Hi,

I'm converting my 5.0 EL Fairmont Ghia to 5 speed. I got a flywheel with the gearbox I bought but after the learning curve I had over whether the box was the right one I thought I'd ask a couple questions about the flywheel before I pull the auto out.

Is there a difference between the E series 8cyl and 6cyl flywheels?

Is there a difference between the E series 8cyl and the AU 8cyl flywheels?

Depending on the answers to the above can you lighten a E series/AU flywheel. The one place I called reckons that some flywheels are internally balanced and some are externally balanced and that can determine whether you can take a little weight off or not.

I'm planning on having a motor with a torquey cam (1500-5500) probably a Comp Cams NX264HR.

The way I understand it, a little off the flywheel will sharpen upthe throttle response.

Cheers

It will shapen up the throttle response but you will lose torque. And yeah i'm pretty sure E/AU are the same. my advice, grab a yella terra billet flywheel, can either buy pre lightened or standard weight. I bought a YT9909 standard weight flywheel from them. Good stuff.

The reference to internal or external balancing is to do with the engine.
The I6's are naturally balanced so the the fly wheel is a uniformly weighted disc.
The Ford V8's need the flywheel to be out of balance to help balance the engine.
I dont know if they are the same from 'E' to 'A'.
A quick call to your local ford spare parts should sort that out.

Cheers boys. Now Im getting somewhere.



So that heavier section is to offset the out of balance crank etc? Got it.
So do you reckon the total weight is important? Cause if I machine the thing in such a way that I dont go over those drilled holes that I assume are there from the wheel being "balanced" then I can reduce the weight without upsetting the balance ratio.

Given that, can I machine some weight from the other side of the flywheel or is that a big no-no?

Cheers

Edit: Have I got the right flywheel for my V8 EL gearbox??

Any removal of material would require the flywheel to be rebalanced.
Steel isn't uniform in density.