what clutch?

[fspGTD]

Here are a few links from the old forum on clutches:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=40
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=319
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=609
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=679


I think that should about cover it, as the topic has come up quite a few times in the past... (unless you have some other questions that haven't been covered, in which case, shoot!)

[VWRacer]

Woo hoo! It seems that I have the best of all worlds... :shock:  

Here is a photo of the flywheel from one of my spare VW GTI engines. The numbers read 29072 and 022 105 273. Note that it is 190mm from outer ring to outer ring. If I need to use a stock flywheel, at least I have the smallest one available.



Jake, did you have a thread where you described how you had it lightened?

Thanks, Stan

[VWRacer]

No...I'm happy because I have a small flywheel. A bigger clutch means a bigger flywheel, which means more rotational inertia, which means slower acceleration. These things are all bad from a racing perspective.

May not mean much to a guy looking for maximum fuel mileage...

[BlackTieTD]

No...I'm happy because I have a small flywheel. A bigger clutch means a bigger flywheel, which means more rotational inertia, which means slower acceleration. These things are all bad from a racing perspective.

May not mean much to a guy looking for maximum fuel mileage...

although, wouldn't less rotational inertia translate to slightly better fuel mileage? might be negligable, but in theory?

[fatmobile]

Ok, if I'm wrong someone correct me.
  The flywheels for the 190mm and 210mm clutch have the same outside diameter right?

[fspGTD]

Stan is right... for all-out racing, they use the smallest clutch and flywheel that you can get away with.

Here is the thread where I describe my setup:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=40

I actually have a 200mm setup.  But based on my research I actually heard some conflicting opinions on which setup would ultimately be lighter (190mm or 200mm) but for sure either are pounds lighter than a 210mm setup.

The OD of the flywheel is the starter engagement teeth, which is the same for all the clutch diameters.  What changes is the OD of the clutch disc (smaller OD = slightly lighter clutch) and the OD of the pressure plate (smaller OD = significantly lighter pressure plate, by like 2 pounds or more going from 210mm to 200 or 190mm.)  I have heard that the 190mm, 200mm, and 210mm flywheels should weigh about the same after they've all been lightened to about the max limits, but then again it depends on the skill of the machinist doing the lightening.  Where the weighs gets saved by reducing clutch diameter is mainly in the pressure plate.

Here are some pictures of my setup taken from the thread mentioned above:

[Dr. Diesel]

eurodrive clutches in burlington. they will lighten flywheels too, or make you an aluminum unit. I think the clutch disc was roughly double the price of a regular material unit, but they grip way better and last 3x longer.

[fspGTD]

I have looked into, but never found an aluminum flywheel being actually made or sold for an 020 transmission.  And the people I found who advertised it, never actually made one and when they looked into it further, they decided they couldn't/wouldn't do it.  My impression is that it would take a really thick slab of aluminum, a lot of $, and wouldn't save much weight vs a properly lightened OEM cast iron unit, but I'd be very interested in hearing if someone's actually made one and how much it cost and weighs.

[Cheesetoast]

so if i upgrade to a 16v clutch/pressure plate and a 8pound 16v flywheel instead of my 93 td stock setup, will i get less fuel milage? :?:

[moosiah]

just for grins an' giggles I took a scale out to the rabbit hutch and weighed all 3 of my clutchs, a 190, 200 (off my 1.6td) and :: a 210. all were complete as removed from their engines.......... they all weighed 23 pounds total .... so just where do I send a flywheel to get it lightened ? and can they do it with out milling off the timing marks?? :?:

[Dr. Diesel]

Eurodrive had an experimental clutch a friend of mine was using. They put the friction material on the pressure plate and flywheel, and had a naked clutch disc. The idea was with a drastically lighter disc, shifting would occur much faster. This also used one of their 020 aluminum flywheels, which was 5 lbs (as I remember). I have an aluminum VR6 flywheel done by them, too. (haven't tried it yet)

[Cheesetoast]

talked to a vw place that did my friends gti vr6 flywheel/clutch, and he said with diesels, lightening hte flywheel wil ltake away torque, he suggested putting a HEAVIER one in if anything, any thoughts? or is this a " :roll: "

[QuickTD]

I lightened the flywheel by about 2 pounds when I did my clutch. All I can say is that I wish I had lightened it more. I love the quick revving. It also seems alot smoother, but I had the flywheel balanced after machining so it may just be better than stock. I'd recommend a lightened flywheel to anybody, there are no drawbacks that I can see.

[VWRacer]

I recently purchased this clutch kit from Virtual World Parts.

It may be more than you're looking for, but it needs to last me 25 hours of all-out road racing. And even though it's designed for an 8V GTi, Mike Potter at Virtual assured me that it'll go into any early Rabbit. The rules in my class prohibit lightened flywheels (they must be stock), but the clutch and pressure plate are open.

[VWRacer]

talked to a vw place that did my friends gti vr6 flywheel/clutch, and he said with diesels, lightening hte flywheel wil ltake away torque, he suggested putting a HEAVIER one in if anything, any thoughts? or is this a " :roll: "

To put it politely, the guy doesn't know what he's talking about. A heavy flywheel has no place on a modern high-revving diesel, other than as an aid for drivers with poor manual tranny skills. Lighten that sucker as much as you can...you'll love it!