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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: subsonic on March 19, 2008, 12:22:43 pm

Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 19, 2008, 12:22:43 pm
I have a 210mm flywheel.  I would like to have it lightened before I bring it in to be balanced.  My friend at the machine shop will do it on a lathe for me.  The problem is he has never lightened a vw flywheel before.  He said it would be very simple to remove the material off the heavy outer ring.  He asked me if I knew what dimensions I wanted it to be when it was done.  How deep do you want the cut, start and stop points, etc.  Never having owned a lightened flywheel before, I have no idea.  
Does anyone have anything detailed on this?
He said if I could come up with some good detailed photo's he could also make it work.
I am looking to bring it down to around 8-10 pounds.
Here are some photo's of the flywheel.  It is the one on the right.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff120/subsonic44/DSCN0351.jpg)
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff120/subsonic44/DSCN0359.jpg)
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff120/subsonic44/DSCN0352.jpg)
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff120/subsonic44/DSCN0358.jpg)

Thanks, Jim
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: zukgod1 on March 19, 2008, 12:43:54 pm
Ive not had it done Jim but comparing the 2 flywheels I would cut some of the thick ring off on by the ring gear.
If it were me I would just face that surface until it was where I wanted it.
I personally would leave about .250 of material there just for rigidity for the ring gear but I'm sure you could remove more if needed/wanted.

If that makes any sense at all.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: TedV on March 19, 2008, 02:17:48 pm
cut off the thick outer lip from where the clutch plate bolts to the flywheel, leaving the ring gear.  for even less weight you can remove the surface that has all the VW, Germany and part numbers cast in, BUT you risk the flywheel cracking easier from less material thickness in the disk area.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: rabbid79 on March 19, 2008, 09:32:41 pm
I bought one that was lightened down to 6 or 7 pounds by Scooter Racing.  I can snap a few pictures of it if you'd like.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 20, 2008, 06:26:58 am
Thanks, that would be cool.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: flapjack on March 20, 2008, 07:21:05 am
steel weighs .2836 lbs / cubic inch
measure the OD and ID of that ring and figure out how deep you want to go
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 20, 2008, 12:47:10 pm
Talked to the guys in the shop.  They said no problem to take some off.  The concern they had was that if they get too close to the teeth, they will have nothing to clamp on when it comes time to resurface the flywheel down the road at the next clutch change.  Any of you run into this problem?
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: flapjack on March 20, 2008, 01:35:21 pm
I'm not a machinist
Wouldn't you flip the jaws and grip it from the inside?  

(http://www.smellslikefries.com/vwpics/posts/chuck1.JPG)

If you did grip it from the outside, how would the jaws of the chuck reach that ring?

(http://www.smellslikefries.com/vwpics/posts/chuck2.JPG)
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 20, 2008, 03:09:04 pm
You would use the lathe to take off the ring.  When they resurface the flywheel, they use a grinding machine.  The flywheel lays flat inside the machine.  They clamp down on the outside ring, and lower the cutter / grinding stones/ head into the flywheel.  Kind of like a big ass CD cleaner.  I will try and snap a picture next time I am there.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: Gearhead on March 20, 2008, 07:26:38 pm
I resurface flywheels on an automotive brake lathe all the time.  It can be done if you have the right machine.  That machine has to be a true positive rake machine with extremely rigid tooling, and a preloaded dovetail.  The brand I use is very similar in construction to a machinists lathe, not the common negative rake units that are common and cheap.  

When I do it, it's always clamped from the inside.  Many people think that grinding one on a flywheel grinder gets out the "hot" spots better, but a proper lathe will cut as deep as you like.  The flywheel grinder just masks the hot spots by putting a swirled surface.  I'm sure that if you have the flywheel lightened by a machinist, he would do a fine job of resurfacing it in the future.  His equipment and his knowledge is probably superior to a guy in a parts store with a flywheel grinder.  One thing to remember, if you remove alot of mass, the flywheel will more likely get "hot" spots and chatter earlier.  There isn't as much mass to dissipate the heat.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: hillfolk'r on March 20, 2008, 07:42:55 pm
i took mine down to the ring gear,,well approx .100 before the ring gear
when i was done it weighed 7 pounds
BE AWARE THAT VW 210MM FLYWHEEL TDC MARKS DO NOT MATCH ON A DIESEL!!!
YOU MUST REMARK THE TDC MARK,or have fun next time you do a timing belt,cause you are screwed
use a piston stop to locate tdc on the flywheel

oh btw,i didnt bother to balance my fw,and it has over 100k on it

the weight is being removed pretty much evenly,and doesnt affect balance too much
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 21, 2008, 12:45:36 pm
OK, so the flywheel will be getting lightened.  I'm going to leave about .250 in front of the ring gear.  Now I need to look at pressure plates.  I am going to need something fairly substantial.  From reading past posts it looks like something for a 16v 2.0. might be in the range of what I am looking for.  I won't be going all out with this engine all the time so I will probably be in the 170-180hp range.  The clutch will be researched soon, but I will need the pressure plate for balance purposes pretty soon.  I have seen some of the clutchnet stuff and it looks like it gets good reviews, but it's pricey.    Who has some good intel for me ?
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 21, 2008, 12:46:40 pm
Quote from: "hillfolk'r"
i took mine down to the ring gear,,well approx .100 before the ring gear
when i was done it weighed 7 pounds
BE AWARE THAT VW 210MM FLYWHEEL TDC MARKS DO NOT MATCH ON A DIESEL!!!
YOU MUST REMARK THE TDC MARK,or have fun next time you do a timing belt,cause you are screwed
use a piston stop to locate tdc on the flywheel

oh btw,i didnt bother to balance my fw,and it has over 100k on it

the weight is being removed pretty much evenly,and doesnt affect balance too much


How did you determine the correct location for the new timing mark?
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 21, 2008, 08:49:19 pm
Quote from: "subsonic"
Now I need to look at pressure plates.  I am going to need something fairly substantial.  From reading past posts it looks like something for a 16v 2.0. might be in the range of what I am looking for.  I won't be going all out with this engine all the time so I will probably be in the 170-180hp range.  The clutch will be researched soon, but I will need the pressure plate for balance purposes pretty soon.  I have seen some of the clutchnet stuff and it looks like it gets good reviews, but it's pricey.    Who has some good intel for me ?

bump for holding power
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: Turbinepowered on March 21, 2008, 10:16:26 pm
Quote from: "subsonic"

How did you determine the correct location for the new timing mark?


Bump for needing this information too. About to swap a 210mm from the fox to the 1.5D.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 22, 2008, 09:00:20 am
I have also been reading that many shops are now selling a generic 8v / 16v pressure plate.  I am guessing that this is not as strong as a standard 16v pressure plate.  Is there a way to tell the difference?  Are there any concern about mating the 210mm and the 16v pp to all 020's?
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: rabbid79 on March 22, 2008, 10:15:04 am
Here are the pics of my 7 lb. flywheel.  I hope this helps.
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h224/jolsen7745/Rabbitpictures025.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h224/jolsen7745/Rabbitpictures024.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h224/jolsen7745/Rabbitpictures023.jpg)
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 22, 2008, 10:21:11 am
Wow, nice job!  Thanks Rabbit79.
 Did you mill the groves into the face of the plate?  Thats a nice touch.  Probably helps dissapate some heat as well.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: rabbid79 on March 22, 2008, 10:27:02 am
The guy(s) at Scooter racing did all the work so I really don't know too much about it.  I bought it off eBay about 2 years ago.  It's going in with my 1.9 conversion.  Should help lighten up the rotating assembly nicely.
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 24, 2008, 03:37:24 pm
Still looking for some recommendations for a strong 16v pressure plate. This will be a daily, but I do not mind a stiff clutch pedal.  I am undecided on the exact maker of the clutch I will be going with, but it will be an 8v clutch.    
What have you had good and bad luck with?
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 24, 2008, 05:16:25 pm
Can anyone tell me the difference between the stock 210mm Sachs 16v pressure plate w/ 8v disc and the 210mm Sachs Sport Tuned Stock 5 speed, 8V disc with 16V pressure plate.  :?:
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: flapjack on March 27, 2008, 11:37:14 am
heres a vortex thread, maybe help a bit

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3448446
Title: Lightening a 210mm flywheel+16v 2.0 pressure plate questions
Post by: subsonic on March 27, 2008, 08:11:09 pm
That was a good read.  I had been looking on the vortex, but must have missed it.

I liked this though:

fast mk1+no cupholder+morning coffee= TEAM BURNT JOHNSON RACING
 :lol:  :lol:

"I did get my engine bay cleaned, it looks much nicer now. No more writing "I love balls" on my intake manifold."  :lol:

Can anyone name our forum author?