NB Clutch & Flywheel replacement WA

[speed freak]

Just got a couple quotes, one with the exedy kit and machining the flywheel $980.

Another (OEM) clutch kit and fly fitted $750

Still very tempted to throw in a light flywheel, these guys don't seem to be able to source it. Any WA peeps know where I could obtain one?

if your willing to buy from a online australian store, look up mx5 mania at the bottom of this page, they have flywheels and clutch kits too if your inteested.

[Mr Morlock]

Kart commented " As for the flywheel I am thinking of replacing it because it is as old as the car". Kart the flywheel is going to last the life of the car- its surface can be refurbished by removing a few thou of material to ensure it is flat and unblemished.Folks buy old cars and the last thing that probably needs replacing is the flywheel People rarily replace flywheels because they are so robust. The argument for a lighter flywheel is for the most part flawed in essence because the standard flywheel is the result of the OEM engineers best fit for the car ie related to torque / revs NVH etc. Feel free to ask someone who does know and who is not biased just to fiddle around with dubious mods. One thing I reckon which is not good in any car is one that has to be revved or tends to bog down - torque and flexibility is no bad thing.

Why is it hard to source a lightened flywheel- guess because of low demand. Also ask the fitters what they think of the idea. Personally if I were looking at an MX5 and it had a lightened flywheel I would give it a miss.

$750 sounds pretty good supplied and fitted. Walk in am and pick up pm. or the next day. Why buggerise around with on line stores probably with no saving and still the question of a warranty and the inconvenience if there is a fault. Ask the fitter - if there is something wrong and they sourced it then their supplier fixes it fast. In business its nearly always best to let a contractor take responsibility of the whole process and it simplifies it.

[emily_mx5]

As for the flywheel if you want to save more money again you can lighten the stock flywheel it has a fair amout of potential to lighten but you will never get it as light as an aftermarket one.

Be very careful here, sure a shaved flywheel will get you most of the benifit of a light weight one at much less cost, but if not done properly or if not in the best condition to start out with, cracks/damage you can't see, failure could occur and then you will have a piece of heavy iron spinning very quickly, tearing through the bellhousing and anything else in the way.

Oh very tricksy!

How much lighter is a 1.6 complete assembly?

I don't see any 1.6 clutches with the six speed gearbox, can it be done?
.

Off the top of my head there is a couple of kilos in the flywheel, and maybe 1 in the clutch. So for the cheap price of an oem NA6 flywheel and the NA6 clutches seem to be cheaper, could be a nice "upgrade".
I personally have a lightened NA6 flywheel on an NA8 engine with an exedy spot tuff organic clutch. Love this set up to bits.

Yeah NA6 clutch fits on 6sp no probs, but i guess its not done that often because the larger surface area and better leverage on the pressure plate means that the 1.8 assembly can provide greater clamping force for the same pedal effort / match the clamping force of the smaller clutch with lighter pedal effort.

$30 slave?

I bought mine from the UK i think, on some special sale. But your NB might be more expensive, mx5 plus have them for $89.95

[Okibi]

... its slipping, definately time to be replaced. Nowhere near racing, its a very stock car but I do drive her pretty hard now and then, the exedy kit you're referring to,..

Clutch slaves often fail on NA/NBs, they don't always loose fluid when they die. It might be a fairy cheap and easy fix.

I had one of these on my NB: http://www.exedy.com.au/sports-tuff

I found it great for a daily driver. I also had a FM flywheel and it was easy to manage even in bumper to bumper traffic.

[kart]

Be very careful here, sure a shaved flywheel will get you most of the benifit of a light weight one at much less cost, but if not done properly or if not in the best condition to start out with, cracks/damage you can't see, failure could occur and then you will have a piece of heavy iron spinning very quickly, tearing through the bellhousing and anything else in the way.

That shop that quoted me $750 will machine the fly, it's a specialist transmission shop though so that should be safe shouldn't it. This is not shaving the fly to lighten it, sounds more like good maintenance to me.

Thanks Mr Morlock I think I will stick with the stock fly, a nice quick and painless one day job to breathe fresh life into my car will be great.

One last thing, how long should I drive gently on the new clutch before taking it to O'Brien Road?

Thanks all for the help and advice!

Okibi, don't tempt me !

[Okibi]

Might was well get a lighter flywheel installed while it's all apart.

[emily_mx5]

Machining is different to shaving.
Machining just skims the surface, its common practice and i'm sure thats what they meant.
Shaving is reducing its weight by machining a lot off, drilling holes in it etc.

[kart]

Yup. Thats what I thought emily

Okibi, how much for and how quickly can I find a lightweight fly? In WA? I'm on a bit of a uni student budget and need to get this clutch replaced pretty soon haha

[Aussie Stig]

Might was well get a lighter flywheel installed while it's all apart.

+1

I like the Goodwin, they have a great rep and 12lbs sounds conservative, the FM is also very pretty . If I had to do the clutch I would get one for $250, but shipping cost from the USA would be a killer!!!

Also when I was in Uni, I went over 12 months with a slipping clutch, I was too cheap to change it until getting up a hill meant pushing it. Just drive carefully and take yr time.

(Emily you are sounding so experienced, damn you bin busy girl)

[geofiz]

Kart,

I have a low km clutch that was pulled when we changed the rear main seal and upgraded to a heavy duty clutch as part of a turbo conversion. YOu are welcome to it, it only has around 8,000 km tops since fitting.

I aslo have a spare flywheel, so you can get it machined to save time for the fitting if you want.

Last time we did the clutch in the shed, it took us 4 hours including the rear main seal change, so at the $100/hr most shops charge, $750 is a good price. Last time I heard the quotes were around $800 fitted,m with a roughly 50/50 split between parts and labour.

Let me know of you want the clutch kit, and I can put it aside for you.

Russell

[kart]

Also when I was in Uni, I went over 12 months with a slipping clutch, I was too cheap to change it until getting up a hill meant pushing it. Just drive carefully and take yr time.

I'm sure I could make the clutch last but I have a friend with an Evo X and sometimes we just have to go to the hills etc and I can't do that with this clutch anymore. Wouldn't be a good friend if I let him go alone...

Thanks for the offer geofiz but I'll just go with the exedy kit and have my flywheel machined seeing as how its the same price, and I can have it done quickfast.

Only thing I would maybe stall the operation for is a light flywheel if it was <$200 but that's not going to happen. Would be nice though..

[emily_mx5]

why don't you take the clutch geofiz offered, then spend the money you were going to spend on a new clutch, on a nice flywheel instead?

[kart]

Sorry to be a noob but where from? Goodwin's Exedy light fly with postage and the rubbish aussie dollar at the moment is going to cost me $445 and the cheapest one from mx5mania is $545 plus postage. Again, I looove the idea of it and have the same philosophy as Okibi, might as well throw it in while we're there... but not for that much more $$$

[deviant]

Keep an eye on Ebay and Gumtree. Put a wanted add up on here to, you would be suprised what people have kicking around the shed.

Google 'clutch kits australia' and start calling around the numerous companies that come up. Get in touch with the forum sponsors.

Unfortunately there is not much way around clutches being expensive to buy and expensive to fit but you should not have to do it to often! The extra few hundy for a lightweight flywheel is well worth it, it is not something you would set out to do from the start as it is such a sh*t of a job to do but it is not something you would avoid doing when the time comes to replace your clutch especially if you enjoy pushing your car. I doubt you will find many negative experiences across the various MX5 forums.

If you need a new clutch slave then Perth Brake Parts are the go to. Mine started leaking and a brand new one was something like $35...MX5 Mafia Don Geofiz might have one kicking around. He knows the part number if not.

[geofiz]

Yes I have a brand new slave cylinder sitting here, but you can get them new pretty easy.

I also have a Brand new lightened flywheel, but I was planning on fitting it in mine next time I have the motor or gearbox out.