Aluminum FlyWheel Who here uses one for a KA? and your opinion?

[Scooter]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone here has a Aluminum Flywheel (fidanza or some-other brand) that they use in their KA? I wanted to get a general impression on why you guys like them or dislike... To clarify do you like it for drifting? or does it work best for roadracing/autox? Any info would be great!!

Thanks for your time!

[projectRDM]

Fidnaza, Mueller, UR, they're all pretty much the same build design, just qulaity changes with the price. The Fidanza is known to have one pin out of alignment so you need to redrill the pressure plate, otherwise it's fine.

As far as feel, it doesn't matter what you're using it for, the engine is revving more freely so any application where that's a plus is good. You'll also notice it dropping revs faster, so you'll need to learn to adjust to it to stay in the powerband.

[aznpoopy]

i have a fidanza.

pin out of alignment? i didn't have any trouble like that during the install. maybe they've addressed the issue?

low end feels slower.
top end feels more free.
engine braking doesn't feel as effective.

it makes the car about 10x more fun to drive. definitely get one. there are some scca classes that forbid aluminum flywheels, so look into that before you install one.

[420sx]

i had it on ka that i sold, and it was great. fast revs, car sounded a lil different i think overall very fun mod, especially fun driving around listening what kind of noise your car makes when it accelerates LOL its barely noticable but made the car sound like a moped (to me)

[jmauld]

I also did not have an issue with my Fidanza fitting properly, and it was purchased over two years ago.

You will notice very little negative effects of the flywheel. It makes the engine rev slightly faster, and rpms will drop a little quicker. Nothing drastic though, and most people will not even notice that it's in the car, unless they are familiar with them.

[OptionZero]

I purchased a Fidanza recently (3 months ago?) and shop reported no problems putting it in.

Revs noticeably faster when you first start to drive it; about 2 weeks later it felt second nature. Combine with C's shortshifter and mmmm....

I should get a pulley and aluminum driveshaft as well...

[Scooter]

How about torque? any noticible change guys? is it less or more torquier, or not a big change?

It would seem that if the rev's drop quicker and rev's faster...torque would be affected in some way wouldn't it?

For example...in drifting would you not want the weight of a stock flywheel to carry the inertial force of the spinning flywheel to hold a drift? And if a Aluminum flywheel decreases the rotational mass...would it not also reduce the rotational force? thus, holding a drift would be harder... yes?

The purpose of a lighten flywheel is to get your car in the power band quicker, so why is it that this could be bad for drifting? (it doesn't have to be) but for some reason i can't seem to put 2 and 2 together. I can understand the benifits of a aluminum flywheel for roadracing and autox, but what's your guys' take on it for dirfting?

Thanks guys! Good info.

[Ritz S14]

Originally Posted by aznpoopy

i have a fidanza.

low end feels slower.
top end feels more free.
engine braking doesn't feel as effective.

Looks like you loose a bit more torque(low end). But you gain it on the highway(top end).

[OptionZero]

You don't actually lose "torque", as in the engine produces less power; it has no affect on the amount of air and fuel is being exploded.

When they say torque I believe they refer to flywheel inertia when you rev up to get the car moving from a stand still.

Because the flywheel is lighter, it does not maintain its speed, and therefore revs drop, so you have to rev it up higher when you get the car going and let the clutch out.

Some say it affects driveability, but in practice i highly doubt this is the case once you grow used to it, and for me (driving stick less than a year) it was pretty easy to adjust.

The quicker revs make it way more fun to drive, its a blast to rev match.

I am not sure how you gain "top end", except for the wheel HP (maybe 5?) you gain from reduced parasitic loss in the drivetrain. Again, you're not actually producing more power, you're just getting more of what is made from the engine to the wheel.

[Ritz S14]

Well.. can't you almost say it's parasitic drag?

[RBS14]

I've got one, I love it. Really wish I could drop another 10 lbs off the rotating mass of my engine. Then it would REALLY rock.

Get one.

End of story.

[OptionZero]

Machine the flywheel and pulley down even , get a titanium driveshaft =P ?

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by Scooter

How about torque? any noticible change guys? is it less or more torquier, or not a big change?

It would seem that if the rev's drop quicker and rev's faster...torque would be affected in some way wouldn't it?

For example...in drifting would you not want the weight of a stock flywheel to carry the inertial force of the spinning flywheel to hold a drift? And if a Aluminum flywheel decreases the rotational mass...would it not also reduce the rotational force? thus, holding a drift would be harder... yes?

The purpose of a lighten flywheel is to get your car in the power band quicker, so why is it that this could be bad for drifting? (it doesn't have to be) but for some reason i can't seem to put 2 and 2 together. I can understand the benifits of a aluminum flywheel for roadracing and autox, but what's your guys' take on it for dirfting?

Thanks guys! Good info.

Well, since drifting is absolutely fucking ghey as hell, I can't speculate that for you. Autocross and track racing it does fine.

[aznpoopy]

i'm sure its fine for drifting. it's not like anyone drifts in the 1k-3k rpm range anyway.

[theicecreamdan]

Originally Posted by RBS14

I've got one, I love it. Really wish I could drop another 10 lbs off the rotating mass of my engine. Then it would REALLY rock.

Get one.

End of story.

you could drop another 10 lbs off your rotating mass by removing the aluminum flywheel alltogether!

I have a fidanza, got it about a year ago, no trouble installing.
No loss in torque, not hard to drive away from stoplights, stop signs.
notice the people that say you lose torque are people that dont have them?
car pulls much harder, and seems so much smoother towards redline.

get one!

[aznpoopy]

i have one and i really believe low end feels a little more sluggish off the line.

it doesnt affect drivability in any way.

[BigVinnie]

I bought the Fidanza and 6 puck sprung as a package deal for $500. I feel more power in the higher RPM's. Now everytime I shift and open up the throttle I skirt in second, which is someting I couldn't do with the stock OEM. Noticed better acceleration, and better idle. Defenitely a wise investment for those quick off the line starts. More power from the engine is focused on the wheels, rather than through the drive train. IMHO it drops drive train degredation.

[OdessaS13]

fidanza is ok...ive had it for about 4-5 months revs quicker yes. funner to drive yes. low end torque loss...cant really say cuz ive driven on the stock flywheel for about 1-2.5 months. car does feel lighter going from stops. and yes, pin is out of alignment at least on mine it was...shop had to drill it bigger to get it to fit. u can get it for under 3 bills if u wunna know the website pm me ill try to look for my reciept, not ebay either

BTW topics been discusses alot search\

[ledzeppelin240]

I see some people say the engine idles smoother. But yet to me it seems it might idle a little rougher, due to the flywheel is what carries the engine in between power strokes?? Although the weight might be perfect in certain aftermarket flywheels...

[Scooter]

For those with miss aligned pins, it could be because it's a CA flywheel. They are the same it's just that the pin (like what I’ve been reading here) is a bit off.... other than that it's the same. (OdessaS13)It's nice to hear diff. opinions from time to time even though it's been discussed, some people realize something different than what they had thought before or opinions change.

(OptionZero, R240NA, aznpoopy and others) Thanks for your cont' inputs.

The reason why I asked this is because I can across a source that mentioned having an Aluminum Flywheel wouldn’t be a great benefit for drifting (BTW R240NA funny and ironic) because they mention an Aluminum flywheel is most beneficial to roadracing/autox. Which is a valid point, but why not drifting? It was something that dwelled in my mind...and anyways...here we are talking about it.

Thanks guys more info and feedback is always great!

[theicecreamdan]

would a CA flywheel even fit onto a KA?

no, they are semi-interchangeable with SR flywheels

[undercoverdjay]

I bought a Fidanza 11lbs from enjuku 4 years ago and its been a great flywheel, no problems with installs or anything.The car revs quicker and revs drop quicker as well. When I started the car after the install Id blip the throttle and with the N1 Dual it sounded just like a 1000cc street bike. In regards to low end loss, yeah you see it there. The stock powerband did a complete 180 after I put a hotshot header, test pipt, N1 Duals, unorthodox pulleys, and the flywheel. I had 0 torque compared to stock but it pulled very hard from 3,000 on up to 6,000ish. I dont recommend going "all motor" Ive since went SR, but Im using the KA in my other S13 and its still a fun car to drive. Oh and one more thing drifting is about as cool as AIDS, dont ever speak of it again on the boards.

[RBS14]

you're a fucking idiot. "drifting's as cool as AIDS". How bout this...

You never speak of AIDS again on this board?

Sounds good. Great.

If people want to drift their cars, what the hell does it matter to you?[/rhetorical]

[driftkid316]

not to threadjack, but on a similar note, has anyone tried lightening their stock flywheel? my friend is suggesting i do this because its alot cheaper. right now im debating doing that and going fidanza.

[undercoverdjay]

Originally Posted by RBS14

you're a fucking idiot. "drifting's as cool as AIDS". How bout this...

You never speak of AIDS again on this board?

Sounds good. Great.

If people want to drift their cars, what the hell does it matter to you?[/rhetorical]

"drifting" is the new rice. Im not the only one on this board that thinks so. pull out your tampon and calm the fuck down. christ.

[theicecreamdan]

you're the one that needs to calm down.

[RBS14]

Obviously you have never or can't do it, thats why you don't like it. I'm guessing the latter.

Anyways, any way you can reduce the rotating mass of the engine and drivetrain is good. you don't decrease torque, it just "feels" like it to some people. I don't feel it. It makes the engine more responsive, and the car quicker. Get a lighter flywheel, you'll like it.

About lightening stock ones. You can take the stock ones down to about 16lbs. Don't go any further.

Oh, and thanks for the reputation comments or whatever they are. I couldn't give less of a fuck. hahahahahaha the internet and the idiots on it make me laugh.

[jmauld]

Originally Posted by undercoverdjay

The stock powerband did a complete 180 after I put a hotshot header, test pipt, N1 Duals, unorthodox pulleys, and the flywheel. I had 0 torque compared to stock but it pulled very hard from 3,000 on up to 6,000ish.

Weird, I've got almost the exact same mods, and I have a dyno graph hanging in my garage that shows an increase in torque across the entire powerband.

[EchoOfSilence]

Originally Posted by jmauld

Weird, I've got almost the exact same mods, and I have a dyno graph hanging in my garage that shows an increase in torque across the entire powerband.

that 'increase' along the whole powerband just comes from less parasitic losses through the drivetrain. but gains in high end should be more compared to the low end.

[undercoverdjay]

Originally Posted by RBS14

Obviously you have never or can't do it, thats why you don't like it. I'm guessing the latter.

You're right, and I feel so empty inside because of it. I have such a deep admiration for ricers who hit curbs and oncoming traffic.

Originally Posted by RBS14

Oh, and thanks for the reputation comments or whatever they are. I couldn't give less of a fuck. hahahahahaha the internet and the idiots on it make me laugh.

And you started this little piss ant diatribe so make sure you can finish it. Im calling it a day on this one.


**on another note, flywheels are great just compliment them with some boost. Fab a low boost turbo system using other people's leftovers(im doing the same with my other S13 after my SR swap) and you'll be quite happy with a KA's torque and some more top end pull.