Holy crap - price for resurfacing Dual Mass FLW?!

[Sean]

I brought my flywheel into NAPA, under a reccommendation from a friend. They gave me the estimate of $32.50 to resurface it.

I get a call yesterday (I dropped it off Thursday night) and they tell me since it's a Dual Mass and just the way it is - it will cost $120 to resurface it. I was like..."Uhh...I'll pick it up today. Just leave it as is." LOL When I went in, he explained in a bit more detail. he said whatever resurfacing he did on one flywheel, he'd have to do on the other - since it's dual mass and it'd have to be disassembled.. He said it involved a good 4 hours worth of labor? Am I being fed bullshit here? It sounded right to me - but I wasn't entirely sure.

Needless to say, I'm a bit stuck here. Instead of wasting money on this Dual Mass FLW, I want to switch to a single mass. however, that would involve a new clutch - all this work all over again (which would be simple since I know how to do it now) and getting the single mass off my IS parts car.

Here's what I'm thinking. I just wanna throw everything back together as is. They told me that the flywheel probably did need to be resurfaced, since it does have some hotspots on it, but I don't think it's warped at all. I'll use the SPEC Stg1 clutch I got, run everything the way it is, just like I was planning. Then I'll be totally dismantling the IS, and getting parts all setup for the stroker. Then I'll use my friend's engine hoist, remove my Super Eta engine, and do what I was planning on that. Then at the same time, I'll switch to a Metric Mechanic lightened Single Mass FLW and new clutch. Then since there will probably only be around 15,000 miles on my SPEC Stg1, I was thinkin I could resell it for cheap, but to get some moeny from it.

I'm lookin for some input in this regard. The piece of paper NAPA gave back to me with my flywheel read, "Take to Bobby's for service" This place actually installed my new selector shaft seal - so it turns out they were taking it elsewhere for service. I'm thinking I'll probably call them and a few other places around town come Monday to see what they'll be charging for resurfacing this flywheel.

I'll post a pic of the flywheel up in a little bit, so you can tell me if it NEEDS a resurface - or if it'll work fine the way it is. (Should I also get the pressure plate balanced to the flywheel?)

Pictures:



More here: http://e30.electrontek.com/project/dualmass_flywheel/


Thanks in advance!

-Sean

[Jon325i]

I'm unclear here. The dual mass is out of the car now and you plan on putting it back in? If so, this begs the question "why?" Even if you stuck in a stock single mass M20B25 flywheel (not lightend), its going to give a noticable improvement.....but you knew that already.

My take simply is: if the car is apart, why not replace the accessable parts with something a little better? You're in there getting your hands dirty anyway, might as well.

I say you toss that dual-mass anchor and get something a little bit better. The improved response during heel-toe shifting makes it all worth the effort.

Jon

[Sean]

Yes, I did plan on putting it back in. The prblem I've got myself into right now is that I've got a clutch for a dual mass ready to be used right now.

Here's what I've thought of - funding will be a push (I don't quite have the cash for this right now)

But, I'm thinkin of gettin a Metric Mechanic lightened flywheel, a new clutch (another Spec Stg1 hopefully) to work with the single mass, then install all that.

Then I'll sell the SPEC Stg1 I have now for a dualmass.

Anyone know how long MM waits for a core replacement? Cause I'd need to get the single mass out of my IS before I could send it back.

Pics up soon.

[Mike 91 318ic]

only $120 why cheap out now, just pay the cash and have a lighter dual mass flywheel and keep the clutch and starter as is... Even if it's only a 3-5 pounds lighter it would be worth it... Metric Mechanic charges around 350 iirc for a lightened dual mass flywheel.


M

[trent]

Re: Holy crap - price for resurfacing Dual Mass FLW?!

it will cost $120 to resurface it.

Thats about right but sounds a little high. Some local guys are around $100.

[oskard]

just curious ,,, why can't you use the "dualmass" clutch with a single mass flywheel ?

[Jand3rson]

First of all, you can't use a single mass flywheel from a 325i on an M20B27. The dual mass eta flywheel has a reference sensor on it that the single mass M20B25 doesn't.

The car won't start without it.

[Jordan]

only $120 why cheap out now, just pay the cash and have a lighter dual mass flywheel

He is talking about resurfacing, not lightening.

[Digitalwave]

Do it right the first time and just go for the MM aluminum flywheel.

[Sean]

Do it right the first time and just go for the MM aluminum flywheel.

This is what I want to do, now.

But, what's this that Josh is speaking about the reference sensor?

I was thinking I could get a lightened 325i flywheel from Metric Mechanic, and then get a different clutch (made for single mass) and call it good.

I honestly don't want to waste money getitng this massively heavy dual mass flywheel resurfaced, when for twice as much I can get a flywheel that's half the weight - if you know what I mean...

And, Jordan's correct - this is just resurfacing. I'll be calling a few shops Monday here in Boise to double check pricing, but I think I'm ready to scrap the whole dual mass flywheel, and switch to single.

But, can someone explain this reference sensor thing to me more? Does that mean I need a single mass flywheel off an earlier Eta??


TJ - Metric Mechanic has Aluminum Flywheels? Or, does MM mean something else?


Thanks!

Pics posted now, btw

[Digitalwave]

Everything I have heard says you can use a 325i flywheel on a 325e, I believe that reference sensor Josh talked about is on the tranny itself as far as I know. You just need a 325i clutch and throw out bearing to make the flywheel work.

[Sean]

Everything I have heard says you can use a 325i flywheel on a 325e, I believe that reference sensor Josh talked about is on the tranny itself as far as I know. You just need a 325i clutch and throw out bearing to make the flywheel work.

Which is why the tranny's cannot be switched!

I'm thinking you're probably exactly right. Thanks, TJ.

Now - regarding that flywheel. I was going to look around and see just how much an aluminum flywheel would cost me. I was probably going to get a Metric Mechanic lightened one - use that, put it in - then when i get the single mass out of my IS, send that in for my core deposit.

Do you know of a place that has aluminum flywheels? I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford that though. :x

Thanks guys!

[Jand3rson]

Everything I have heard says you can use a 325i flywheel on a 325e, I believe that reference sensor Josh talked about is on the tranny itself as far as I know. You just need a 325i clutch and throw out bearing to make the flywheel work.

I was under the impression that it was actually a little sensor on the flywheel itself.

[Sean]

Everything I have heard says you can use a 325i flywheel on a 325e, I believe that reference sensor Josh talked about is on the tranny itself as far as I know. You just need a 325i clutch and throw out bearing to make the flywheel work.

I was under the impression that it was actually a little sensor on the flywheel itself.

I don't see anything on my flywheel - I'll go take a quick look to make sure though.

Took a look - I don't see any obvious sensors.

[Digitalwave]

Everything I have heard says you can use a 325i flywheel on a 325e, I believe that reference sensor Josh talked about is on the tranny itself as far as I know. You just need a 325i clutch and throw out bearing to make the flywheel work.

Which is why the tranny's cannot be switched!

I'm thinking you're probably exactly right. Thanks, TJ.

Now - regarding that flywheel. I was going to look around and see just how much an aluminum flywheel would cost me. I was probably going to get a Metric Mechanic lightened one - use that, put it in - then when i get the single mass out of my IS, send that in for my core deposit.

Do you know of a place that has aluminum flywheels? I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford that though. :x

Thanks guys!

I know www.apexengineering.com can get aluminum flywheels, they usually cost $400-600. Jordan's flywheel was lightened to 12lbs, which is a nice drop from about ~20 stock for a single mass, and the alu ones are 8-10lbs for the M20. Jordan paid around $100 to have his lightened... so you can see which is a better deal. Then again, I had mine lightened for $100 and my machinist was only comfortable bringing it down to 15lbs.