Go with lightened flywheel, or stock?

grantman10 · 08-31-2008, 07:22 PM

Alright, i know there is a lot of threads on lightened flywheels, however i am looking for the opinions of all you members on a decision i have to make.

I bought my car about 8 months ago and it has an act 2100 and an ebay lightened flywheel (9lbs). The flywheel has 10,000 miles on it, and the ACT has 5,000 miles on it. I have never driven anyone else's dsm so i cannot compare the performance gains from the lightened flywheel.

Recently my transmission went out while i was on a trip downstate (michigan). Lucky for me Team RIP (TRE Transmission) is only an hour from where my car is located. I just bought a TRE stage 2 transmission for my car, and i got a good deal on it too. However, it is not installed yet.

Here is the controversy...

I am unsure if i want to keep the lightened flywheel, or replace it with a resurfaced stock one. I hear a lot about how lightened flywheels help rev quicker, and get you into boost faster, but i don't know if i trust the fact that it is an eBay item, and i don't happen to remember the brand either. I am scared that after about 10,000 miles after the tranny is in (when i start turning up the boost, and reaming on the tranny) that the flywheel will break, or explode all over my new tranny

.

I want to get a stock flywheel in there so i can have better consistency when launching. That is what i hate most about the lightened flywheel, i cant launch worth shit with it, it doesn't have enough momentum to provide a smooth launch. But i am scared that if i put the stock flywheel in i am going to notice a huge negative effect on performance.

So i am asking....What would you do in this situation?

I want to launch better and have a reliable flywheel, but i don't want to be slower.

I have had my transmission out three times since i have gotten the car and i want it to stay in for a while this time.

Please educate me

SmalltownDSMer · 08-31-2008, 07:31 PM

When I bought mine it had a Fidenza lightweight flywheel, I took it to San Rafael(an hour drive) for the timing belt service it was fine. After the service I picked it up and heard a horrible rattle. The flywheel had come apart in the tranny, luckily it didn't affect anything else. I replaced it with a stock one and to me the difference is hardly noticeable.

grantman10 · 08-31-2008, 07:35 PM

Thank you for the info. That is exactly what i don't want to happen. I have has the car for 11,000 miles and the motor has been pulled once, and the tranny has been dropped twice. If it happens again i will probably drink a gallon of antifreeze!

Please keep the opinions coming.

icekilla126 · 08-31-2008, 07:48 PM

i guy offered me a fidanza still in packaging for $100 couldnt pass that up. It does rev and get into boost a lot quicker. I do not know too much about ebay flywheels. If its inspect and installed properly i cant see what would go wrong.

Hideki · 08-31-2008, 07:52 PM

I have an RRE lightweight flywheel, and I didn't notice a tremendous "oh my god this thing revs so much faster" kinda experience. While it was an improvement, and for around $220 it's not gonna break the bank by any means. I'd probably go with the lightweight flywheel over a stock one (especially if you're dishing out the money for a TRE transmission anyways)

grantman10 · 08-31-2008, 07:58 PM

Have any of you guys felt the difference in launching with the lightweight flywheel?

I am going to get a keydiver chip soon so i am going to have adjustible launch control and No Lift To Shift, so i am not worried about rps dropping a lot between shifts. Also, it doesent decrease spool RPM does it? It just gets to that RPM quicker, Right?

gregalmighty · 08-31-2008, 08:02 PM

I vote for the lightweight flywheel as well. I have experience with both and the difference is pretty noticeable to me. I don't have any trouble launching or consistency issues with act 2100 / fidanza flywheel combo either.

grantman10 · 08-31-2008, 08:06 PM

Thank you guys for all the input, i think i am going to stick with the lightweight flywheel. I just hope I don't regret it later on. I would love some more opinions though.

kris_stewart10 · 08-31-2008, 09:03 PM

i promise you wont regret it i have a 6 bolt with an 8 lbs flywheel and my car is now F***ing amazing

Well with all the mods but the flywheel isnt hurting and YES it is helping its not a real noticeable difference but hey i like it and when you KILL ricers thats just something else to add to your list of mods

SmalltownDSMer · 08-31-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris_stewart10

i promise you wont regret it i have a 6 bolt with an 8 lbs flywheel and my car is now F***ing amazing

Well with all the mods but the flywheel isnt hurting and YES it is helping its not a real noticeable difference but hey i like it and when you KILL ricers thats just something else to add to your list of mods

Don't get me wrong, lightweight flywheels are good but with a 2 piece aluminum flywheel the heating and cooling temps are different for the 2 metals so over time/ launches, the heads of the screws that hold the ring can get stripped which allows the ring to move around slightly.. Worse case scenario the ring actually comes off inside your transmission...

grantman10 · 08-31-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmalltownDSMer

Don't get me wrong, lightweight flywheels are good but with a 2 piece aluminum flywheel the heating and cooling temps are different for the 2 metals so over time/ launches, the heads of the screws that hold the ring can get stripped which allows the ring to move around slightly.. Worse case scenario the ring actually comes off inside your transmission...

Thats what im afraid of...

neoviper · 08-31-2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris_stewart10

i promise you wont regret it i have a 6 bolt with an 8 lbs flywheel and my car is now F***ing amazing

Well with all the mods but the flywheel isnt hurting and YES it is helping its not a real noticeable difference but hey i like it and when you KILL ricers thats just something else to add to your list of mods

please use punctuation next time you post, its not much to ask for a period here and there.

to the op, personally when i put a lightened flywheel in my car i did feel a noticable difference. i would definately go with the lightened flywheel. i understand your concern but i wouldnt worry too much about that

mnr88talon · 08-31-2008, 10:42 PM

to clear things up a bit... go with the lightened flywheel!!!! whats the point in a stock one? think about it... the stock ones wernt made for big power you cant go wrong

Tuning Spirit · 08-31-2008, 10:56 PM

I'd say go for the lightened flywheel since it'll give you that little bit you're looking for in your performance department. But the stock flywheel is more tame for basic daily driving (easier time going up hills and ramps, feels more "sure" of itself)

kewlguy · 09-01-2008, 05:46 AM

i woulda gotten a trans from shep if i had a choice but i dont think TRE is bad.

other than that... check my profile to see where i got my stuff from and for how much.

clutch and flywheel came in saturday woot!

paul s · 09-01-2008, 06:05 AM

I had the Fidanza flywheel for the past 5 years with great luck, launching requires practice.

pboglio · 09-01-2008, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantman10

Have any of you guys felt the difference in launching with the lightweight flywheel?

I am going to get a keydiver chip soon so i am going to have adjustible launch control and No Lift To Shift, so i am not worried about rps dropping a lot between shifts. Also, it doesent decrease spool RPM does it? It just gets to that RPM quicker, Right?

Launching will get much harder, pulling away from traffic lights you won't get that "explosion" off the line when you let out the clutch at medium to higher rpms. I have launched great maybe 2 times in the past 4 years with the lightened flywheel. Previously the car would catapault off the line easily even without the launch control activated. With the lightened flywheel it feels like a gutless honda launching.

Lighter flywheel makes a big difference in acceleration in 1st and 2nd gears for sure. Its a trade off.

Moparbishi · 09-01-2008, 09:47 AM

I like the Fidanza because I felt that the stock flywheel took to long for the rpms to come down between daily driving shifts.

blcknspo0ln · 09-01-2008, 10:55 AM

Launching takes practice with a lightened flywheel, but learning how to launch it will net you better results along with the lightened rotating assembly. It's a win-win, you just have to grow the driver mod with it.

Black_Bullet · 09-01-2008, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blcknspo0ln

Launching takes practice with a lightened flywheel, but learning how to launch it will net you better results along with the lightened rotating assembly. It's a win-win, you just have to grow the driver mod with it.

^Plus 1
I just had to increase my launch rpms from 5k to 5500 for that real hard launch with the light weight flywheel... I have the ACT 12lbs flywheel btw... I think id prefer the lighter fidanza flywheel..

grantman10 · 09-01-2008, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kewlguy