Fidanza question.

[rhipsher]

I'm plan to install a Fidanza flywheel with the stock clutch. A good idea or not a good idea. I don't want to install it with the stock clutch if its going to cause me grief. I need to know before I do it. I just can't afford a Spec stage 2 clutch right now. So is the stock clutch going to work fine with the Fidanza or not. I need facts.

[XfireZ51]

My recommendation and the disk I used for my Fidanza is the Camaro LT-1 with a sprung hub.

[GrayZ]

Marc Haibect installed mine, he used the stock clutch.

[A26B]

The Fidanza being lighter is going to reduce the rotating mass significantly from the stock, cast iron, dual mass flywheel. As such, it will allow the engine to rev quicker, but lacks the inertial energy of the heavier flywheel at the same rpm. The effect is a little trickier launch when drag racing with a tendancy to bog easier. On the street, I didn't notice any difference other than somewhat lighter throttle tip-in to get moving.

Now for the clutch. The Fidanza does not affect clutch performance, except with a drag launch. You will probably feather the clutch more to keep the rpm up (resulting in more clutch wear) Once you're rolling & making upshifts, there is no difference in clutch performance between flywheels, for the street or drags. For road racing, it makes the downshift blips easier because the engine revs quicker & clutch release is smoother because of less engine inertia.

Bottom line..... your stock clutch will be virtually just as good with the Fidanza as with the stock unit.

I'm sure you have been warned about the rattle when idling with the clutch out, so I won't go into that. Besides, only weenies let the clutch out in neutral at stoplights. If you're not a weenie, it's no big deal.

[1990 415]

very well stated Jerry.

[A26B]

very well stated Jerry.

Are you boys coming down for Thunder II? We need your kind of thunder!

[rhipsher]

I've been told that I should use a sprung disc with the Fidanza. And they want to sell me the whole LT1 clutch kit. I don't need all of that. I'm beggining to think I might have made a mistake buying this flywheel. The car runs so good with the duel mass and I don't have a loud enough exhaust to drowned out the rattle. I would hate to mess up a good thing. A little HP= a car that sounds like a bag of rocks. I just don't know about this particular mod anymore. Confidents level is dropping quickely.

[A26B]

The ONLY time you will hear the rattle is when it is idling, in neutral, with the clutch released. How often is that?

Screw what they want you to do. Buy just the sprung disc.

BTW, you will get ZERO additional horsepower from a lighter flywheel (Fidanza) It will dyno the same as the heavy dual mass. It will result in slightly quicker e.t.'s, according to tests performed.

It's a personal preference type of thing. When the dual mass dampners go away, you'll think you have a rod knocking (in neutral, at idle & clutch out).

Here's another thing with the Fidanza that I consider an important safety item. The stock bolts have a short thread engagement that I consider marginal even in the nodular iron stock flywheel. I don't trust the stock bolts in the softer aluminum flywheels, just not enough thread engagement. This is what should be used for safety's sake.

http://www.zr1products.com/products.html

Extended Length Pressure Plate Bolts
Custom length pressure plate bolts ensure adequate
thread engagement (unlike OEM fasteners) when
installing a Fidanza aluminum flywheel on an LT5.
Complete with over-sized ground washers and
bottoming tap, as additional thread cutting is required.
For use with factory style pressure plate.
Fits 1990-95 ZR-1.

It's your decision & a personal one at that, just like exhaust systems.

[1990 415]

Not sure if we can make it. Are you going to be in BG in May? We will have both the 415s in BG in May

[XfireZ51]

I've been told that I should use a sprung disc with the Fidanza. And they want to sell me the whole LT1 clutch kit. I don't need all of that. I'm beggining to think I might have made a mistake buying this flywheel. The car runs so good with the duel mass and I don't have a loud enough exhaust to drowned out the rattle. I would hate to mess up a good thing. A little HP= a car that sounds like a bag of rocks. I just don't know about this particular mod anymore. Confidents level is dropping quickely.

rhipsher,

The sprung hub helps to absorb the vibration even at idle. If the "box of rocks" thing isn't an issue for you, go with the stock disk. I was able to buy a Camaro LT-1 disk for $69 off Fleabay. The noise on my trans at idle is minimal. And then its audible once the trans oil gets warmed up. During cruise, there's no noise. I'm also using the BMW Castrol 10W60 oil recommended by Boudreau.
And in agreement with Jerry, I went with the ARP bolts I got from Ron Woods at SRP. "An ounce of prevention..."

[rhipsher]

Well Jerry I must be a weenie then because I do put it in neutral at long lights. Keeps my left leg from getting tired. I plan on porting the plenum and injector housings soon and having Corey make me a set of Jeal headers. Now I assume that those mods are gonna dwarf any gain that this flywheel will give me. Am I right? And yes I definetily plan on comming to Thunder II. Do you want me to invite the guy with the brand new ZR1 to this. I have his name and number.

[A26B]

Well Jerry I must be a weenie then because I do put it in neutral at long lights. Keeps my left leg from getting tired. I plan on porting the plenum and injector housings soon and having Corey make me a set of Jeal headers. Now I assume that those mods are gonna dwarf any gain that this flywheel will give me. Am I right?
Performance gains are like low hanging fruit. There's the easy to reach stuff that will give you big bang for the buck. As you progress, the $/hp increases. As I stated before, the Fidanza won't give you any HP gains but will yield performance gains in certain applications. Decide if it's worth it to you for the way you intend to use your Zee the most.

And yes I definetily plan on comming to Thunder II. Do you want me to invite the guy with the brand new ZR1 to this. I have his name and number.
Great!! What track events are you planning to participate in?
I've been waiting to extend the ZR1 invitation openly, hoping to hear more from the membership. For the little response so far, there is no objection to inviting the ZR1. So, by all means...invite your friend with the ZR1.

Jerry

[rhipsher]

Performance gains are like low hanging fruit. There's the easy to reach stuff that will give you big bang for the buck. As you progress, the $/hp increases. As I stated before, the Fidanza won't give you any HP gains but will yield performance gains in certain applications. Decide if it's worth it to you for the way you intend to use your Zee the most.


Great!! What track events are you planning to participate in?
I've been waiting to extend the ZR1 invitation openly, hoping to hear more from the membership. For the little response so far, there is no objection to inviting the ZR1. So, by all means...invite your friend with the ZR1.

Jerry
I think the turn out is going to happen like the New Braunfels get together where at the last minute everybody signs on. But you can count on me showing up and hopfully the ZR1 guy is not a doctor or lawyer that doesn't have the time for somthing like this. I'll make the effort though to invite him. Don't know what track events I'll be in yet.:thumbsup:

[rhipsher]

I see what you mean by only 1/2 thread engagement on the clutch to flywheel bolts. They should have heli-coiled those for a stronger thread anyway. But after thinking about this a little longer I've decided to put the Fidanza on and just deal with it. I've got to order an LT1 sprung preasure plate. Nobody seems to have one in stock.

[XfireZ51]

You mean a sprung hub disk. The PP is the one you have now.

[rhipsher]

You mean a sprung hub disk. The PP is the one you have now.
Your right. I miss spoke. I need some Ginko.:mrgreen:

[Jagdpanzer]

Last summer I also struggled with the decision wheather or not to go with the Fidanza aluminum flywheel. Finally decided to try it and I'm sure glad I did. No question acceleration is a lot snappier than before and in my case the gear rattle noise was not much of an issue as I don't let the clutch out much while in neutral when driving. I reused the original factory pressure plate as it only had about 7,500 miles on it at the time and went with an LT1 spring hub clutch disk specified for 93-97 Z28 Camaros. Castrol TWS 10W60 oil from the local BMW store and raising the idle to 750 rpm also helped reduce the gear noise.

Couple of points on the install:

As mentioned before the stock 3/8-16 pressure bolts are a little short for use with Fidanza aluminum flywheels. Stock pressure plate bolts have under head length of 1.850" with 0.5" thread engagement in the flywheel with the stock pressure plate (which I guess the GM engineers were okay with at the time). I replaced the stock bolts with 2.25" long grade eight 3/8-16 bolts which I cut down on a lathe to 2.125". Also ran a 3/8-16 bottom tap to deepen the threaded holes on Fidanza flywheel. Scaled weighed and matched each bolt to within one gram.
The Fidanza flywheel came with a set of 7/16-20 bolts with an under head length of 1.0" for attaching to the crankshaft flange. I happened to be talking to Marc Haibeck at the time and he recommended switching to 1.25" under head length bolts so the full length of the threaded bolt hole in the crankshaft flange would be engaged. Picked up the 7/16-20 x 1.25" bolts at the local Fastenal store.

[rhipsher]

Last summer I also struggled with the decision wheather or not to go with the Fidanza aluminum flywheel. Finally decided to try it and I'm sure glad I did. No question acceleration is a lot snappier than before and in my case the gear rattle noise was not much of an issue as I don't let the clutch out much while in neutral when driving. I reused the original factory pressure plate as it only had about 7,500 miles on it at the time and went with an LT1 spring hub clutch disk specified for 93-97 Z28 Camaros. Castrol TWS 10W60 oil from the local BMW store and raising the idle to 750 rpm also helped reduce the gear noise.


Couple of points on the install:

As mentioned before the stock 3/8-16 pressure bolts are a little short for use with Fidanza aluminum flywheels. Stock pressure plate bolts have under head length of 1.850" with 0.5" thread engagement in the flywheel with the stock pressure plate (which I guess the GM engineers were okay with at the time). I replaced the stock bolts with 2.25" long grade eight 3/8-16 bolts which I cut down on a lathe to 2.125". Also ran a 3/8-16 bottom tap to deepen the threaded holes on Fidanza flywheel. Scaled weighed and matched each bolt to within one gram.
The Fidanza flywheel came with a set of 7/16-20 bolts with an under head length of 1.0" for attaching to the crankshaft flange. I happened to be talking to Marc Haibeck at the time and he recommended switching to 1.25" under head length bolts so the full length of the threaded bolt hole in the crankshaft flange would be engaged. Picked up the 7/16-20 x 1.25" bolts at the local Fastenal store.

Thanx man! Thats the kind of encouragement I need. Its just that there are other things I was getting ready to fix. Like 3 bad wheel bearings. P & P the plenum/injector housings and then wham! Throwout bearing breaks which set me back further. But I still consider those minor set backs. As long as I don't have any engine problems I'm a happy camper. Luckily our machine shop has a Fastenal account. I'll get the kid that works there to bring the bolts on over.

[rhipsher]

I need a little help locating a sprung hub disk for this Fidanza. Everybody wante to sell the whole clutch kit for $298. If I'm going to have to spend that much then I might as well just go ahead and buy the Spec stage II. You use to be able to buy individual clutch parts. Whats going on here?

[Jeffvette]

Go to summit

CTF-381039

or

MCL-261171

[XfireZ51]

Here's another source.

http://www.fasterthanthem.com/product.php?productid=94243&cat=4439&page=10