Is it necessary to replace the flywheel when replacing a worn out clutch on the Cooper (non S)? My tech said it's best to replace the flywheel too during a clutch change, but I've always read that the old flywheel just needs to be re-surfaced...

Anyone know from experience?
Thanks!

 

Best results and life will come with a new unit but if you don't have the $$$ to do it, resurfacing it will surely do. If you don't have the need for an Al one or the cash, just have the factory piece cut. Either/or is better than nothing. A new aftermarket one will run $350-450 while cutting one is maybe $100 from a machine shop. *Edit: This is taken from 3 years parts sales experience, both retail and dealership, and trade school teaching but not hands on. Sorry, I missed that 1st time around.

 

if you're tight on $$$, then you can just resurface the old one. Just have your mechanic look at it and make sure it's in decent condition.

 

I work at the dealer and have a reconditioned(read resurfaced) unit already available for quicker turnaround times. When I put the Aluminum flywheel in my car the original flywheel was in pretty good shape, just needed a light resurface, so I sent my flywheel and paid for it up front to have in when needed. I take the customers flywheel in exchange and have it cut and ready for the next job. A new flywheel is over $300 bucks at my dealer and a resurface is $70. I try and give my customers an option around this. I don't accept stress cracked flywheels in exchange due to so much having to be cut to get past the cracks and possible clutch release issues. It's like resurfacing a brake rotor when it's far enough above specs to do it...provided that they won't be below specs shortly after the job is done. Not a matter of $ in my eyes..acceptable or not should be the answer.

Unless of course you want to go with an Aluminum for performance reasons and that's a different matter anywho....gotta get every advantage you can sometimes

 

Chadtoolio, not to go too hardcore OT here, but did you notice much of a change in driveability in your Cooper when you went to an Al flywheel? I know the OEM R50 unit is not much heavier than an aftermarket Al one (like 5-8lbs difference, right?) but I was wondering if the characteristics of your car changed much.

 

Revs alot quicker....also intimidates Cooper "S" drivers....

 

When my clutch goes, I will try to get the aftermarket flywheel to increase response. However, it is much cheaper to re-surface the old one.

 

How much harder is it (if any) to drive on a daily basis? Or is it one of those "get used to it and you won't want to go back" kinda things?

 

When I first installed it(clutch masters FX300 segmented kevlar, Aluminum Flywheel), it was a real effort to not stall and be smooth. I think I had a double whammy because of the bite of the clutch disc. It's been about 17k miles now and it's not something I think about anymore or bothers me, even in heavy traffic. I broke it in per the instructions and after a couple of thousand miles it feels like any other clutch to me. So no, I wouldn't go back.

 

Well my parts showed up today apparently the service from that vendor was brilliant according to my flying car part stewardess .But i have a question,having looked around at different clutches this Helix kit comes with disc pressure plate and throwout bearing but no tool as clutchmasters and spec kits do is this special tool a must for the mechanic to do the install

 

The alignment tool is helpful, but def not necessary.

 

Oooh what year's your MC? I'm on the fence about AI flywheel and aftermarket clutch. I WANT to get the, as they are the same price as a stock clutch (my clutch's gone so I need one or the other as replacement) but I've read bad things about clutchmasketers (from my mechanic) and bad things about spec (the other manufacturer who makes flywheel/clutch for the Cooper).

Seems like you have good luck with the CM stuff tho! Any additional clattering at idle? A friend of mine had a Spec AI flywheel for a couple months before he sold his cooper and that thing didn't make a sound at idle.

I dunno, you're giving me hope, but I wonder if my mechanic would refuse to install another CM kit, haha, he told me NOT to get them!

 

My car is an 02. The factory flywheel is a solid mass flywheel just like the Aluminum one so no chattering. Your mechanic might be referring to replacing a DM flywheel on an MCS with a solid aluminum one, the DM has dampening built into it. I love mine...even had my trans crap out on me about 7k after the install and removed the clutch while I was in there and it looked beautiful.

 

Yes, he told me about the dual mass thing, and with most people on internet forums having an S, you seem to be the only guy who knows what he is talking about. The non S has a solid flywheel.

Do you know if the clutch/flywheel's the same between the 02-04 midlands and the 05/06 getrag box in the non S? I have an 05.

And I guess, the stage 2 kit from CM sound alright. From your POV the clutch/flywheel you got is pretty high quality right?

Thanks!

 

People often forget about the R50 MINI in the performance aspect of things. "Oh, what % pulley do you have?"
http://www.jscspeed.com/mini/clutch.htm

 

And here's some basic info on clutch choices if you want to read it.
http://www.jscspeed.com/universal/clutch101.htm

 

Trans, clutch and flywheel is different on the Midlands/Getrag. Might still be one made for your car though. The disc and Flywheel are definitely high quality, the pressure plate appeared to be a factory one(said Valeo right on it) and the Release bearing is for sure stock. Doesn't really matter on the pressure plate that we have IMO, due to the lower HP and the fact that the Kevlar disc in theory works better with more bite which is obtained by using less material(so there is a higher pressure point on the material that is there). That's why I chose the segmented setup instead of a stock looking disc with kevlar for the material. I got the stage 3 CM

 

Just checked Realoem.com and it shows one flywheel that works up to 7-04, so I'm sticking with my story saying there different for Midlands/Getrag

 

Huh. In that case, I edited my last post to only show the vendor. Any idea why these people show one listing for clutches and flywheels even though the OE part#'s are different?

 

I remember having some clutch/flywheel issues on the early 05 Non S cars that we didn't have with the Midlands cars...and the fact that there were two more clutch alignment tools that were automatically shipped to us for them. Nope don't know why they would have the same set listed..maybe they don't know. There's not as many sold as the S's. Somebody would be pissed though Drop them an Email and let them know

 

A little off topic, but can a lightweight flywheel be used in conjunction with an OEM clutch?

 

Never mind. From what I found the flywheel I have can be used with the OEM clutch. Hooray for fidanza!

 

hmmm that's what I saw on realoem.com as well. They don't even list the parts for the 05/06 prod year coopers for clutch and flywheel, what does that mean....

I'm now having serious doubts if the aftermarket companies even make flywheel/clutch for the 05/06 with getrag

 

I'm thinking thats about when BMW/MINI went to online software for the ETK parts diagrams. They used to be available on disc just like TIS and people were stealing/selling them. Don't know if a Aluminum FW is offered for the Getrag, give clutchmasters a call.

 

http://www.clutchmasters.com/shop/?p...025&AppID=6858
CM lists an Al flywheel for 2002-2005 but nothing in 06. What's going on here!? Didn't the Getrag appear in the R50's in 2005?