Nabalt2.4

I've been looking around the forums and there are a lot of threads about lightweight flywheels for the boosted guys with the MANUAL transmission, but I have an auto 2.4 and I'm trying to free up some of the spinning mass e.g. lightweight flywheel, neutral balance shafts. I can't find any information on whether they make lightweigh flywheels for the auto. Does anyone know if they do or do not make them and if they do can point me in the right direction? Thanks

Cobalt_noob

Automatic transmissions do not have flywheels they have flexplates instead. And I could be wrong what I'm about to add, but I do believe it essential to have a bit of mass on your torque converter. But nonetheless I do believe there are performance torque converters out there. I stumbled on one the other day by accident but I can't remember where. Do some hunting around for a torque converter.
I've got a manual so someone with an automatic might be able to help a bit better

Nabalt2.4

My bad I completely forgot about flexplates. Do you think they have lightweight versions because I'm trying for a 250hp na build and every little bit counts. If they cause more harm than good then it's not worth it and I'm not as interested in the torque converter I'm more interested in freeing up some horsepower by lowering the moving mass.

Cobalt_noob

Honestly man, not worth it. You can get 250 out of your car without even touching anything in the tranny. What youre really going to want is get a tune for your TCM so you can get some cleaner shifts etc. And about the flex plates, on an automatic you are not getting any weight on them at all, really. Theyre there for your starter. Where youre getting your "weight" is from your torque converter. That is because the tranny fluid that gets pumped in there adds the weight (with out going scientific on it at all). Think of swinging a bag with water in it... sort of the same concept happening. If you look through this forum you will find a thread called "LE5 performance modification parts" or something like that. That's what you can use for a reference for your build. I'm assuming youre going to go forced induction because there is no way youre touching 250 on N/A.... unless you got the cash!!!!

Nabalt2.4

I've already got my engine and tranny tuned, I have full bolt ons, full exhaust and intake. I'm making somewhere in the low two hundreds right now and I'm looking at getting cams #75 valve springs neutral balance shafts and an underdrive pulley to gain a considerable amount more power, was just curious if they had a lightweight fl3xplate but I think I came to the same conclusion as you when I looked them up, they are already pretty light! Now idk how much all those mods I plan to do will add but I'm hoping i'll be atleast around 230ish

Cobalt_noob

You are not getting that with those. Neutral balance shafts just allow you to rev higher. I got them in mine, and the supertech springs (I'm pretty sure that's what youre referring to on the 75#) are only there to handle the higher revs and if you get comp cams to handle the higher lift. Our cars top out on the tach at around 7k before the fuel cuts. Underdrive pulley... are you boosted? Don't waste your money. Who did your tune?

Cobalt_noob

Dude. If you are making 200 whp, which I doubt (not to be a d*ck), because our cars are 171hp. After all the parts between the pistons and the wheels, you are really only getting ~160 ish.. so with just an intake and full exhaust (is that cat back or headers and dp back?). No way youre touchin 200whp... SO here is my two cents man:
If you want to stay N/A
Cams, tune and port job.

That, with everything else you got already, youre not squeezing any more out.

Really, I mean to each there own man, but whenever all that little stuff starts to matter is when you are maxing out on everything you can possibly do AND THEN you start to weedle out those small power drainers.

If youre really concerned enough to get an Underdrive pulley (which, dude unless youre boosted seriously don't even bother) just delete the A/C... you just have to get a smaller belt and that is it. But even then, deleting the A/C is extremely negligible and being that youre in Louisiana, you may not want to get rid of the A/C. There are plenty of forums around for the hardcore N/A builds... seriously, look up some of them and youll get an idea.
Tellin ya right now though man, unless you go boosted, you will be lucky if youre riding in ~200 whp.... seriously...

Nabalt2.4

Well I don't have enough money to boost right now and I'm trying to still do upgrades that I know will help but don't cost a **** ton, also yes i have a full exhaust headerback, vibrant headers and a 2.5 inch magnaflow catback not that manufacturers matter that much. Also i got it tuned by a shop nearby that has some really great gm tuners and yes my plan was to make it rev high and thats why i needed the cams cuz stock ones wont really make power up there. And yes no ac delete for me here its way to hot, i understand boosting makes me some good power but for now i cant do that and im trying to see what else i can really do to squeeze some extra power out of my engine.

Cobalt_noob

Go check out Ecotec Parts Ecotec Parts home , these guys are good and knowledgeable. or TurboTechRacing.com.

cluelessk

How about not sinking time and money into a hopeless goal?

Not one person has really been satisfied with N/A builds. Plus if you want it 250hp you'll be spending way more than you would with forced induction.

Cobalt_noob

I second that notion.

Nabalt2.4

Yeah yall are right idk what i was thinking, only thing is i have a 2008 and i hear they are weaker than earlier year le5's do yall know how much i could push on stock internals by boosting? I saw on a forum that i can only get 250 out of it but others have told me i can get a little more than that so im not really sure.

chevygirl2006

You don't have low 200s to the wheel with just basic bolt ons and a tune. I promise you that. And in order to get 250 na you're going to be spending money and you will need a pretty decent shot of nitrous. You're not getting that all motor. Spend 1k on a supercharger kit and call it done.

Sharkey

iTrader: (1)

ive got the perfect example here. friend of mine years ago did a full out ***** to the wall n/a l61 ecotec build in his cavalier (this was prior to the cobalt being a thing). it was over 12:1 compression, fully built, ported head, balance shaft delete (iirc this was the car level zero developed their balance shaft delete kit on). the end result of all this was around 170hp at the wheels at just under 9000rpm and this was through a manual.

granted, the 2.4l does have a little extra displacement, but there is no way your at 200hp at the wheels.

ill 2nd the buy a blower kit. 250hp is gonna be close to your limit, but 250whp for spending $1k is pretty good. later on you can toss some better rods and pistons in and push it harder, possibly throw a tvs on, etc.

Nabalt2.4

why is it that our engines cant make crazy na power like those honda k series motors?

Sharkey

iTrader: (1)

you can make an ecotec a high strung n/a engine with enough work. in the last version of the sport compact build book gm featured an n/a 2.4l making 350hp at the flywheel. this is far from streetable. im sure it was running over 10,000rpm and makes little torque.

steelmesh

I installed a lightweight AL flywheel on my Solstice 2.4 LE5 turbo, the benefits I see are increased no-load rev speed (example, you go from 2000-5000 rpms twice as fast) and easier RPM matching. Disadvantage is that it caused the system to be "more sensitive" chatter at low RPM take off, solution is use a few hundred more revs and modulate the slip (when it starts to chatter, disengage the clutch before it gets bad). Once I got use to it, not something that is annoying and NOT A DEAL BREAKER, I see cost being the deal breaker if anything.

Considering this above ^ advantages/disadvantages I experienced, they have nothing to do with Automatics as Automatics don't have a gigantic dry clutch and a human being control system. In addition, I suspect the TC for the 170 lb-ft 1.4T LUV engine is low mass compared to Big Blocks trying to squeeze every thing out of their pro- drag race cars, with a big ol' budget to go fast and buy light weight flex plates.

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

The best bang for your buck would definitely be to buy one of the supercharger kits people regularly part out. You can usually pick them up for 5-700$ only additional cost would be a tune. You could even keep your exhaust so it wouldn't be a waste in that regard.

chevygirl2006

But for real though, if you have a 2.4 with full bolt ons and a tune you're around 170-180whp. Not in the 200s. But that's easy to get to with a supercharger. Cheap too

Cobalt_noob

Save the cash, take the plunge. Forced induction is flat out best bang for your dollar. Get it. Got it. Gooooood!

chevygirl2006

Yes it is. I did the n/a bolt on phase and I regret it.