To machine or not to machine (flywheel resurface). That is the question

[zKars]

What say you good Z'ers? When putting in a new clutch, what is your SOP on the flywheel resurfacing? Wet sand with Silcon carbide paper till deglazed? Always take in for a skim resurface to local rebuilder? Don't bother? Share your experience.

Yes, I admit it, this is a silly question is based on being cheap, and in a hurry to get a clutch swap done in one go without a day or two "in the shop" waiting for a proper skim to get done....

[Zed Head]

Monroe describes looking for heat-checking, and sanding and cleaning if there is none and the surface is flat.  It worked for me.

 

If you use a hard block when you sand, the sanding pattern will give you a good idea of the quality of the surface.  A good consistent pattern can only be achieved on a flat, non-heat-checked surface.

 

I like to use a flashlight behind my straight edge to see how flat a surface is.  Just a trick that works.  My first flywheel had a visible wear pattern shown by a straight edge.  I sanded it and used it anyway and it gave me chattering problems when it got hot.  I don't know if the it was the flywheel or the clutch.  It was a Zoom Perfection clutch kit.

 

My second one was perfectly flat by straightedge and worked fine after sanding and cleaning, with a new, different brand, clutch kit.  Rhinopac brand.

 

I like to experiment though so take that in to account.

[Kurbycar32]

Unless using a new flywheel i always drop mine off at a machine shop for resurfacing.  The last time i did one it cost about 40 bucks, that's not worth my time to mess with trying to do it myself with sandpaper.

[LeonV]

I was in a similar situation with the last Z clutch I did. The flywheel looked great, like a brake rotor. I lightly sanded the surface with some medium grit sandpaper with a flat stone backing. No issues.

[zKars]

Great advice all, thanks!

123100-P0100 flywheels are hard to find. Rock auto only lists 2+2 flywheels (20 mm) . Ebay has nothing. Clutch kits come up with nothing that includes a flywheel, where as only a few years ago, there were none. Don't really want a Fidenza alloy flywheel. Well I do, but not at the current exchange rates! Anyone with a source? I'm fresh out of used ones.

[Zed Head]

It's been noted before that the 225 mm stock flywheels aren't available.  I know a local shop that had a few in inventory a while back.  Somebody on eBay might have one.  But apparently nobody is casting them anymore.  One more NLA part.

 

I have a small collection of used ones that I think will last me.  You might try the wrecking yards for used.

[Kurbycar32]

i have a used 225mm flywheel lying around here.  i ordered it for my car when the seller listed it as a 240mm unit and got stuck with it because shipping was more expensive than the part.  you referenced part numbers and i think you may have been implying the lightweight "frisbee" maxima flywheels, i was completely unable to find one this last summer.  Also beware that there are some part numbers floating around for a fidanza steel wheel, these are totally off the market and NLA.  I ended up with a 240mm fidanza aluminium unit