[Tigers] Flywheel explosoins (was Best Clutch Kit 289)

[m_dangelo at verizon.net]

Hi.  This is all very interesting, but how common a problem is this in reality, statistically?  I mean, how many cars are out there (Tiger/TVR/Cobra/Mustang/Fairlane/Galaxie/Falcon, etc.) that are still running their original flywheels?  Are they all really in danger?  If one were planning to drag race a car like these, of course it would seem to make sense to change out the flywheel, but for street cars, when was the last time anyone heard of a flywheel disintegrating?  I honestly can say that I have never even heard of such an incident on a street.  I think it would be interesting to understand how grave an issue this really is before spending money to buy a new flywheel. 

Regarding the scattershield, is this a replacement for the bell housing, or is it something like a bell housing helmet, covering it?  How many of you out there have scattershields on your cars?  How many of you have ever seen a scattershield?  I never have, but my experience with American motors is relatively short (outside of Jeeps).  Thanks.  Mauro


Apr 15, 2010 12:46:34 PM, Theo.Smit at dynastream.com wrote:

I haven't seen a flywheel explode, but I've seen a couple of blown clutch
pressure plates, a driveshaft pretzeled, and a brake disc failure. Seen
pictures of damage done by a fan that shed blades.

I don't recall what damage the pressure plate did to the car (besides leading
them to DNF again and leaving a bunch of totally heat-checked shrapnel under
the car), but the driveshaft failure was caused by the transmission somehow
engaging two gears when the car was at about 90 or 100 MPH on the front
straight at Race City. The driveshaft buckled, kicked the entire passenger
floor up about four or five inches, and then locked up the rear end, which
sent the car into the grass just beyond the end of the pit wall. Ten yards
earlier and he would have hit the wall.

The brake disc was machined beyond any reasonable thickness limit, and when it
got hot and the brakes were applied, a piece let go and locked the disc to the
caliper. The strut was nearly ripped right off the car (240Z).

If rotating stuff is suddenly made to stop, or if it can shed pieces, it will
do a lot of damage...

Theo



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