What would happen if you had a zero pound flywheel? What does the flywheel actually do? My idea is to eliminate the flywheel, and just have the engine drive the transmission...then I was thinking its just like an automatic
Do CVT's have a flywheel??

 

Automatic trannys have 'flex plates'. Basically is't like a flywheel, but it's just a big gear for the starter to start the motor. They weigh very little.

Don't forget even as light as your flywheel can get, you still have to bolt a heavy pressure plate to it...

 

Yeah but if we re-design the tranny, there would be no heavy duty pressure plate. I havn't figured that part out yet, but all I can think of now is a torque converter. I always come up with weird ideas, and I think this one sounds good!

 

how would you shift gears?
how would you disconnect the engine from the tranny (while shifting)
thats what a clutch does.

 

Puff-Puff-Pass.

Yes please tell everyone (all engineers included) how you will go about reliably and easily contolling torque output to the transmission without the use of a clutch.

 

Variable belt drive tranmissions, snowmobiles do it, and some auto manufaturers have it now too. In fact, you can have your engine in the ideal rev range all the time with some of the new technology coming out.

 

Sorry I misworded that, yes I'm aware of CVT's and clutchless systems, but I don't think you can have the optimum control of a clutched manual with the other systems.

 

I have this great idea to make lots of money: take a normal substance (say, a piece of steel) and turn it into gold. I have not figured the last part out yet. I always come up with weird ideas, and I think this one sounds good!

 

c'mon people, Im serious

 

just a slight correction - the flexplate for an automatic tranny does not touch the starter. the torque converter is grooved like a flywheen around the edges. the starter makes contact with that to engage it. i have no idea what the flexplate is there for, but it is not contacted by the starter.

 

Unfortunately, so are they.

See, the thing is that since the flywheel has mass, it holds momentum.

An engine transmission combo without a flywheel to smooth out the production and reductions of power from throttle push and release would be INSANELY jerky and hard to drive.

It would be nearly impossible to start the car from a standing stop, and the car would lurch when you gave it power, and it would lurch when you removed power. It would be unsettling during turns, and you'd have almost no control

It's just a seriously bad idea.

 

Just spline the input shaft directly into the end of the crankshaft. Sure you will need a push car to get it started and you won't be able to come to a complete stop without stalling, but just think how fast that puppy will rev.

 

<-------Sits down with beer and pork rinds,the fun has just began!

 

Here you go...the next best thing:

<u>Carbon Clutch System</u>





7.6 kg(16.75 lbs) for the clutch, pressure plate and chromoly flywheel

Priced at a reasonable $1850

Have a good day,
Austin


[Modified by Austin, 6:54 PM 7/24/2002]

 

My ACT pressure plate, Comptech flywheel and Clutchnet disc total 17 lbs 15 oz. Which is only about 1 lb more and $1000 less.

 

Nice...I'll have to weight them the next time I'm around a small scale, as it will be a little while until I can get the parts installed

 

RMFAO!!!!!!!!!