Ebay Flywheels

jamesjedi · 06-22-2011, 04:13 AM

I have seen these, and was curious about quality? Does anyone know them?

Porsche 911 225mm Aluminum Nikasil Flywheel Light weigh | eBay

Thanks

stownsen914 · 06-22-2011, 05:38 AM

It's a good deal if they're any good. Some things that struck me: 1. Nikasil on a flywheel? I get that Nikasil makes a good wear surface, but I'd think it's too brittle to take the abuse of a clutch, but I don't know enough to say for sure. 2. doesn't say what alloy of aluminum it is. 2024 would be good, 6061 would probably be OK, but it doesn't say. 3. Forged? More likely billet, I'd think.

Scott

Henry Schmidt · Henry Schmidt's Garage

The product listed is made by QSC and was originally designed by me.
In the original plans, the material was specified as chromoly steel.
Something got lost in translation.
When the product was delivered we questioned the producer and they remedied the issue by producing a steel product some time later.
Because the product was available at a reasonable price we elected to try a couple just to test their viability. The result was catastrophic. The centers break out leaving the remaining flywheel and clutch package to flail around inside the bell housing until the car come to rest.
We contacted the manufacturer about the issue and they refunded my purchase price and took back my complete inventory of product. It appears that they ignored my suggestion to scrap the product.
They do sell a steel version of this flywheel that seems to offer good service and reasonable quality.

One clue as to the confusion in design might be the description of the flywheel itself. "Aluminum Nikasil" We were also collaborating on the production of some Nikasil cylinders and I guess the concept of coated aluminum transferred to this product. Nowhere on this product is there a Nikasil coating. The contact surface is actually a riveted steel product.

hcoles · 06-22-2011, 06:30 AM

The quality of what it is could be very good, the question is does the design work in your application and for how long. I would feel more comfortable with the engine yokes they sell.

hcoles · 06-22-2011, 06:34 AM

yes, what Henry said :-) It seems minor parts of the spec. like steel vs. AL on the drawing were not followed. Nice.

Schwarzeritter · 06-22-2011, 07:23 AM

I tend to be very skeptical of tuning parts via ebay. Sometimes you can find this or that, but it's tricky at times. So I prefer not to and better off spending the money with a
firm you are already established with.

jamesjedi · 06-22-2011, 07:26 AM

Great information. Thanks to all. I second the "Nice" .

jamesjedi · 07-02-2011, 12:41 PM

I found another one of these flywheels. It is of similar cost to getting my OEM flywheel balanced, and possibly lightened. It is made of steel, not aluminum.

Porsche 911 SC 3.0L forged steel Flywheel Light weight | eBay

Any thoughts? Or just use my OEM?

THANKS!

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Looks like these are still available. Anyone used one of these?

I'll be using an aluminum PP, is that an issue with this style of FW?

Porsche 911 SC 3 0L 225mm Forged Steel Flywheel 9 Bolts | eBay

Tippy · 06-13-2016, 04:11 PM

Only thing I trust off eBay is silicone hoses and intercoolers for turbo stuff. No way I'd trust reciprocating or rotating parts.

jamesjedi · 06-15-2016, 05:24 AM

Read Henry Schmidts reply. He designed them.

KTL · 06-15-2016, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trackrash

Looks like these are still available. Anyone used one of these?

I'll be using an aluminum PP, is that an issue with this style of FW?

Porsche 911 SC 3 0L 225mm Forged Steel Flywheel 9 Bolts | eBay

That one pictured requires you to have a crankshaft that utilizes the bolt-on style pilot bearing.

I had a similar flywheel on my racecar that worked fine. Mine was a different version with the center section intact to carry a press-in pilot bearing.

225mm Lightened Flywheel- Used

9146GUY · 06-15-2016, 09:01 AM

I am sure most of you know who Dave White was. He passed about a year ago but he spent his entire life working on, building and racing Porsches. He was a IMSA GTU champion and probably forgot more that most us will ever know.
Anyway he built some aluminum flywheels that had a plasma coating applied. I know the picture isn't very good but suffice it to say it works.
I have some of them left over. Both 6 and 9 bolt.
If there is any interest send me a PM. I'm not trying to hijack the thread, just tell people about alternate sources and technologies.
Thanks

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Good catch KTL, I didn't notice the newer style pilot bearing. I have the older stlye crank with the press in bearing, so I guess that limits my options.

My primary concern, perhaps I was not clear, is that I will be using the 70-77 style aluminum pressure plate.

I am concerned that using the aluminum pressure plate may allow the RSR type flywheel to flex?

Is this a concern? Is anyone using this combination?

KTL · 06-15-2016, 10:51 AM

Gordon,

What's special about the 70-77 style clutch housing? I was under the impression that the 915 clutch is generally the same for 72-86.

Incidentally I had an aluminum clutch that I used with this type of flywheel (the exact one I linked in the classifieds) and it worked fine. I couldn't detect any flex. I used a KEP stage 1 aluminum pressure plate (rated for 400 ft-lbs) and retired that clutch for a typical Sachs aluminum clutch. So I think you'll be fine using this RSR-style flywheel with the typical Sachs aluminum clutch.

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

At some point Porsche changed to an iron PP. Perhaps with the SC? Clutch Pressure Plate 91511600127 - Sachs - Porsche - 915-116-001-27 | Pelican Parts

Good to know about the aluminum PP not causing trouble. I had read that the RSR style flywheel was prone to flexing. Maybe they were referring to the aluminum FW.

Thanks,

Walt Fricke · 06-18-2016, 03:34 PM

I sense some terminology confusion. The typical aluminum flywheel has a steel insert where the clutch disk mates.

Porsche first built pressure plates for the 911 transmission (if I have that par right, but certainly for the early 915) with an aluminum housing and a steel (cast iron?) actual plate which contacted the clutch disk. At some point (?78?) they replaced the aluminum housing with a steel or iron housing, but used the same iron pressure part. This change added 4 pounds to the weight of the PP.

I know of no advantage for performance to having the heavier iron/iron PP. Probably smoothes out idle?

The RSR pressure plates have the same aluminum housing as do the street aluminum models, but have an aluminum center pressure part, which, indeed, has some kind of steel spray coated onto it. I have a couple of these, and this works pretty well. When they wear you can have them resprayed (if you have a place which does this kind of thing - 2008 seems to have killed of the one in Denver).

Weight: stock iron/iron = 12 lbs. stock iron/aluminum - 8 pounds. RSR aluminum/aluminum = 4 pounds (if memory from when I weighed these serves}.

This suggests that it might be possible to make a flywheel and, instead of using a steel insert, using a spray on the wear surface. There might be other reasons not to do this. But if an aluminum flywheel is strong enough to handle the torque with a steel insert, might one suppose it would be strong enough as well if just using a sprayed surface?

On the other hand, the weight, not to mention the MOI, of that steel insert (preferably replaceable) seems like it might not be worth the bother.

Nikasil, which is not used as a gripping surface but as a slipping surface, would seem an odd choice for a coating. The shop used some kind of stainless on my PPs. But Henry has told us of the apparent mixup there.