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I'm buying a new flywheel. Advice?

biomedtechguy

biomedtechguy

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1971 440 steel crank basically stock short block. I'm installing a 5 speed and even though I had the flywheel turned a year ago it still showed some heat fracture lines.
I want a replacement flywheel, 130 tooth and 11" (or 10.5?)
Suggestions please?
Edit: what I have now is stock, and I'm ok with that, looking for a replacement, something new, and I'm keeping my 1 year old McLeod clutch disc and pressure plate.
So a source for the flywheel is my biggest question.
 
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I'm starting to think about a new flywheel for a new engine as well. I'm interested to see what everyone says. The little pieces I've gathered so far are:

1. Used to be that you had a bunch of 10.5" high-perf. clutch choices & not very many 11" clutch choices. This may have changed. 11" will have more "holding surface area", so it should be a better clutch IF you can find the clutch you want. I've been very happy with my 10.5" Centerforce, so I hope they have an 11" version (not sure)

2. Stock bellhousings are different sizes depending whether you run a 10.5" or 11" clutch. Lakewood for sure (& I think Quick Time...not sure) can take EITHER clutch using an adapter that comes with the Lakewood.

3. Stock flywheels are different 10.5" vs. 11" clutch. The 11" clutch flywheels are larger diameter. This is really why stock bellhousings don't interchange (not really the clutch size, but the flywheel size required for that clutch). I "think" some of the aftermarket flywheels would accept both 10.5" and 11" clutches. There's also something called a "scalloped" clutch & I "think" that gives you almost an 11" clutch size with a 10.5" clutch (actually pressure plate) bolt pattern.

4. BIG THING I'VE WONDERED --> I've heard/read that you want a heavy, stock-style flywheel to launch heavy B-body cars....something about the inertia you build up at the line when drag racing. HOWEVER, I've also heard (& believe) that lightweight parts like light pistons & rods help an engine rev up faster, which is good for drag racing. Since the flywheel is bolted to the crank & is huge, to me anyway, it makes sense to run an aluminum flywheel (with steel clutch face insert obviously). Wouldn't a lighter flywheel help the engine rev up faster too? Anyone who's a drag racer and knows for sure on this... PLEASE chime in.
 
If your drag racing only then a lighter flywheel is a choice depending on need/class....for street ability it is not worth the extra money....

For street purposes you risk the chance of clutch slippage and burning tires due to the faster rev of a lighter flywheel....Not unless you drive it like you stole it, hence WOT all the way....Plus, higher rpms fast causes drive line shock....Furthermore, the old adage the heavier the car the heavier the flywheel.....
 
Source: Brewers, they have new and reconditioned steel flywheels
 
moparnation74 said:
If your drag racing only then a lighter flywheel is a choice depending on need/class....for street ability it is not worth the extra money....

For street purposes you risk the chance of clutch slippage and burning tires due to the faster rev of a lighter flywheel....Not unless you drive it like you stole it, hence WOT all the way....Plus, higher rpms fast causes drive line shock....Furthermore, the old adage the heavier the car the heavier the flywheel.....
Click to expand...

For biomedtechguy, it sounds like the best choice is a steel flywheel (Brewer's or a resurfaced stock unit that fits his McLeod clutch size) & he's golden.

SORRY TO HIJACK, but please explain more. With a new motor I have planned in my head, I'm still considering an aluminum flywheel. Please talk me out of it if I'm crazy.

a) I've driven "borderline" streetable cars for years.
b) I have a Lakewood
c) I have a driveshaft safety loop
d) I have solid u-joints
e) I'm not opposed to buying better trans/rear end yokes (running stock ones now)
f) I need new tires anyway
g) Aluminum big block flywheels are in the $430-$570 range at Summit...not "cheap" but not too, too bad.

Besides the additional $500, why not go aluminum on a semi-street/semi-track car? Again, this is a heavy Road Runner, full body car.
 
I'll bet your flywheel is fine to use. I thought i needed a new flywheel too, mine had allot of spider cracks and I took it to a local guy that everyone around here uses, he turned it and said the cracks are normal, that was over 20 years ago and still going strong, and I don't baby it!
 
Many years ago the consensus was to use a heavier flywheel if the car was heavy. Is that thinking out the window? I know about a lighter wheel having a faster engine recovery time between shifts so that's probably the better deal.....?
 
A flywheel stores energy. The heavier the flywheel, the more energy stored, but it takes "work" (power X time) to store that energy. It will take longer/more power to get a heavier flywheel spinning, but it also will be harder to slow or stop it as well.
I am going with a stock steel flywheel because I drive the car too, not just race it, and it will be easier on the street.
A lighter flywheel will allow the engine to rev up faster, but you also lose the "stored energy" of a heavier flywheel, so that has to be considered as well.
Something else to consider is that a lighter flywheel on a power shift when you don't lift the throttle will flash up in rpms faster between gears. I have only power shifted on my last track day, and with a lighter flywheel I would be bouncing off the rev limiter every shift.
 
I'm a power shift freak.....never lift off the throttle lol. I guess the best compliment is when someone asks if you're running a 904 or a 727 and you show them the extra pedal and shifter :D. In my case the first time when that happened, I was running a 66 Mudstain Fastback and the guy I just beat asked me if I was running a C4 or a C6. Uh...T10.....the look on his face was priceless. Part of the problem was I only ran through 3 gears but where we were running, top of 3rd was already way too fast.....
 
Cranky said:
I'm a power shift freak.....never lift off the throttle lol. I guess the best compliment is when someone asks if you're running a 904 or a 727 and you show them the extra pedal and shifter :D. In my case the first time when that happened, I was running a 66 Mudstain Fastback and the guy I just beat asked me if I was running a C4 or a C6. Uh...T10.....the look on his face was priceless. Part of the problem was I only ran through 3 gears but where we were running, top of 3rd was already way too fast.....
Click to expand...
I have heard of and witnessed power shifting since I was a teen, but even though I have driven a lot of standard transmission cars, I was always concerned about over-revving. Once I installed my FBO ignition system with a built-in limiter, I had the insurance I needed to power shift. I barely "tickled" the limiter a few shifts, but not bad, and cut .6 off my previous year's 1/4 mile times, and that was a strong contribution to those faster times, especially with a 6 bbl. The first time I hit 2nd, dust came out from under the dashboard.
 
Cranky said:
I'm a power shift freak.....never lift off the throttle lol. I guess the best compliment is when someone asks if you're running a 904 or a 727 and you show them the extra pedal and shifter :D. In my case the first time when that happened, I was running a 66 Mudstain Fastback and the guy I just beat asked me if I was running a C4 or a C6. Uh...T10.....the look on his face was priceless. Part of the problem was I only ran through 3 gears but where we were running, top of 3rd was already way too fast.....
Click to expand...
Hence WOT all the time of course you love an aluminum flywheel.....
 
PurpleBeeper said:
For biomedtechguy, it sounds like the best choice is a steel flywheel (Brewer's or a resurfaced stock unit that fits his McLeod clutch size) & he's golden.

SORRY TO HIJACK, but please explain more. With a new motor I have planned in my head, I'm still considering an aluminum flywheel. Please talk me out of it if I'm crazy.

a) I've driven "borderline" streetable cars for years.
b) I have a Lakewood
c) I have a driveshaft safety loop
d) I have solid u-joints
e) I'm not opposed to buying better trans/rear end yokes (running stock ones now)
f) I need new tires anyway
g) Aluminum big block flywheels are in the $430-$570 range at Summit...not "cheap" but not too, too bad.

Besides the additional $500, why not go aluminum on a semi-street/semi-track car? Again, this is a heavy Road Runner, full body car.
Click to expand...
Pay 500 bucks so you can say you have an aluminum flywheel....and you can rev faster, for power shifts....Incur more drive line shock...Miss a shift and see what happens....Hopefully, you have solid lifters.....

(F) is more important than (G) so yes it would be "crazy" to purchase an aluminum flywheel IMHO
 
moparnation74 said:
Miss a shift and see what happens...
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. One reason why I am going with a stock steel flywheel.
biomedtechguy said:
Something else to consider is that a lighter flywheel on a power shift when you don't lift the throttle will flash up in rpms faster between gears. I have only power shifted on my last track day, and with a lighter flywheel I would be bouncing off the rev limiter every shift.
Click to expand...
 
biomedtechguy said:
I want a replacement flywheel, 130 tooth and 11" (or 10.5?)
Click to expand...
For reference..............
Clutch3.jpg
 
moparnation74 said:
Pay 500 bucks so you can say you have an aluminum flywheel....and you can rev faster, for power shifts....Incur more drive line shock...Miss a shift and see what happens....Hopefully, you have solid lifters.....

(F) is more important than (G) so yes it would be "crazy" to purchase an aluminum flywheel IMHO
Click to expand...

Well, I do have a rev-limiter.... but It looks like the consensus is to keep my steel flywheel
 
In comparison, you will like the 27lb. flywheel. Guaranteed. Oh, don't forget to weigh your current flywheel so you will have something for comparison so you will "realistically" know what you have done! I didn't see where you posted the weight of your current factory wheel? There is nothing wrong with the Source wheel and I have one. My factory wheel weighed about 35#'s and on the same scales the Source wheel weighed about 25#'s, my next wheel I'm thinking maybe 18 to 22lbs. when I install my new 512-B this fall. I have had lighter flywheels on all of my Harleys and even when I was motocrossing in the early 70,s I used alum internal wheels on my 250 and 400 Suzuki mxers and had alum schifer wheel I ran on my fords before I went mopar and everyone of them ran like a raped ape.
 
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I agree :thumbsup:
IMO a "middle of the road weighted", aftermarket flywheel
"lighter than stock" but not an ultra-lightweight for street use,
won't hurt at all, it'll help & it's a win win, best of both worlds...

good luck
 
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