Fidanza Flywheel woes????

[Doppelgänger]

So last July i had a fidanza flywheel installed along with a exedy 3-puck SPRUNG disk. The set up was nice with a quick engagement, but not much chatter or anything negative. I have done a few drift events with it (i seldomly use and aggressive clutching techniques when drifting, mostly just power over and stay in one gear, sometimes shift), and its also my daily. But here less then a year later the thing gave up its ghost. When i'd accelerate the clutch would slip if i went into boost. So i ordered a new ACT clutch disk thinking the exedy one was just not able to hold the power. Well upon pulling the clutch assembly out, the pressure plate and flywheel (aluminium) were grooved like a bad brake rotor... but NOT from the rivets on the clutch disk. The pads still had quite a bit of life left in them

Well, i go ahead and order a replacement friction surface for the flywheel only to find out the flywheel is WARPED. Now there were no heat marks/colors on the flywheel at all, no sign of severe conditions.

So i will now go back to a stock flywheel as i dont trust getting a replacement and i need to have my car back tomorrow.

Has anyone else had or heard of Fidanza flywheels having problems??

[william_jeff]

i've heard lightweight flywheels + boost = bad combination

i just bought a fidanza 7.5lb for my gsr and will hopefully have it installed in a week or so, but i'm not boosting for a ways down the road

[KevinT707]

I have a Fidanza and had to replace my CC clutch a couple weeks ago cause the Press Plate came apart but anyway my lightweight flywheel had crazy amount of hot spots on it but still seemed to be smooth .. Warpage wasn't obvious & we didn't take it off to check either. Didn't get the flywheel resurfaced or anything & now I've been on the same flywheel for the past 300 miles & it seems fine ..

[william_jeff]

your competition clutch pressure plate came apart???

[KevinT707]

your competition clutch pressure plate came apart???

Yes, from what I could see. 1 of the bolts that holds the Plate itself to the other part of the Press Plate (don't know what it's called) came off so the plate was just flapping around while still bolted to the back piece of it.

[william_jeff]

Yes, from what I could see. 1 of the bolts that holds the Plate itself to the other part of the Press Plate (don't know what it's called) came off so the plate was just flapping around while still bolted to the back piece of it.

i guess i need to recheck all my bolts on mine before i get it installed.

[KevinT707]

i guess i need to recheck all my bolts on mine before i get it installed.

Yeah, do that. On Hondas stock flywheel/press plate has 6 bolts, aftermarket they have 9 or 10 so I went and bought the rest this time

[SKUNK2GUY]

i had the same problem with the pressure plate in my ls/vtec!

[william_jeff]

and competition clutch stage 1 is suppose to be better than exedy stage 1????

[twinj]

i've heard lightweight flywheels + boost = bad combination

i just bought a fidanza 7.5lb for my gsr and will hopefully have it installed in a week or so, but i'm not boosting for a ways down the road

I heard just the opposite. Because of the light flywheel you can rev faster therefore getting to boost alot quicker.

[KevinT707]

and competition clutch stage 1 is suppose to be better than exedy stage 1????

I don't think so. From what I hear and have experienced with Comp Clutch you have to get higher Stages just to equal other brands such as Exedy, Act etc.

Comp Clutche's Stg 2 never gave me a problem with me running N/A (175 whp) but with spray it only lasted 4-5 runs at Showdown & Press Plate broke

[william_jeff]

I heard just the opposite. Because of the light flywheel you can rev faster therefore getting to boost alot quicker.

i was told that lightened flywheels can shatter being revved so quickly with turbos

i would like further knowledge on this because i am contemplating buying an ITR flywheel so when i go boost i can change it out with an upgraded clutch

[william_jeff]

I don't think so. From what I hear and have experienced with Comp Clutch you have to get higher Stages just to equal other brands such as Exedy, Act etc.

Comp Clutche's Stg 2 never gave me a problem with me running N/A (175 whp) but with spray it only lasted 4-5 runs at Showdown & Press Plate broke

well spit i've been punked, i should have stayed with my original thought/setup. i am not going to wait to get my exedy stage 1 now.

so competition has an issue with their pressure plate

i won't mess with them anymore

[Cool Cat Racing]

I've installed a few CC clutches and actually all of them have had premature problems. Some I could attest to the clutch, some could have been the driver so I haven't made up my mind on them yet. I still prefer ACT and have yet to have any problems with them, even on cars with bad drivers.

[kain86]

well i have a fidanza 7.5lbs flywheel that has been lightened to 4.5lbs, combined with a CM stage 3 clutch and im pretty retarded when it comes to driving.......i drift around the bank my work banks at.....pretty fun.... but anyways i took my tranny off this past weekend to see why it wouldn't disengage and it was my release bearing... haha shattered it... anyways with all the hell i've given my flywheel i haven't had a single warping or heating porblem out of it.. and no slips out of the clutch

[william_jeff]

how do you properly break in a clutch??

[speedminded]

multipiece flywheels suck balls, even though we've used them in the honda challenge/NASA cars for years with no problems but those cars are never abused at all....200+whp and never once broke an axle race after race either.

Comptech had recalled all their multi-piece flywheels because of the outer gear seperating from the aluminum center...seen it with other companies too. Personally I would not use anything but a one (1) piece chromoly lightweight flywheel...my 8.5lb Cusco has been perfect!

As for clutches, I tore up a clutchmaster stage III but my ACT street disc has been fine for 30k+ miles. Even though the Miata is a daily it's still a serious play car and needs the parts to hold up to the abuse. If i had it i'd have a light weight chromoly with a twin disk clutch. It's gonna be a pain in the ass to drive but i know you're more than capable of adapting to it

how do you properly break in a clutch??

On a street disk just don't abuse it for about 250 miles...that's 250 miles of stop and go mild engagement, not highway miles. Race discs are normally good to go from the start, just a few hard slips off the line will prep the surface.

[Doppelgänger]

So who thinks i'd throw in the broken in towel on my set-up with about 200 mi on it....

CC/Exedy p. plate + ACT 4-puck clutch + stock flywheel. I've had to make a few long-slip starts while getting used to the new set up.

[william_jeff]

On a street disk just don't abuse it for about 250 miles...that's 250 miles of stop and go mild engagement, not highway miles. Race discs are normally good to go from the start, just a few hard slips off the line will prep the surface.

ok thanks

So who thinks i'd throw in the broken in towel on my set-up with about 200 mi on it....

CC/Exedy p. plate + ACT 4-puck clutch + stock flywheel. I've had to make a few long-slip starts while getting used to the new set up.

sounds like it's broken in to me

[Z U L8R]

+1 @ OS Geiken ^_^

[blackshine007]

I haven't had any problems with my Fidanza. I had to replace a transmission from once from when I busted it (wheel hop). It still looked good, Clutchmasters stage 2R flywheel and all. I rev the shit out of mine, possibly as high as anyone on here with no adverse effects. I do believe that 6 pucks aren't worth their weight in gold. I would at least try a stage 3 or a twin disc set up. did you order your inserts yet? I think they're like $60 depending on where you look

[T34me]

i have a 8lb fidanza and exedy stage 1 on the civic @10psi and have had no problems at all