L28 Flywheel and Clutch Interchange

[FlatBlack]

I was contacted about my clutch and flywheel setup, and the information was found on KA-T.org where I was posting when researching alternate clutch options. I figure I'd lay it all out here in a new thread, feel free to add any cheap [Valuable, not "cheap" ] flywheel alternative options you've found for higher horsepower applications [300+ WTQ rated]

 

* The KA24 flywheel is EXACTLY the same as the L28 one, in all of the wrong ways. The crank bolt pattern and clutch bolt pattern are the same as the L28, but it can only fit a 225mm clutch.

 

* The 280ZXT, Z31Turbo [and I think N/A] AND the 350Z Clutch ALL fit on the 280ZXT flywheel, BUT the Z31 flywheel has smaller bolt holes so you cannot the Z31 FW on the L28 as it does not line up with the crank. You can still use the clutch.

 

* You CANNOT use the kouki Z31 Turbo [late 87-89] clutch on a 240mm flywheel as it is a 250mm unit. It might fit on the Fidanza but I am not 100% sure on that.

 

IF you have a clutch can hold over 300WTQ, [make sure it can] I would say buy a Fidanza. They are incredibly cheap for what you get. Mine was $280 shipped, it has a 250mm clutch surface, it can fit a 280Z/280ZXT/Z31/350Z Clutch, and has a replaceable starter gear and clutch surface. $280 is a steal for all of that, and then you would be done and good to go with some proper power upgrades.

 

I have a South Bend DXD Clutch that they say is rated at 390WTQ. It was $245 and has a one year warranty. I love it. It's an organic disc so it isn't hard to drive, but the engagement is crisp and the pedal feel is great.

 

In 2008 I put on a super cheap lightweight 240SX flywheel from ebay on my L28E, I used it because it was so cheap. I was N/A at the time and was planning on a SBC swap, not a turbo swap. As soon as I did the L28ET swap it started slipping [it was a new-ish stock Exedy 240sx Clutch]. I bought a N/A 225mm replacement because after all of my research I found you couldn't get a 240mm clutch on a 240sx flywheel, and I couldn't find a 225mm clutch that would hold more than 300WTQ. It immediately started slipping in boost even though I had the flywheel resurfaced.

 

Jeffer said he did the same thing I did but worse, he kept buying at his WTQ threshold and as soon as he bumped up the power it slipped again, and

had to keep buying clutches. I would advise to just bite the bullet now and buy the Fidanza. Don't forget if you convert to a 240mm clutch and you have a S30 tranny, you need to use the 280ZXT TOB collar.

 

Part Numbers:

 

L28ET Flywheel: Fidanza #143281 NIS1 [Also fits KA24s]

Z31 Turbo South Bend DXD 390WTQ Clutch [Comes with a 350Z pressure plate]: #K06032 [Exedy part number is 06032 for the Z31T clutch]

280ZX Turbo Throw Out Bearing Collar: #???? Bought at O'Reilly's for $40 [came as an assembly with a CRAPPY TOB]

 

 

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The KA-T guys also are running this setup, should work for the L28 but I have NO details about it:

We use a "white bunny" setup which is basically a nissan D21 flywheel which is 240mm along with a z32 clutch and that can hold alot of power for cheap. around $160-$180.

Edited February 24, 2010 by flatblack280

[junglist]

I was under the impression that the 350Z clutches were a 250mm diameter. Is that not the case?

[FlatBlack]

I was under the impression that the 350Z clutches were a 250mm diameter. Is that not the case?

 

No idea. I'm running one on my Flat Black car currently and I've had no issues. The DXD kit is a Turbo Z31 Disc and a 350Z Pressure Plate.

 

Pictures, for good measure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FubarI33t]

this is really good info for me. As i am going to go with the sx trans swap to my L28E.

[Xnke]

Hey Flatblack-I found the 250mm L-series clutch solution!

 

You need an aftermarket RB20DET chromoly flywheel. Make sure it does not have the groove cut in it like stock; the XTD flywheels on Ebay are suitable.

 

The 350Z clutch and disk will fit perfectly on this wheel, and you'll have a 12lb flywheel and a 250mm clutch!

[FlatBlack]

Hey Flatblack-I found the 250mm L-series clutch solution!

 

You need an aftermarket RB20DET chromoly flywheel. Make sure it does not have the groove cut in it like stock; the XTD flywheels on Ebay are suitable.

 

The 350Z clutch and disk will fit perfectly on this wheel, and you'll have a 12lb flywheel and a 250mm clutch!

 

Hey Jake, have you bench tested this setup yet? I can't remember if we ever figured out your fraken-flywheel setup on the VG30?

 

If you could confirm that the 250mm clutch bolt pattern lines up with the Fidanza, that would be very useful as the clutch disc surface is 250mm. [iIRC, but I deleted the email I got back from Fidanza]

 

Here's the part number for the Friction plate #229501

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FIZ-229501/

[Xnke]

I can confirm that the XTD flywheel for the RB20DET that does NOT have the groove cut in it like the stock flywheel WILL accept a 250mm 350Z clutch and pressure plate.

 

Something that looks like this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XTD-S-LIGHT-FLYWHEEL-SKYLINE-RB20DET-RB25DET-RB26DETT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem51905bdc80QQitemZ350314290304QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

I also have another flywheel that I will be purchasing soon NEW as a stock replacement item that I'll report back on when it arrives, as it's only 54$ shipped...and it's a brand name. It too, has a 250mm friction surface, and is a 20lb chromoly unit.

[FlatBlack]

I can confirm that the XTD flywheel for the RB20DET that does NOT have the groove cut in it like the stock flywheel WILL accept a 250mm 350Z clutch and pressure plate.

 

It for sure matches the L28ET/KA24 crank bolt pattern? I'm sure you have done your research, but I bought mine simply on a whim and it worked

Edited February 24, 2010 by flatblack280

[junglist]

Here is a great writeup with some good info, I suggest reading it: http://www.freshalloy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152417

[JayBee280]

I gotta ask since the Ka24 is seemingly identical in certain ways....does anybody know if a Lightweight underdrive pulley for Ka24 work on a L series.

Just wondering since the bolts line up on one side with the clutch and flywheel combos..what about the underdrive pulley....just wondering might buy one.

Edited March 9, 2010 by JayBee280

[z-ya]

It really doesn't need to be this complicated.

 

If you don't care about an aluminum flywheel, just get a stock L28ET or any L28 flywheel from a 2+2 (240mm). If you want aluminum, just get the Fidanza for the same application.

 

For a clutch get a stage 1 L28ET clutch kit (makes sense, doesn't it ) , which usually has 50-70% more clamping force than stock with a stock disc. I've been using the Clutchmasters FX100 for at least 5 years now and 30+ track events (road race), and it still works flawlessly. My car measures 320Wft-lbs.

 

And to be honest, there is nothing wrong with a 225mm flywheel. With the right clutch, it has more than enough surface area to handle 300+Wft-lbs.

Edited March 10, 2010 by z-ya

[Xnke]

Sure, that's all true. But for a given pressure plate strength, a bigger friction surface will allow more torque before slipping.

 

So for people like me where an easy clutch (feels like stock) is appreciated, the larger friction surface allows a lesser pressure plate to do the same job.

 

And it might be handy for some of the folks running 500-600HP; as opposed to going to a double disk clutch; or for people like 1FastZ who destroyed his thrust bearings because the pressure plate had to be so hard to hold the power; now an extra 10mm of clutch disk means he can run a slightly weaker pressure plate.

[z-ya]

Sure, that's all true. But for a given pressure plate strength, a bigger friction surface will allow more torque before slipping.

 

So for people like me where an easy clutch (feels like stock) is appreciated, the larger friction surface allows a lesser pressure plate to do the same job.

 

And it might be handy for some of the folks running 500-600HP; as opposed to going to a double disk clutch; or for people like 1FastZ who destroyed his thrust bearings because the pressure plate had to be so hard to hold the power; now an extra 10mm of clutch disk means he can run a slightly weaker pressure plate.

 

This is one reason why to use the 240mm one. My point is to not mix and match flywheels, pressure plates, disc from a bunch of different applications when you really don't need to. Just use an L28ET flywheel and stage 1 clutch kit and be done with it (for less than 350Wft-lbs).

[e_racer1999]

Slightly stale thread, but it seems to be worth reviving. So I'm assuming Z32 flywheels don't bolt up to the L6? Otherwise it seems more people would be doing that. Truly a shame, because XTD has some nice inexpensive chromoly flywheel/clutch packages.

[Xnke]

No, the VG30E and VG30DE flywheels do not match the L-series cranks, as far as i've found. But the KA24 and RB20DET flywheels will mount up, as well as a few others that should mount up, but i have not tried them yet.

[e_racer1999]

Hey, still promising

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SKYLINE-RB20DET-RB25DET-STAGE-2-RACING-CLUTCH-FLYWHEEL-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b184abf8QQitemZ170481986552QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[FlatBlack]

Like Z-Ya said, the best flywheel set-up would be the L28ET Fidanza, and it's surprisingly cheap for how "rare" it is. I mean, there aren't alot of people building L28ETs compared with, let's say, 2JZ-GTEs.

 

Not trying to step on toes here Z-Ya but why would finding out more clutch options that work be a bad thing? Nissan used much of the same bolt patterns for their inline motors' flywheels [L6, KA, RB], and some of the clutches bolt right up to back-dated flywheels [i.e. I'm running a Z33 PP on my L28ET FW]

 

I feel there are no drawbacks and only benefits as we expand the clutch options for our out-of-date motors.

[z-ya]

Like Z-Ya said, the best flywheel set-up would be the L28ET Fidanza, and it's surprisingly cheap for how "rare" it is. I mean, there aren't alot of people building L28ETs compared with, let's say, 2JZ-GTEs.

 

Not trying to step on toes here Z-Ya but why would finding out more clutch options that work be a bad thing? Nissan used much of the same bolt patterns for their inline motors' flywheels [L6, KA, RB], and some of the clutches bolt right up to back-dated flywheels [i.e. I'm running a Z33 PP on my L28ET FW]

 

I feel there are no drawbacks and only benefits as we expand the clutch options for our out-of-date motors.

 

I have nothing against experimenting with different clutch flywheel combos, as long as I'm not the one pulling the tranny in an out over and over again. Been there, done that. So for people that just want a known good setup, just use the clutch, clutch fork, slave cylinder, throwout bearing and collar for an L28ET. They are plentiful, and can easily handle 300+ ft-lbs. And like you said, Nissan used the same clutches on many different vehicles, so I don't think these will be hard to find any time soon.

[z-ya]

Duplicate

Edited May 10, 2010 by z-ya

[junglist]

Slightly stale thread, but it seems to be worth reviving. So I'm assuming Z32 flywheels don't bolt up to the L6? Otherwise it seems more people would be doing that. Truly a shame, because XTD has some nice inexpensive chromoly flywheel/clutch packages.

 

I would avoid XTD clutches like the plague. Don't believe me? Google them and look at the reviews.