Flywheel Types and Functions

 

 

Flywheel function: The flywheel provides the engine side face for the clutch to bite into, but its main job is to store kinetic energy. Its kind of like when you spin a bicycle wheel in mid air and it free wheels for a while. That’s the wheel storing the energy you put into it and releasing it as it slows down due to things like friction.
It helps keep the engine running by maintaining crankshaft momentum between combustion strokes but most importantly, it plays a major part in how a vehicle drives.

A heavier flywheel will dull engine response, but will help a car maintain momentum up hills or while towing. It also makes it easier to take off from a stand still and it has the mass to get the car rolling smoothly when the clutch is disengaged.

Lighter flywheels can improve engine response and acceleration due to their lower rotating inertia. For years they have been seen as releasing free horsepower and have been fitted to everything from highly strung four cylinders to big cube eights.

 

Single mass flywheels: Most factory standard flywheels are usually made from cast steel, heavy but hard wearing and durable.
The most common type of light weight flywheels are made up of chrome moly or aluminium with bolt in friction plates.

Chrome moly is ideal, the aluminium  ones can cause a  few problems if they aren’t  correctly fitted, but they still have there place in certain applications.

 

Dual mass flywheels: They were designed purely for reducing noise, vibration and harshness. They work similarly to the sprung centre clutch disc in that they use springs to dampen driveline shock and harmonics. They are not really suitable for performance applications as they are much heavier than a conventional flywheel and are prone to failure under heavy use or extreme heat