Light weight flywheel?

[KenC]

Get a used 323 flywheel and M20 starter. Get everything else new from www.blunttech.com

[JoeyBones]

ok i really believe that if i could get the ring gear off i could actually machine a flywheel at work! haha However I do believe I'd likely pay as much for the material as i'd spend for a light flywheel...hmmm

[eu teo]

ok i just bought a m20 flywheel, clutch disk, and pressure plate to go into my m42 what else would i need to do to make everything work? (besides swapping the starter ring gear) do i need a different bearing? or anything else different than the parts that are on the m42?
oh and would the m20 flywheel bolts be ok/short enough?

[KenC]

You need an e21 323 throwout bearing, and you need to drill the little spacer on the M42 flywheel to space the M20 one out from the block. Find some bolts from an M20 auto... they should be pretty short.

I wasn't able to swap the ring gears on mine (you need like an OA welder) so I just used an M20 starter.

[fiftytakedowns]

I just intslled my JB racing aluminum flywheel. its definitely fun in 1st and second. Much better throttle response as well. No chatter.

[eu teo]

does any one know the difference of the original m42 pilot bearing and the e21 323i pilot bearing? pictures?

[KenC]

Regardless of the difference, you need it.

I'm guessing it has something to do with the thickness difference between the dual mass and single.

[Boosted E30]

Ok i just did this 2 weeks ago. If you are doing the m20 conversion all you need is late model 325is flywheel, late model 325is clutch kit ( pressure plate, clutch disc, throw out bearing) and late model starter THE WIRING IS THE SAME for the m20 starter as the m42 so you can just swap the whole starter.

You need the m42 pilot bearing because the nose of the trans input shaft is larger on the m42 trans then the 325is trans. (Atleast mine is 91 318is)

You also need to remove the spacer thats on the m42 flywheel, just drill out the 2 rivets and enlarge one hole to fit over the guide pin on the crankshaft to space the flywheel away from the block.

Also you have to shorten your flywheel bolts mine are 40mm total length, im using a spacer under the bolts as well which acts like a one peice washer for all the bolts.

The clutch engagement point is around half way releasing the pedal.

[eu teo]

Ok i just did this 2 weeks ago. If you are doing the m20 conversion all you need is late model 325is flywheel, late model 325is clutch kit ( pressure plate, clutch disc, throw out bearing) and late model starter THE WIRING IS THE SAME for the m20 starter as the m42 so you can just swap the whole starter..

i thought you have to use a e21 323 throwout bearing.. how did you get away using one from a 325is?

[KenC]

Clutch will probably engage much farther out on the pedal than usual with it... I believe the 323 one compensates for the thickness difference in the flywheels.

[Boosted E30]

I went through all the trouble to find a 323 tob with a part number I got off of m42club and it was NLA. So my parts guy cross referanced the number and found that the e28 528e was the same if I remember correctly. Then once I put that tob side by side with the 325is one the difference was so little that I just stayed with the 325is one as it came in the clutch kit.

Then once I had my trans out I put the 325is an 318is tob side by side and the 325is one was just a little bit shorter. Which gives you release and engagement point about half way through pedal travel.

[thedguy]

Has anyone tried to remove the ring gear off the m42 flywheel and fix it to the m20? Most flywheels AFAIK have removable ring gears if you heat them and tap them off with a hammer.

[eu teo]

Has anyone tried to remove the ring gear off the m42 flywheel and fix it to the m20? Most flywheels AFAIK have removable ring gears if you heat them and tap them off with a hammer.

i brought my flywheels to a machine shop and they swapped the ring gears for me for $10, they pressed out both starter ring gears and pressed the m42 ring gear on the m20 flywheel for just ten bucks. thats what i did..

[eu teo]

ok i got all the throw out bearing lined up so you guys can see the difference..
i hope this helps :)

[JoeyBones]

ok i got all the throw out bearing lined up so you guys can see the difference..
i hope this helps :)

nice!