flywheel question

[Lgowin <Lgowin@aol.com>]

I've heard people saying that a lightened flywheel makes a car more difficult
to drive on the street.  This is my understanding of the
benefits/disadvantages of lightening a flywheel.  Those in the know, please
correct any misconceptions I may have.

Flywheels store energy to smooth out the engine.  Balance imperfections or
differences in combustion are smoothed out by this spinning mass.  If a
cylinder doesn't fire as well as the others, the inertia of the flywheel
'helps out' this weaker push.  The same logic applies to pistons that weigh
different amounts.

A well balanced and tuned engine, shouldn't need as heavy a flywheel.  A
lightened flywheel would allow the engine to rev freer.  With less mass to
spin, the car could accelerate faster.  A lighter flywheel will rev down
faster when the gas is released, but again, if the engine is in a good state
of tune, it shouldn't matter.

What ill effect (if any) would a lightened flywheel have on a balanced street
engine?  Am I missing anything?


Lawrence Gowin