Kincaid

Just a quick question here.

I'm grabbing the I/E cams. I've noticed 3 people on different boards mention that the intake cam does decrease low-end torque slightly.

So what I'm wondering is will Mazdaspeeds new lightweight flywheel be a good purchase to bring that torque up again?

Thanks.

Net Seven

Getting a lighter fly wheel does increase the HP at the wheels, but not the crank. So you would get better dyno results, and more torque at the wheels, but the engine wouldn't really be any more powerful.

mazdaspeedwest

Here's a previous thread that discussed flywheels...

http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/sho...=&threadid=203

Kincaid

Lol. Thanks man.

I looked down through the first page before I posted. Guess I shoulda used search.

protetype

I'm not sure about the differences in all the engines of the third gens. But i'm wondering if a lightweight flywheel is made for the 1.6l 3rd gen or if all the third gens share the same stuff like that. I've been looking for something to give my 1.6L a little more pep. I'm not looking for something too significant since this engine just isn't all that capable of power. Acceleration just isn't what I want it to be right now, and I think that might help... What's available and where?

Net Seven

You dont get what im saying... I'm saying the stock flywheel is heavier so some HP is lost going through it. If you get a light one then less HP is lost, so you get more HP at the wheels

protetype

i don't know if anyone has figured anything out on this or not... i'm still curious.

protetype

Jesse, if I had a machine shop take some weight off it, wouldn't that weaken it? I don't know much about this... so i'm curious. I don't want to do something that would make me have to replace it when it cracks and screws something up if that's what *could* possibly happen. Thanks for your input on this.

protetype

But what if I get hungry while i'm waiting?

Eric F

A lighter flywheel will increase power at the wheels, the same way an under drive pulley does. By reducing the load on the engine. The flywheel is unsprung weight, just like wheels, which will also make a difference on a dyno for two reasons: weight and diameter. The MazdaSpeed flywheel however, is only three lbs lighter than the stock 2.0L FS flywheel at 15lbs Vs. 18lbs. The stock flywheel on the '99-'00 1.8L FP engine is 15lbs. Fidanza and I believe TriPoint have aluminum flywheels with replaceable steel contact rings that weigh about 9lbs. They will make a bigger difference and should be very reliable. Replacing the clutch at the same time is a good idea.

zeriak

How does this affect the torque curve on the low end? My gf's friend says that an aluminum flywheel will rob me of low end torque, making me slower off the line....

carguycw

A lighter flywheel will make the car harder to launch, but not because the engine has less torque. The reason is that the momentum of the spinning flywheel gets the car moving when you start off from a dead stop. This is one of the main reasons why cars have flywheels.

If you reduce the mass of the flywheel, you reduce the momentum available to get the car moving. In practical terms, this means that the car will stall more easily, and you will have to slip the clutch more during slow street starts (all-out tire-smoking drag race starts won't be affected as much). This is why lighter flywheels generally lead to accelerated clutch wear.

zeriak

Thanks Chris, that makes a little more sense. Well, if I get the RR Racing kit with the Fidanza flywheel and clutchmaster clutch, I guess I'll keep the stock flywheel just in case I don't like the outcome. $500 for that kit is $300 cheaper than what my dealer will charge me just to replace the stock clutch on my Pro. Damn, I need to own a dealership!