RHD light flywheel - review and question re noise when starting

[r-mm]

RHD light flywheel - review and question re noise when starting

Very interesting. Please keep me updated I will do same. I would be very very not happy to pull the motor to remedy this even if the part were free.

Does anyone have a current production RHD flywheel and stock iron on the bench to compare?

[gilber33]

Sounds like we are in exactly the same position. RHD confirmed by email that I should be hearing more noise on account of the design and material of the fly wheel but had no particular comment on the noise associated with the starter. To be clear I have detected no functional problem whatsoever with starting I am just concerned that the noise is coinciding with wear that should not be happening.

I had just gotten a reply from them too.

"Hi

look they are noisy because its steel not cast iron and rings like a bell! but im just investigating the possibility that there may have been some that were manufactured with the wrong clearances!!... possibly too much from what i can gather

i will have an answer in a couple weeks

Rama"

It sounds like they have gotten more inquiries about it. The car works great, but the noise it makes when it starts makes me want to put the stock flywheel back in.


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[r-mm]

I just installed the same flywheel in my 325i. I have the exact same noise when starting. I also know someone local to me who is experiencing the same thing. I have an email into RHD as well.

It's like the starter is binding on the flywheel when I start. It's awful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like we are in exactly the same position. RHD confirmed by email that I should be hearing more noise on account of the design and material of the fly wheel but had no particular comment on the noise associated with the starter. To be clear I have detected no functional problem whatsoever with starting I am just concerned that the noise is coinciding with wear that should not be happening.

[gilber33]

I just installed the same flywheel in my 325i. I have the exact same noise when starting. I also know someone local to me who is experiencing the same thing. I have an email into RHD as well.

It's like the starter is binding on the flywheel when I start. It's awful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[r-mm]

After a 200 mi drive I feel like im hearing what I would describe as a whistle from an hvac blower. Wonder if the ‘open’ design makes some sort of low whistling sound.

I have had the car stall at cold idle a few times and am looking forward to installing my squid chip this wknd which raises idle some.

[fporro]

I have a bit of getrag rattle that I don't even notice any more and It never changes regardless of weather or how I drive.

You'll hear it @ local drive through, regardless of weather.

You'll also feel the need to engage first gear at a bit higher rpm.

[jeffnhiscars]

Does it rattle at idle on a hot day or when tranny fluid is uber hot ? Any other noises?

I have a bit of getrag rattle that I don't even notice any more and It never changes regardless of weather or how I drive.

[digger]

RHD has his flywheels made in Taiwan which typically has good QC. Beyond that Rama is not one to cut corners on anything with his name on it. I installed mine when I did the 5spd swap and am loving it with zero issues....except that now I want more Hp :)

Does it rattle at idle on a hot day or when tranny fluid is uber hot ? Any other noises?

[jeffnhiscars]

RHD has his flywheels made in Taiwan which typically has good QC. Beyond that Rama is not one to cut corners on anything with his name on it. I installed mine when I did the 5spd swap and am loving it with zero issues....except that now I want more Hp :)

[r-mm]

Thanks very much for clarifying that. I will keep a close ear for the sound. I believe it is already getting a little bit better. maybe the sharpest machining marks on the fly wheel got knocked off during the first 10 or so starts. Anyway I am relieved to know that you did not identify a bigger flaw with the unit thanks for sharing your experience

[fporro]

Hey r-mm, ForceFirebird is correct. My starter was a bit loose, the sound warned me but I ignored it, so within 2 weeks made a flat spot on flywheel until did not catch anymore.

Not the flywheel fault but my negligence. I order a replacement unit.

Besides rattling at idle it worked flawlessly for a long while.

[r-mm]

edit - I didn't see which order you were quoting.

I would like to learn more about the starter eating the ring gear in Frank's car please. Was the root cause determined to be poor alignment/engagement of the two? Surely normal wear on even an unhardened ring gear would never lead to such quick wear?

[ForcedFirebird]

Be careful with this issue, the ring gear on the RHD FW is not hardened. Frank who works with me in the shop (fporro here on r3v) had a similar issue and the starter ate the rings gears right off the flywheel after starting the car for 2 weeks in his daily.

I've had a similar issue, when someone left out the shim between the flywheel and transmission. Additionally, if you tighten all the other bell housing bolts, before tightening the starter bolts, it'll do the same thing.

Not quite sure what's meant by this. If you can't tighten the bell housing bolts before the starter, then you would have to loosen the bell housing every time a starter is changed?

[r-mm]

Well I got that shim at least

I will try to slack and retighten the bellhousing/starter. I don't see any starter to bellhousing shims listed but then I suppose that presumed the factory flywheel.

I also have this question in to RHD.

[e30austin]

I'm referring to the outer, large, sheet metal shim, correct.