I am going to replace my clutch and flywheel shortly as I've had a rear main seal failure and I'm interested in getting some feedback on any aftermarket dual mass flywheels available for the R53.

I don't want to go with a lightweight flywheel because I'm too nervous about getting the chatter associated with some installations; even if it doesn't happen with all of them, it'll happen with mine.

I'm considering non-OEM because the OEM flywheel is pricey and I wouldn't mind shedding a few pounds of rotational mass. I know of the Cyn-R-G, but I can't seem to find any feedback on it...does anyone have this flywheel? How would you compare it to stock? Are there others available?

Thanks,

Bryan

 

The Cyn-R-G or whatever is not a dual mass flywheel. As far as I know their are no non-OEM suppliers providing 'light weight' dual-mass flywheels. The CynRG is just a standard flywheel just with 4 separate friction material sections. To be honest I see that as a bigger liability than a one piece replaceable surface. Also when would you *ever* only want to change one 1/4 of your flywheel's friction surface.

 

That design's merit is that it won't warp under high heat conditions. Not sure if that really is a problem, but the segmented friction surface would heat more evenly. I think the argument is that a solid piece friction material would heat unevenly, warp, loose contact with the clutch, and heat up more. Based on what people are saying who race MINIs (nothing about flywheel failure), the conditions needed to warp a flywheel go beyond racing and redline clutch dumps.

 

I understand their design reasoning but I see the hazard of one sections coming loose as being a bigger liability than any benefit such a design would give. I think I have seen that kind of system on touring cars or something like that but they were using sintered Iron clutch discs...definitely not streetable