Fidanza ALERT!!!

[GreenGSX]

I have a bit of "heads-up" on Fidanza flywheels. At the shoot-out this year I took out my 1-2 shift fork and burnt up yet another ACT2600 disk. When I got home I put in my friends spare tranny and in the process found that all the dowel pins in the flywheel had come out! The clutch plate had loosened and partially spun which I think contributed to the failure of the disk. Or maybe it was drag racing with a 1-3 shift? I don't know? Anyway, I called Fidanza directly and they confirmed that the DSM community has been very hard on their flywheels. It turns out that some of us get them so hot drag racing that no lock-tite known to man can hold them in. The solution is a stepped dowel pin that uses the pressure plate assembly to hold the pins in while still maintaining the centering function of the dowels themselves......did that make sense???

The hot tip of the day is you can call Fidanza and get the dowel pins shipped to your door for about $15. I would encourage anyone who is hard on clutches to look into it.

Tim

 

[nowayout]

Good info.

After doing some research I'm sticking with the stock flywheel.
heavier but it can take a abuse.

 

[KenTSIII]

Tym Swytzer (Buschur Racing) exploded an stock DSM flywheel also (unlightened).. so those aren't immune either. Also if you start running 11s you need an SFI approved flywheel & the stocker won't cut it.

 

[Rodman]

Are the Fidanza's SFI approved?

 

[nowayout]

which one is SFI approve.
The one that Sean is using at Extreme is that SFI approve.


Just want to do it once so a few extra hundred is cheaper than my time taking it appart.

 

[Blitz]

Originally posted by Rodman
Are the Fidanza's SFI approved?

Yes, Fidanza flywheels are SFI approved.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/manuf.html

 

[TotalEclipse98]

what do you guys mean by they are heavier?

 

[indy1979]

Originally posted by TotalEclipse98
what do you guys mean by they are heavier?

Stocker flywheels weigh about 19 lbs. Fidanza is about 10 lbs. lighter. I'm running stocker lightened to 14 lbs.

Sam

 

[HITNRUN]

ACT2600 clutches are hard on flywheels. Lucky for us the transmissions are transversly mounted so when they explode they are less likely to cut off any toes. Longitudenally mounted engines, the transmission would basically be right beside your feet. There is a lot of force when one of those things come apart. The floor can't usually stop any shrapnal from the bell housing from coming through. You can, however get re-enforced bell housings just incase this happens.

 

[NDgsx]

If your flywheel explodes and you have no scattershield you will be out a lot of money. There is a video floating around of my friend Mark Custido's car after this happened. The car was totaled, hood flew back and smashed the roof.
DSS sells the most solid scattershield I have seen.

 

[NosLaser]

I had a flywheel explode on me, and let me tell you, it's no walk in the park. Mine popped at 7k rpm on the 2-3 shift. It broke up into about 4 pretty large pieces; one shot straight up and hit the hood resulting in a rather unsightly convex dent, another piece shot back towards the firewall, and into the passenger seat (if I had a passgenger, they would be a bit shorter today), another piece shot forward, slicing EVERYTHING in it's path including but not limited to the turbo, turbo inlet pipe, through the radiator, through the condensor, and stopped at the front cross brace (but not before leaving a big dent in it) and the final piece shot straight down, hit the pavement, left a huge hole in the ground, and shot forward and went PAST the car I was racing. Mind you, he stayed on it to over 80mph, and the piece of flywheel went sparking past his car, and ended up a little over 300 yards from where my car finally came to a rest. There was a short lived fire from severed fuel lines, but it's my theory that is was immediatly doused with coolant, but when the flywheel actually exploded, the front tires came OFF the ground from the force and inertia, the wheels locked up, and it was all I could do to keep the car straight with the damn wheels locked going 60+mph. Word to the wise. Either upgrade your flywheel, or run a VERY GOOD scatter shield. I personally advise against lightened factory flywheels. Aside from this dowel problem, aluminum is about the safest you can go for flywheel material, as that is what most high HP drag cars use.

Regards,

 

[HITNRUN]

had a flywheel explode on me, and let me tell you, it's no walk in the park. Mine popped at 7k rpm on the 2-3 shift. It broke up into about 4 pretty large pieces; one shot straight up and hit the hood resulting in a rather unsightly convex dent, another piece shot back towards the firewall, and into the passenger seat (if I had a passgenger, they would be a bit shorter today), another piece shot forward, slicing EVERYTHING in it's path including but not limited to the turbo, turbo inlet pipe, through the radiator, through the condensor, and stopped at the front cross brace (but not before leaving a big dent in it) and the final piece shot straight down, hit the pavement, left a huge hole in the ground, and shot forward and went PAST the car I was racing. Mind you, he stayed on it to over 80mph, and the piece of flywheel went sparking past his car, and ended up a little over 300 yards from where my car finally came to a rest. There was a short lived fire from severed fuel lines, but it's my theory that is was immediatly doused with coolant, but when the flywheel actually exploded, the front tires came OFF the ground from the force and inertia, the wheels locked up, and it was all I could do to keep the car straight with the damn wheels locked going 60+mph. Word to the wise. Either upgrade your flywheel, or run a VERY GOOD scatter shield. I personally advise against lightened factory flywheels. Aside from this dowel problem, aluminum is about the safest you can go for flywheel material, as that is what most high HP drag cars use.

Holy !&%^&$*#@!!!!!

 

[indy1979]

Just wondering, did insurance do anything?

Sam

 

[NDgsx]

http://www.machv.com/lib/machv/flywheelboom.wmv

 

[HITNRUN]

Ouch!

Thank god for AAA

Yup.

 

[rick]

holy @#$@#$!!!!!!!!!
damn!!!!!!!!

 

[rick]

btw, rodman your dsm

::drool::

 

[GreenGSX]

I know this post is a bit old but a fellow Rochester DSM just purchased a new Fidanza flywheel and it came with the new style stepped dowel pins. In other words people considering getting a new Fidanza needn't worry about the dowel pins. Guys running older Fidanza's should inspect/upgrade the pins the next time they take the tranny out.

Tim

 

[blackvr4]

Scary stuff and im RHD.

 

[indy1979]

Originally posted by blackvr4
Scary stuff and im RHD.

If I were you, I think I'd start welding some stuff to the firewall.

Sam

 

[HITNRUN]

Scary stuff and im RHD.

Yeah man. Your right in line with the flywheel.

If I were you, I think I'd start welding some stuff to the firewall.

Thats a good idea.

 

[blackvr4]

i just took it off its got cracks all through it im going to toss it and the clutch plate fell apart have a look at this guys flywheels what do you think?
http://www.uniqueautosports.com.au/pricelists/Price list Engine.htm

 

[ArcticTsi]

just run the Jun's flywheel, 4.5kg. or 7lbs, virtualy indistructable!

 

[GRNDSM]

Actually Jun's FW is not meant for drag racing...

Leon
RR

 

[ArcticTsi]

oops, my bad. I dont drag race. Just road coarse.