I have money set aside for an ACT flywheel...but im starting to get into autox. will it do good for me? cause if it doesnt really help, im just gonna use the money for swaybars. I ask now because my clutch replacement is coming up soon, and its my one time shot to put in a flywheel.

thanks.

 

A swaybar would help more, but a lightweight flywheel will help as well as it will allow you to rev a little faster by decrease sprung weight (I think its sprung, someone correct me if I'm wrong please). One of the side effects of the lightweight flywheel would be the weight balance transfer when you lift off the throttle. It will be altered. That is something to examine a little closer.

 

so i assume its easier to coast with a heavy fly wheel...but ligher flywheel will help my braking and weight transfer...but is go and stop more important than turning?

thanks

 

I'd say "go and stop" is integrated with turning. Since you should be doing a little of both when entering a turn and exiting a turn. I see your running a turbo...forget the flywheel unless you really have cash to throw around. Get a nice rear swaybar.

 

just for my information...what changes things because i have a turbo?

FOr the sway bar question, is suspension techniques decent and how is it installed on a car wihtout holes or mounts on the LCA?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nd8ch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just for my information...what changes things because i have a turbo?</TD></TR></TABLE>
A lightweight flywheel would be something that someone uses to get every last bit of power out of their cars. Since you have a turbo, I doubt you have a need for any more power--especially not for autocross.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nd8ch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">FOr the sway bar question, is suspension techniques decent and how is it installed on a car wihtout holes or mounts on the LCA?</TD></TR></TABLE>
If you were talking Accord or Prelude, I'd answer this in a few seconds. But seeing as how you Civic/Integra guys have way more choices (ST, Eibach, Progress, Comptech, Neuspeed, the list goes on and on) than Accord/Prelude guys (who I happen to be), I will let those more knowledgabe help you here. As far as installation, a standard aftermarket bar will come with endlinks and brackets. All you have to do is drill holes in the LCA's. When I installed my ST bar on my Accord (RIP), it literally took me longer to put the car on jackstands than it took for the bar install. On a 1-5 difficulty scale where 1 being an oil change and 5 being internal engine work, I'd rank it a 1.5 max.

 

since you're already in SM2 with the snail, go ahead and put it in since there's no fee for labor (the flywheel ought to removed and spec'd anyways during a clutch job).

RJ

 

will a lightened flywheel make it hard for someone to learn in autox? because i hear engine braking is greatly increased with a lighter flywheel

 

think of it this way: a light flywheel will make your car more responsive, more touchy. i guess that means it would make it harder to learn to control your car simply because it would require more sensitive inputs from the driver.

as for the rear sway bar.. i'm not sure if its the same on your chassis, but on my 4th gen civic the st sway bar's endlinks bolt on the lca where the lower shock is mounted (they share the same bolt). the kit also comes with big brackets that go over your tow hooks where the bar is supported in urethane bushings.

 

On my 95 civic si I didn't have to drill holes in the lca, like carsaregood stated above, they send you brackets that bolt onto the lower shock. Can you even drill through lca's? aren't they cast iron? That seems like it would be almost impossible.

If you have the cash I would say you should get the flywheel now since it will be apart anyway, but if not I would say the sway bar would help you out more. I have a progress 22mm bar in the rear and I love it. (except for the color)

 

On Accords and Preludes, it is suggested you drill a hole 1" forward of the OEM swaybar endlink mounting location. Yes, you can drill through it. It just takes about 5 minutes and a sore wrist.

 

Beefier Rear Sway Bar is one of the best auto-x mods there is. Youll wonder how you drove your car on the stock one afterwards. A FW is a fun upgrade with noticable difference in driving and since you are already turboed there is no need to worry about the fact it bumps you out of Street Touring since you are long out of it already.

 

looks like ill get a flywheel...i dont want to regret it later and have to wait a couple years to put it in on the next next clutch install. I guess ill wait on the sways, since ill beable to buy them before ....yeah i think i got it figured out

 

Normally, I would say skip the flywheel (and do the swaybar).

But since you are already in Street Mod and you already plan a clutch upgrade, you may as well do the flywheel at the same time.

 

I run in SM2 and I have done a lighten flywheel mod. The only thing that will make learning autox more difficult is that you will have to launch at a little higher rpm because the flywheel doesnt have the same inertia as it did before. As far as responsiveness, my car is a lot more responsive with the lighten flywheel. I would say its a good bang for the buck mod engine wise. Having said that though I must remind you that autox is more about suspension and tires then it is about HP.

 

I still dont believe the numbers, but a while back we calculated a lightweight flywheel would gain around 20whp in first gear, and around 8whp in 2nd gear on a type-r. Again, sounds too good to be true, but heres the post:
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=100751&page=2

 

Yeah, i read somewhere else about the major increases in performance per gear, i kinda belive it too, but not sure about the numbers...if i can get the dimensions of the fly wheel and the center of gyration...i can actually calculate it (i actually learned something in college LOL)

Losing 10 lbs in a fly wheel is much cheaper than losing 5 lbs perwheel

For autox, i know its mostly suspension and driver, but my car is mainly a street car so im gonna primarily concentrate on the upgrades toward the street. ill do autox for fun and on occasions...but im still gonna get those koni yellows

 

i've heard it said several times in several different ways that a lightweight flywheel makes power... makes sense to me that it does. anyway, are there any dyno charts around on this?

thanks,
jeff

 

I have lightened the flywheel on every street Honda I have owned (four) as part of my standard clutch replacement maintenance. It really makes the car come alive, I think it is one of the best things to do after opening up the restruictinve intake and exhaust. I don't know that it "makes" horsepower, but it certainly frees up power that is otherwise lost.

I have never bought a high dollar flywheel, just turn the stock one down to about 12-13 lbs from around 18 lbs. and it costs about $90 from any reasonable machine shop. If the class you are in allows it, I consider it mandatory.