Anybody looking for a lighter flywheel?

[eLSerbera]

Um this is not really a post about any of the hsv/VXR cars per se, more I am posting here because your cars have the LS2 engine...

Is there anybody out there who is getting work done to their engine, and who might have been thinking about getting a lighter flywheel?

See I am getting parts for a custom engine build (stroked LS3 block with LS2 heads) and I wanted a lighter steel flywheel which would work with the standard GM clutch (LS2 and LS7), trouble is that the only people who make the flywheel (SPEC) don't sell many and want an order for 5 before they will sell them...

Would there be anybody interested?

Was just asking on the off chance...

[eLSerbera]

ringram said:

Why not an alloy one mate?

Also I take it you mean aftermarket CNC LS2 based (Cathedral port) heads? Or do you mean stock LS2 heads?

Hi Ringram,

I have read (not saying its right) that the Aluminium ones would not be as hard wearing/strong as the stock steel one, where as the billet steel one would be as strong or stronger than the stock one while still being a fair bit lighter, ~19lbs for the steel billet one, as opposed to 28lbs for the stock LS2 one (which I already have) and 13lbs for the aluminium ones... It seemed the safer bet.

I am considering an alloy one, but my preference is still for the steel. If you know anybody with an alloy flywheel I really would like to hear their opinion/s.

Actually my heads are the stock LS2 ones, decided I would put my money into the bottom end at this time, at some point the top will end will be swapped for a nice trickflow/etp LS7/AFR type set up with titanium valves etc... but at the moment I can't afford that and really at the moment the best developed top end heads are still aimed 3.9" bore, waiting seems to make logical as well as economical sense (+my hope is the setup will still make nearly 500 hp)

[eLSerbera]

stevieturbo said:

Why bother with a lightened flywheel ?? I really dont see the point. Perhaps in a short geared, mega heavy car, with a 1hp engine, it might be worth it...but on a decent V8, a lightened flywheel really wont make a pick of difference to performance.


I have a steel flywheel here that I bought along with a Spec clutch ages ago. I havent weighed it, but its little different to the standard flywheel.
Just seemed like a good idea at the time to buy it. Had issues with the clutch, so just removed it and fitted a Tex instead.....which uses the standard GM flywheel.

Not saying I know anything, but isn't the flywheel is a mass which the engine has to accelerate right? So if you have a lighter flywheel the engine will have less resistance to accelerate, thats all minus the car which would in the end be the heaviest thing that the engine has to move.

So a heavy flywheel in a light car would be a hindrance, but a lighter one would not. Why would a light flywheel help a heavy car?

The LS2/7 flywheel is like 28lbs, its heavier than the LS1, and these flywheels are weighted for American manual driving, which is minimal effort to launch the car?

If thats all crap I'd be happy to be told, after all its $300 I wouldn't have to spend.

[eLSerbera]

Stigmundfreud said:

i'd be scared of a lightened one letting go and taking my lower torso out

I wasn't talking about a lightened one, but getting a flywheel that is designed to be lighter (ie a Fidanza).

Edit because...

Edited by eLSerbera on Monday 21st July 19:16

[eLSerbera]

stevieturbo said:

Flywheel attached to the engine...yes its a mass it has to accelerate. But as I said, you dont have a 1hp french engine here.

IMO, it is a waste of money.

Just use a standard flywheel, unless you really are pushing the limits.

Pushing the limits... unfortunately not...

Okay another argument (maybe a small one) - Say you are driving enthusiastically, and you are changing down a gear and the revs don't match, doesn't having a lighter flywheel mean that it would take less energy for the engine to get up to speed if slower, and would give less energy if going faster.

Well looks like I am sticking with my stock flywheel then...

Edited by eLSerbera on Monday 21st July 21:19

[eLSerbera]

Thanks Guys,

My aim is to get the engine into a Cerbera, so it would be nice to make the engine as responsive as posssible, there are some other light weight components in the engine as well.

The safe, guaranteed to work, approach will be to use the stock ls7 flywheel with the ls7 clutch which already have, I would be worried about the idle, and the launching issue is something I have considered, I didn't really want an aluminium one for those reasons, but was worried that the stock piece would be quite heavy...

[eLSerbera]

Island boy HSV said:

If you wont to make the engine rev freely then have everything that rotates balanced including clutch and flywheel. It makes a whole lot of difference, I have had it done with my engine.

The rotating assembly is going to be balanced by Callies, then brought over here.

The engine is going to be put together by Boosted.