The Ford Barn

Arlyn Bieber · 10-24-2014, 11:55 PM

The original flywheel weight was about 62 pounds so how much can you lighten the flywheel and still have a smooth running engine? Here is my experience. For about the last 50,000 miles I have been running a Model A flywheel cut down to 42 pounds with excellent performance or so I thought. My car is a slant window sedan with a 33% Mitchell overdrive. My A engine has a "B" cam, "B" carburetor, counterweighted crankshaft, 6-1 Snyder head, babbitted bearings and totally balanced with standard Model A transmission. I recently rebuilt another engine but decided to use a 28 pound flywheel instead of the 42 pound just as an experiment. WOW what a difference. Much faster acceleration and no lost of power up a hill. The engine handles the 33% Mitchell with ease and I couldn't be happier with the performance. By the way my ring & pinion is a standard 9 & 34. I drive daily on hilly hwy 67 between San Diego and Ramona about 18 miles and drive at speeds 55 to 65mph. On a couple of the steeper hills I do have downshift out of overdrive but when I crest the hill it is back in overdrive. Just my experience.

10-24-2014, 11:55 PM	#1
Arlyn Bieber Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 182	Flywheel weight?? The original flywheel weight was about 62 pounds so how much can you lighten the flywheel and still have a smooth running engine? Here is my experience. For about the last 50,000 miles I have been running a Model A flywheel cut down to 42 pounds with excellent performance or so I thought. My car is a slant window sedan with a 33% Mitchell overdrive. My A engine has a "B" cam, "B" carburetor, counterweighted crankshaft, 6-1 Snyder head, babbitted bearings and totally balanced with standard Model A transmission. I recently rebuilt another engine but decided to use a 28 pound flywheel instead of the 42 pound just as an experiment. WOW what a difference. Much faster acceleration and no lost of power up a hill. The engine handles the 33% Mitchell with ease and I couldn't be happier with the performance. By the way my ring & pinion is a standard 9 & 34. I drive daily on hilly hwy 67 between San Diego and Ramona about 18 miles and drive at speeds 55 to 65mph. On a couple of the steeper hills I do have downshift out of overdrive but when I crest the hill it is back in overdrive. Just my experience.