Dual Mass Flywheel, Solutions and Options Survey

[2VettesMike]

After lots of reading forum posts and trying to figure it out I'm more confused than ever on options for dual mass flywheel on my 93 LT1, 6 speed. I know I am probably on borrowed time with 125K on this clutch disc (about 60% highway miles), and 178K on the flywheel. No noises or slipping yet....

From my GM parts guy this morning this is what I found:
Flywheel, #10174482, discontinued, no GM dealer stock
Pressure plate/bearing kit #10203570, discontinued, no GM dealer stock
Clutch disc #10174491, discontinued, no GM dealer stock

Seems Luk and Carolina Clutch have long since stopped offering the dual mass flywheel

So time to go to the experts for concrete feedback (need actual experience, not opinions if you please) for the survey below:


Thanks in advance for your time. Great forum which is why I prefer to post here first.

Mike

 

[Hib Halverson]

You already know that DM wheels are hard to find. They're a few new ones left out there, I suppose and you'll find an occasional used unit that is still serviceable. There are, also, a few machine shops around the country which can resurface DM wheels, but that's a tricky process.

I switched to a McLeod aluminum wheel because I didn't like the effect all the weight of the DM wheel has.

I have found that I can significantly reduce the gear rattle which comes with a standard flywheel but switching lubricants to Red Line Light Shockproof then going to aftermarket, "hotter" coils (MSD is good) then opening up the plug gaps to .060-.070-in. The different lube tends to quiet gear rattle somewhat and the bigger plug gap tends to stabilize idle by reducing misfire.

I've run that configuration for over a decade. It's a bit more noisy than stock but a lot less noisy than a standard wheel, the OE lubricant and OE plug gaps.

 

[93Rubie]

I still have my stock setup, however, you may want to contact this gentleman. He seems to know the ZF6 and its associated components well.

Power Torque Systems, L.C.

I keep telling folks about him and I bet when the day comes I NEED a flywheel/clutch setup, all the good parts will be gone.

 

[2VettesMike]

I still have my stock setup, however, you may want to contact this gentleman. He seems to know the ZF6 and its associated components well.

Power Torque Systems, L.C.

I keep telling folks about him and I bet when the day comes I NEED a flywheel/clutch setup, all the good parts will be gone.

Thanks much for the tip! Wow what a great bunch of articles on that site.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I couldn't find an GM stock left...

Mike

 

[Vettelt193]

I opted to go with Fidanza lightweight version. Noise was definitely higher but the difference in revving was noticeable.

I still have my original Dual Mass, the new owner never picked it up. It was fine but since I wasn't sure when the clutch blew and I wanted more performance anyway I opted to buy it all and install it all. My dual mass is in my attic in a box. weighs like 9 thousand pounds LOL.

 

[Chris313Scorpion]

Red Line Oil

Red Line Light Shockproof Oils were mentioned to diminish the noise factor. Which of the "weights" is recommended? there is (i believe) a 75-150 (blue???) and a 75-90 i think this is referred to as the yellow.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Red Line Light Shockproof Oils were mentioned to diminish the noise factor. Which of the "weights" is recommended? there is (i believe) a 75-150 (blue???) and a 75-90 i think this is referred to as the yellow.

You can diminish but not eliminate gear rattle from a ZF S6-40 by taking four steps
1) Use Red Line Light Shockproof Gear Lubricant. It's blue in color.
2) Install MSD ignition coils
3) Open your plug gaps up to .065-.075-in.
4) Use the Denso IT-22 spark plug

Red Line does not rate the Shockproof family of lubricants with SAE viscosity numbers because they are gel-base lubricants, however, the Light Shockproof has a film thickness equivalent to a 75W140 but it flows like an 80W gear oil or a 30-wt engine oil.

The calcium-based EP additive package in the Shockproof tends to reduce the rattle. The bigger plug gaps tend to decrease misfire at idle. Usually, to run that plug gap you need hot coils. The Densos with their cut-back U-groove side electrode and 0.3-mm center electrode can, also, decrease misfire at idle.

Obviously, if you have other problems which cause misfire at idle that will affect the gear rattle situation, too.

I have done all of the above to my 95, which uses a McLeod Racing aluminum flywheel, and the gear rattle at idle was reduced but not eliminated.

 

[scotth48]

I have a ruby and switching stock engines from another ruby. Not sure about my clutch and flywheels condition but was working ok in the past. Will I be able to transfer this ok to my replacement? Some say I should have had the flywheel for the replacement engine for proper balance. Even if I have to go with a new flywheel to replace the dual mass, I still wouldn't have one to use to see how it w as balanced, or will it even matter as long as it is balanced.

 

[G Winter]

A few yrs ago I bought a new DM flywheel for my 90.It came with pins to put in the matching holes around the outside of the flywheel.If I remember right it came with pins in it also and they matched up with the pins location in my old flywheel. Don't know if I just got lucky or if most are balanced the same way.

 

[Hib Halverson]

As "G Winter" suggests, late C4 manuals had DM flywheels which were balanced to each engine. The difference from flywheel to flywheel was usually slight but not always.

My suggestion would be to use the flywheel from the donor engine.

If the donor flywheel is available but not useable, compare the amount of pins and their positions and rebalance the other flywheel to match. If the donor flywheel is not available you can risk an imbalance and just run another wheel or tear the engine down and have the rotating assembly rebalanced.

 

[Ken Anderson]

Dual Mass Clutch

We sell a DM conversion to a single mass kit and, as long as the transmission is in good shape, is no louder than a stock DM clutch.