benefits of aluminum...
11-08-2006, 01:47 AM
#11
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
GT_Bob what your saying is what i was thinking "how could less rotational mass be a bad thing"
oxfordgt
if the flywheel weighs less, and takes less energy to get up to speed, doesnt that mean more energy(or HP) that is available at the wheels? harder to spin? how is something that weighs less harder for the engine to spin?
oxfordgt
You may think that the lighter weight is better and will help it spin but it doesn't. It actually makes it harder for the engine to get up to speed becuase it uses the weight to get there
11-08-2006, 01:57 AM
#12
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
ORIGINAL: weasel1088
GT_Bob what your saying is what i was thinking "how could less rotational mass be a bad thing"
oxfordgt
if the flywheel weighs less, and takes less energy to get up to speed, doesnt that mean more energy(or HP) that is available at the wheels? harder to spin? how is something that weighs less harder for the engine to spin?
GT_Bob what your saying is what i was thinking "how could less rotational mass be a bad thing"
oxfordgt
You may think that the lighter weight is better and will help it spin but it doesn't. It actually makes it harder for the engine to get up to speed becuase it uses the weight to get there
11-08-2006, 02:15 AM
#13
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
ORIGINAL: GT_Bob
It absolutely does not take more energy to spin a lighter flywheel.
ORIGINAL: weasel1088
GT_Bob what your saying is what i was thinking "how could less rotational mass be a bad thing"
oxfordgt
if the flywheel weighs less, and takes less energy to get up to speed, doesnt that mean more energy(or HP) that is available at the wheels? harder to spin? how is something that weighs less harder for the engine to spin?
GT_Bob what your saying is what i was thinking "how could less rotational mass be a bad thing"
oxfordgt
You may think that the lighter weight is better and will help it spin but it doesn't. It actually makes it harder for the engine to get up to speed becuase it uses the weight to get there
11-08-2006, 02:36 AM
#14
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
We have a winner! A steel flywheel will help your engine maintain speed, where as a light flywheel will not. You will not see the difference between the two on a dyno, only in acceleration. No real-world highway will eliminate acceleration while cruising, which is why the mileage between the two is different.
How much difference it makes is a function of the diameter of the rotating mass. This is why your aluminum driveshaft won't make nearly as much difference as a flywheel.
That said, a heavier flywheel can be beneficial for mileage, but the limit before it becomes a burden is something that only expensive experimentation can resolve...which is probably something Ford already did and compromised on a flywheel weight that balances acceleration and mileage.
How much difference it makes is a function of the diameter of the rotating mass. This is why your aluminum driveshaft won't make nearly as much difference as a flywheel.
That said, a heavier flywheel can be beneficial for mileage, but the limit before it becomes a burden is something that only expensive experimentation can resolve...which is probably something Ford already did and compromised on a flywheel weight that balances acceleration and mileage.
ORIGINAL: weasel1088
the only thing i can think of is newtons first law...once the heavier flywheel is in motion it will be harder to slow down thus maintaining the same speed created better gas milage....but i dont give a crap about gas milage lol. i already have the driveshaft in and i didnt notice any difference however when holding them my arm scale seemed to tell me the aluminum was quite a bit lighter. and the flywheel seems pretty damn light to compared to one i had for my old jeep...i guess we'll see shortly.
im kinda feeling like i wanna go with weight reduction instead of hp just to be different. anything else to do besides rear seat delete, i remember a thread and dont know where it went....
ORIGINAL: 2000GT4.6
Why would you have any decrease in milage? The flywheel being lighter should not effect anything at crusing speed, other than possibly reducing the effort it takes to maintain speed.
Reduced weight, if anything, should increase fuel milage. The less weight you have to keep spinning, the less effort it requires, the less fuel used.
BTW, I noticed ZERO difference between my stocker and my aluminum driveshaft. The weight difference is not that massive.
ORIGINAL: Colorado_Mustang
Acceleration will increase, but it will be easier to bog the engine, too. It will also be harder for the engine to maintain a steady rpm while cruising (decreased mileage being the largest indicator...if that matters to you).
Acceleration will increase, but it will be easier to bog the engine, too. It will also be harder for the engine to maintain a steady rpm while cruising (decreased mileage being the largest indicator...if that matters to you).
Reduced weight, if anything, should increase fuel milage. The less weight you have to keep spinning, the less effort it requires, the less fuel used.
BTW, I noticed ZERO difference between my stocker and my aluminum driveshaft. The weight difference is not that massive.
the only thing i can think of is newtons first law...once the heavier flywheel is in motion it will be harder to slow down thus maintaining the same speed created better gas milage....but i dont give a crap about gas milage lol. i already have the driveshaft in and i didnt notice any difference however when holding them my arm scale seemed to tell me the aluminum was quite a bit lighter. and the flywheel seems pretty damn light to compared to one i had for my old jeep...i guess we'll see shortly.
im kinda feeling like i wanna go with weight reduction instead of hp just to be different. anything else to do besides rear seat delete, i remember a thread and dont know where it went....
11-08-2006, 03:22 AM
#16
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
Less rotational mass "should" mean quicker ET's because the motor can rev faster. Notice I said should. We use the Aluminum driveshaft more for strenght then weight with no real difference on the Dyno.
11-08-2006, 03:53 AM
#18
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
ORIGINAL: GT_Bob
My goodness gracious. Would you like it in sub-human plain language?
ORIGINAL: weasel1088
so if no HP what about time in the 1/4 mile?
so if no HP what about time in the 1/4 mile?
My goodness gracious. Would you like it in sub-human plain language?
04-29-2007, 10:09 AM
#19
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3
RE: benefits of aluminum...
Ok heres the deal with the lighter flywheel. The heavier the flywheel the more energy it stores. So when starting off from a dead stop that energy is beneficial requiring you give less gas in order to get the car rolling. When you install a lighter flywheel you are reducing that "stored" energy. So when you let out the clutch that is putting more strain directly on the motor and not using any of that "stored" energy. Requiring you to give it more gas and a lighter clutch foot in order to not bog or stall. With that lighter flywheel your engine will accelerate and decelerate quicker. Therefore moving through the RPM's faster making your car go faster. As far as loosing MPG. this is true. the heavier flywheel at high RPM holds inertia therefore puttin less strain on the motor as it actually helps the motor spin. Look at it like this. Try pushing a 16Lb bowling bowl for a hundred feet VS. an 8LB ball. The 16Lb ball will maintain speed easier because of inertia but the 8Lb ball will get to speed quicker but require more power in order to keep it at speed.
04-29-2007, 10:33 AM
#20
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
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RE: benefits of aluminum...
The bowling ball analogy is a good one...[/align][/align]Also, while we're talking about flywheels there are four others that don't seem to get discussed much on the Mustang boards, but that get a lot of discussion on the lighter weight sports car forums. A friend put some silly looking 20" wheels and 295 or 315 tires on his '98 Cobra and the reduced acceleration was immediately noticable to me, though he won't admit it.[/align]