Hello all.

I have an 83 FB 2.8L 5spd VIN 1 for which I've been searching for a flywheel. I've read the flywheel discussions in this message board looking for a replacement type and source. Based on the discussions, I've decided to go with an iron wheel but had a heck of time finding a source.

I ran an Internet search and came up with http://www.enginequest.com/ out of Chicago and Las Vegas. They recommend their part number FW6521 in an e-mail reply. Their description of the part reads "GM Camaro,Firebird,Trans Am 88-92 2.8L 173 cid matches casting # 14033181 for 10-1/2" bolt circle".

Has anyone gotten parts from this company?

Does anyone have a recommendation for an aftermarket OEM or OER iron flywheel?

Thanks,
Joe

 

i have a 5spd flywheel out in my shed that i need to get rid of. i don't have a manual tranny so i have not checked the flywheel out or anything but PM me if you're interested in it, unless you want to go aftermarket.

 

Get that flywheel and I'll place a $100 on 10 seconds.. being the amount of time running before your engine seizes. Be cool to see, but I don't reccomend it

'82-'87(midyear change??) motors were externally balanced. 88-92 motors were internally balanced, hence that flywheel will lack a counterweight neccessary to balance out your crankshaft. Catasrauphic failure of the bearings would be the almost immediate result, if my imagination of the uneven bearing stresses serves me correctly. Email that company back telling them to stop telling people to blow their motor up and learn what they're talking about, and walk into your local auto zone and ask them for a flywheel for your car. They'll have to order it, but at least it will be balanced.

Man that company's representatives need to be fired/trained/shot/tortured/replaced

 

Thanks guys for replying. Sorry for taking so long to get back. Sitting down to a computer at night is something I sometimes don't care to do after working on one for 10 hrs in a day.

AM91Camaro_RS:
Belated thanks for the offer, but I wanted one that came with a warranty.

TechSmurf:
You were right on the money about the balancing in the flywheel. The guy from EngineQuest changed the part number after I challenged on the year. I think he read 83 in my e-mail as an 88 the first time around.

You were dead-on again with recommending Autozone. Autozone! Who would have guessed? They offered a reman flywheel from ARI that was half the price of EngineQuest and beat EQ's delivery by 3 days. I was surprised to find that the old flywheel had a core value of $50!

The bottom line is that the flywheel from ARI through Autozone solved a number of problems. The engine vibration is significantly less. The engine is much smoother with a solid, more positive feel to clutch engagement and power transfer. And the problem that started this scavenger hunt is gone for now. The car reverses with no trouble. The only lugging I get is from pilot error cause I'm still a little gunshy from the old flywheel.

So, thanks again, TechSmurf for the tip!

Best regards,
Joe

 

What the heck was wrong with the old one? Cracked or something?

Generally, you just re surface your flywheel - like $20 at a machine shop.

 

Hi Doward.

I did have the flywheel resurfaced. The machine shop mic'd it and said that the surface was getting low but had enough meat to stay in service. The real problem appears to have been with the flywheel bending at normal op temp.

I have another thread where I go into a little more detail about why I ended up looking for another flywheel. Click on https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=209105 if interested.

Joe

 

I also find that my clutch shudders when the engine is hot. Not sure if this is the flywheel, but I've had it machined, and it has possibly been machined before that. No telling how much they take off either. When I replaced the clutch it was running on the studs on the clutch plate. I hope to solve this problem with a lower temp thermostat and getting a modified chip that turns the fan on at a lower temp. The engine runs better before it gets hot anyways.