy a painfully expensive lightened flywheel, can I get it resurfaced an infinite # of times like typical v8 products, or is it like a brake rotor where I have to worry about thickness? Does anyone actually sell the replacement friction surfaces?

You have to worry about the friction surface thickness. The steel surface plate is screwed or riveted on and when it gets to a certain point you have to replace it. You can knock 4lbs out of the back side of stock flywheel - nothing to it. IMO, if you're going boost, that money is better spent elsewhere. If you were staying NA, it might be another story. - rob

I didn't know that about the aluminum flys... one more reason not to buy one.

As for lightening a stock one:
I went to three local places, one a speedshop and two metalshops. To make the stock flywheel lighter, you're basically paying a guy an hourly rate to stand at a metal lathe and shave down the ring. I think they quoted me about an hour and a half to shave and balance... it was going to be about $120. I think I'd rather use that money for new rear tires or a DIY water injection setup.

Word, a stock Miata flywheel really isn't that bad anyways. Not when you compare it to a stock 24lb. WRX flywheel/anchor.

Try a machine shop. $40 for lightening the stock 1.6 flywheel to just a little over 12 lbs and resurfacing. It really shouldn't cost that much.

I'm running a 12# shaved stocker. No problem so far...

actually a fidanza has a replaceable friction surface. You can just install a new friction surface every so often.

I've got a SPEC lighteweight flywheel. Probably about 8-9lbs. The friction serface is meant to be user replacable.

If I knew at the time I was going to go FI I wouldn't have bothered, put the money towards a Torsen swap maybe. Even when NA it wasn't something that really kicked you in the ass as being an improvement. After two days driving it I couldn't even tell it was there. Pretty subtle for the amount of $$$ invested. I think even at $40 taking 4 lbs off the stock flywheel is better spent on beer and lap dances. You'd likely never notice the difference.

Jay

I'm NA, but I love my Fidanza. Makes the engine respond sooo much nicer. I'm sure a shaved stock flywheel would be great for an FI setup (of which, by the way, I am totally envious...I want a turbo!)

so far (Im still NA atm) the fidanza flywheel has been the best money spent after the suspension. hands down.

My roommate has a NA 1.6 and he loves his 8-9lb fidanza. I like it as well but would of course take my turbo over it anyday. The fast dropping revs are nice and i guess the very fast revs are good all around actually. He also believe that the rubber on his gas pedal is unneeded weight so his car is inevitably stripped as well. That might have something to do with the spunkyness of his car.

... The Fidanza is great.

I had a fidanza 7 lb on my eclipse GSX, and while I thought it was a good improvement, I would definitely rather spend the money elsewhere.

Cool. Where should I get a stock 1.8l flywheel? Can I typically resurface the stock flywheel and have enough material left? Froogle doesn't list anything other than the lightened crap.


My vw responded very well to the light flywheel. I'm just getting everything ready to do a clutch job before I get laid off.

I'm sure you could get one from partsgroup, planet miata, or u-r-g.com, or just your favorite local you pull it junkyard

You might even call a clutch place that does imports and work a core deal. Rspeed used to do that- they had resurfaced flywheels ready to go, some lightened. As mentioned - the lightened ones were $40 over.

Why not use the 1.6l flywheel and clutch?

because i'd like to not require another new clutch this summer if I get a turbo system together on a 1.8 swap.

Just put a wanted to buy ad out at m.net. I did that when I wanted a 1.6 spare. A guy who had a few sitting around his garage sent me one for free... I just had to pay the $15 shipping. A local shop resurfaced it for about $60... now I don't have any down time when I replace the clutch.

Light flywheels own. Clutchnet Aluminum only for me please. For all you turbo guys...you get through the "Dead" area of the power band quicker and into boost.

Can still use the 1.6l clutch on a 1.8l engine. There are plenty of 1.6 clutch options that will hold plenty of power.