RHD light flywheel - review and question re noise when starting

[r-mm]

OP in the digital house...

Mine is performing a-okay. A decent amount of the noise I was hearing was from having un-seated the a firewall gasket while deleting the cruise control. Between re-seating it and getting used to the noise I am now confident that there is nothing "wrong". I will update this thread if that proves incorrect. I have some 4000 miles on mine and enjoy it very much. There are truly zero drivability issues.

[ryan.of.peachey]

Does anyone have any updates to add to this thread? I'm trying to source a flywheel for my tranny swap and RHD is far and away the best priced option, though this thread has made me slightly leery. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[digger]

perhaps, but lightest stock and light are different things

[agisthos]

I just found out since I have a 323i, this E30 has the lightest stock flywheel anyway. Is this true?

[agisthos]

My guess is he's afraid that maybe the teeth count isn't the issue.

Yep. I'm gonna see how this one plays out. I have a few months before needing to fit mine anyway.

[digger]

My guess is he's afraid that maybe the teeth count isn't the issue.

[r-mm]

Nothing to be afraid of if you count teeth on both old and new flywheel. Its a very nice part with really no downside i have experienced in 2000 mi. Zero drivability issues whatsoever. Slightly ‘ringier’ at startup. I had a ringing sound on throttle then realized id unseated a big firewall grommet when i deleted the cruise control. Snapped it back and no ringing.


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[agisthos]

I have one of these flywheels and am very concerned to even install it, I admit. Expensive job to have the flywheel replaced if it strips.

[digger]

dont know if this adds anything but if i recall when MM do their 240mm clucth kits for the m20 they use a m20 ring gear on a m30 FW

[AWDBOB]

In the US there are only 2 sized ring gears AFIAK. I have personally done countless motor/trans/clutch swaps over the years and there are 2 sized starters that BMW used on classic cars.


Basically, the 4 valve heads all got a smaller ring gear, the single cams got the larger ones - to put it in a nutshell.



m42 starter works on an e36 (all years/engines) sometimes have to swap the electrical connectors pending year/model (some have spade, some have rings), and early starters have a single positive feedback, others have dual (easy, just ground the "k5" leg on e30). Again, simple fix, just ground the starter electrical lock out (only drawback is windows and other accys will work during engine cranking).

Exactly what I thought, and exactly what I needed to know. Thank you!

[ForcedFirebird]

I'm not sold on the tooth count differences, at least for US market cars. I've used early and late starters interchangeably, and have been informed by many over time there is no difference other than the physical size of the starters (early cars are bigger). I'm pretty sure all US cars had 137 tooth. Perhaps someone else can chime in?

In the US there are only 2 sized ring gears AFIAK. I have personally done countless motor/trans/clutch swaps over the years and there are 2 sized starters that BMW used on classic cars.


Basically, the 4 valve heads all got a smaller ring gear, the single cams got the larger ones - to put it in a nutshell.



m42 starter works on an e36 (all years/engines) sometimes have to swap the electrical connectors pending year/model (some have spade, some have rings), and early starters have a single positive feedback, others have dual (easy, just ground the "k5" leg on e30). Again, simple fix, just ground the starter electrical lock out (only drawback is windows and other accys will work during engine cranking).

[AWDBOB]

I'm not sold on the tooth count differences, at least for US market cars. I've used early and late starters interchangeably, and have been informed by many over time there is no difference other than the physical size of the starters (early cars are bigger). I'm pretty sure all US cars had 137 tooth. Perhaps someone else can chime in?

[Dagamus(NM)]

Subbed. I see a mention of using an early m20 starter on the RHD website. I do not believe that mention was on there when I bought the flywheel a couple of years back. I am using this on an s52 with g260, clutchmasters kevlar clutch and PP for m20.

It should all be going together soon but am trying to figure out which starter to use. I think I have a working one from my 87. Need to find part numbers and figure out how to identify it.

[Poorhouse]

That is how I'm reading it.

Agree the starter would likely eat the flywheel in a hurry if the tooth count was different.

[r-mm]

Thanks for posting. If I understand correctly it is not the tooth "profile" that changed it is a massive change to tooth count. I am frankly shocked that the same starter would even turn a 137tooth and 116tooth ring gear. Is this the issue being discussed?

In summary: count the teeth on the old one, count the teeth on the new one. if they are the same and your starter didn't eat the old one, all good on the new?