KasbeKZ

tt's of dallas says that the flywheel needs to be re-surfaced when the clutch is changed. i've heard of doing it, but never heard of it being mandatory up until now. is it necessary? the problem for me is that i'm doing the job in one weekend. the nearest shop isn't open on weekends. please tell me it's ok!

280zx2by2

i would see it being just as maditory as needing your rotors ground when you get your brakes done

also (sorry for the thread-jack) can you do it with a brake lathe?

ZLover4Life

I wouldn't call it mandatory (nor would I call cutting brake rotors on a Z32 mandatory... it's actually recommended against using a regular brake rotor lathe for out brakes btw... requires an on-car lathe), but it's never a bad idea to resurface the flywheel.

Get a sanding disk for a drill and just use that... the whole point is to clean it up so that any glazing is gone, resulting in better grip (assuming it isn't warped, of course). With how relatively simple it is, there's no reason not to... just don't score the hell out of it... go lightly over the entire surface.

KasbeKZ

http://www.axminster.co.uk/images/products/202360_l.jpg

you mean those? thanks a lot for the input. that's exactly what i was hoping to hear. btw, i didn't actually mean "please tell me it's ok". if the flywheel is in decent shape, that's what i'll do then. thanks a lot.

NismoPick

More like these. Harbor Freight sells "surfacing kits". They rock at removing glazing, rust, paint, etc.

KasbeKZ

oh ok i have some of those to go on an angle grinder. i'll pick up some extras. so for this type of surfacing, you don't go down to 80-60 grit paper? those are all steel wool type things from what i see. is that all you use?

snwbrderphat540

second all those guys, also theres a special machine specifically for the flywheel, brake lathe wont work, also also you gotta check the quality of the flywheel wear alot of times after 100k or so miles are put on they can start getting grooves in the surface and then i would say its REQUIRED. that or get a new flywheel, post up a picture of the flywheel surface when you get ur *** in there.

KasbeKZ

lol will do. thanks guys

ZLover4Life

2nd what NismoPick posted... that's what you're gonna want to use. All you're trying to do is remove the glazing and any buildup on the flywheel... no need to go too abrasive.

KasbeKZ

i've got another flywheel question, so i thought i'd put it in my flywheel thread. is there any chance that a flywheel weighing half as much as stock will let the idle go up any? i don't expect it will, but i just thought i'd check in case i could start working to counter that before the new wheel gets here.

also, i bought a used fidanza as i said. the guy just let me know that there is a pressure plate bolt broken off in it. this doesn't sound too bad to me, as i'll just cut a slot in the top of it and use a screw driver, and if that fails i'll drill it and stick an easy out in it. does anyone foresee this being a bigger problem than i'm expecting? i need to cancel the deal before he puts it in the mail if so.

lol one more thing on it:


zooming in on it, i can tell that the surface is flat. it looks to me that it's just glazed in such a manner that i can buff it out. i really don't mind buying a new friction surface right now, as now is the time that i have the money, but i'm just wondering what you all think of it. maybe someone that has seen this kind of surface before would have a good insight to it's "buffability". thanks

snwbrderphat540

usually on the non integral surfaces you replace them everytime you change the clutch. but it really depends did he pull this out before the clutch needed changing? also how much thickness is left between those bolts and the friction surface. also, it might be that easy getting the bolt out, or it might be seized in there so bad you gotta dril it all out for the most part (which isnt easy to do accurately) and then try to pry the rest out gently and run a tap through it just to clean out the thread surfaces.

ZLover4Life

No problem with drilling the bolt out and using a heli-coil... just be very careful since it is aluminum and therefore soft. To be 100% honest, I stripped out one of the bolt holes and never bothered fixing it... I have all but one bolt holding my clutch on now.

Just clean up that surface like I told you to (twice now, I think)... you probably won't have to replace the disk. And you keep saying "buffing," but I truly hope that's not what you're doing... buffing has the end goal of a glass-smooth surface. You're just trying to remove impurities so that the clutch can clamp down on a flat surface.

And no, a lightweight flywheel will absolutely not affect idle.

KasbeKZ

well that sums it up! thanks much. i've been under the impression that the word buffing can be to smooth a surface or to remove impurities through a less smooth process. the local mechanic called it buffing and he's pretty good so i thought it sounded right. but perhaps not.

yeah you've told me twice, but in different contexts!

that's what i expected to hear about the idle. just wanted to check. thanks.

ZLover4Life

"Buffing - To polish or shine with a piece of soft material" (dictionary.com)

You buff the paint of your car.

Resurfacing a flywheel or brake rotors is basically just a process of straightening/flattening by cutting away material through some method (sanding, in this case).

snwbrderphat540

blah blah blah.... it will effect how freely it rev's though so it should drop RPMS faster between shifts and pick them up quicker free reving, and with less rotational mass it is a more efficient power transfer is the best way i can put it. not like it creates power. i loved the light weight flywheel on my S30, night and day difference. oh also makes it easier to stall the car though to.

KasbeKZ

well i knew all that noob! lol was it really an acceleration difference? or JUST a reving difference? i know it will rev faster. i'm not counting on much acceleration difference. 10/1 says that i'll get a 1.1 hp gain at the wheels.

snwbrderphat540

yeah, i dont know how less rotational mass equates to WHP but it should theoretically allow the car to accelerate better because more of the power is being used towards spinning up the wheels instead of a 30lbs steel disc. its all in the fundamentals of gyroscopes. and you didnt know ****!!!!!!!!!! haha.



hmmmm... are there no pilot bearings needed for some reason? or is that one just missing it?

KasbeKZ

what pilot bearing? you mean the pilot bushing that sticks in crank? yeah that's not attached to the flywheel...

but i'm pretty sure sprung rotational is 1hp/10lbs. the stock is 23 or 22. i've seen both numbers.

snwbrderphat540

ahhhh.... forgoted about that option, i usually see them in the flywheel not the end of the crank. never personally tore into my Z32's tranny