Fulvia S3 1.3 Flywheel required

[Minari]

Hi having limped home from Goodwood( after failing on the parade grid v embarassing!) in two stages on the Sunday from my long suffering friend's home in Bognor and via a pitstop at Crystal Palace where Footman James organised a tow start - quicker than waiting for a full recovery to N.Cambs. I definitely need to replace the flywheel as it has 3 areas of badly mashed up teeth so the chances of getting the engine to turn over on the starter are definitely limited! I also am surprised that so much wear and tear has occurred on a low mileage engine (less than 50,000) so any advice on what to check out with the starter would be appreciated.

As you may gather I am a Fulvia novice so any help and advice will definitely be appreciated.

Mike

[Scott]

Oh dear. 
I did feel sorry for you after all of us waiting on the grid to start the parade laps. At least there was plenty of muscle power to get you going! 

Your problem isn't a Fulvia weak spot ... you seem to have been unlucky with your starter motor.
If you've had teeth stripped from your flywheel it seems that the starter motor is not disengaging properly. This would then indicate a problem with the solenoid switch. You could take the starter motor out and test this. It could be something as simple as dirty contacts or you might need a refurb.

On the bright side, assuming you have some money to burn and want a new flywheel, this is a nice piece of engineering: http://www.italianspares.co.uk/product.php?productid=17254 

[phil-m]

The replacement flywheel looks nice but those lightening holes look awfully close to the ring gear.

[Minari]

Hi Scott,

From your grid shot I think you may have assumed I was the car (I think dark Blue) getting the push! unfortunately  I may actually be the red car immediately to the left of the blue car, I had decided to keep running the car to avoid the starter problem but we had already suffered problems with car  possibly carburretors or oiling plugs when sitting in the 60 mile M25 jam on the Friday and the rather long photo session on the grid was all a bit too much, unfortunately, I made the wrong gamble as the engine fluffed and we rolled to a stop at the end of pitlane exit and the musclepower was not there to get the  car started immediately so the Goodwood marshals had no choice but to make us wait until after the parade had ended then of course the car only required a short tow from the recovery vehicle to get going. Still as they say that's Motorsport!! perhaps I may get the opportunity to get around Goodwood again!. At least your photo may actually prove we made the Grid!!

Your comment about checking the starter makes sense, I have only had the car just over a year and apart from driving it back from Scotland where I bought it and a few local excursions the run down to Goodwood was the first real time out this year, the car had not previously had problems in turning the engine over although I had thought the starter did seem to disengage very quickly so perhaps this is the problem you have suggested. I am however sure that the damage to the flywheel teeth must have already started before I got the car and the nightmare on the M25 just tipped it over, FJ did arrange for a recovery from the M25 to Bognor on the Friday night and  I actually arrived at my long suffering friends' house at 2.00am on Saturday!! and the car started OK for the short trip to Goodwood around 9.00am but clearly it was not a happy bunny!!

Yes I had seen the new Flywheel it looks very impressive but I do not have the money to burn just now and I notice they are out of stock, so I guess I would be quite happy with a secondhand one.

Mike

[Minari]

Hi me again just in case I cannot source a cheap flywheel has anyone got any more comments on the closeness of the lightening holes on the billet flywheel I really would not want to risk more problems with starter ring teeth! I am not really looking to produce a tuned car but would the lighter flywheel be a good move even for a road car?

Mike

[lancialulu]

Mike

I sent you some PM's

Tim

[ncundy]

Whilst I would assume that the company have done their sums, my immediate comment would be the same as Phils. The issue is that you (potentially) have very high hoop stresses in a flywheel and cutting holes that close to the outer perimeter must be done carefully and with consideration.

Many incorrectly or aggresively lightened flywheels have burst, at best taking the back of the engine out, at worst your legs (i have seen this happen at a VSCC event once). I know of at least one Fulvia owner who had a flywheel lightened that subsequently burst.

That said, done properly, they work very well. However I would consider whether you really need a flywheel as light as 3kg. The standard Fulvia flywheel is about 9kg, the homologated lighter flywheel fitted to the early Fanalones is 6kg, and the works used flywheels of ~4kg. Personally I would think a standard one would do, or a standard one skimmed to say 6kg by reducing the thickness rather than drilling holes would suffice.

[DavidLaver]

I'm sure they'd do that flywheel but without the holes...

David

[DavidLaver]

Now would it be less money as they don't need to cut the holes or more money as a special order...

[Richard Fridd]

If I remember correctly my flywheel from JLG 65K had to have material removed in the right places as it was made from two pieces (plus starter ring)

[Scott]

Hi Mike

You're right ... I had assumed that was your Fulvia getting the push! The picture is a still from a movie of the first lap.
I was on the third row from the back and hadn't seen anyone else in trouble but that can't be your red Fulvia to the left of the pushed car as I ended up following that one round the track ... so you must have been just behind me on the grid I guess from the description of what happened.
Out of interest what's your reg number? ... I might have a pic of your car to post/send you if you'd like to at least prove you were on the grid!

Sorry I can't be of help on the flywheel replacement but it looks like Tim has sent you a PM. And of course there's Omicron who have most items for Fulvias and are always helpful.

Good luck for getting your Fulvia back to full health.

Regards,
Scott.

[Minari]

Hi Scott,

My Fulvia's Reg is SSC249P its red and  left hand drive I think we may actually have been further up towards the front. We coasted to a halt just at the end of the pitlane exit, my friend took some pictures simulating us leaving from the pits! but actually we had to stay there until the 2 parade laps ended.

Making a bit of progress on the flywheel I have a couple of options just trying to sort out which to go for really down to budget or lack of!!

Regards

Mike

[Scott]

Hi Mike

Oh I see now! Do you know I've watched the video I took of the first parade lap a couple of times but never noticed that a red Fulvia had suffered a problem to the right of the track. They're only stills from a movie but below are a couple of pics you might be interested in. That's your red Fulvia far right!

The fact you arrived at Goodwood okay is what counts! Good luck with the repairs. Fulvias are cracking little cars so it will all be worth it in the end.

Regards,
Scott.

[Minari]

Hi Scott, I am not sure that is our car as we hardly cleared the pitlane buildings - I will have to get my friends pics to confirm where we did end up! Anyway thanks for your words of encouragement - I know what a Fulvia is capable of as I drove it back from Scotland over the Northumberland moors and Yorkshire Dales  (much more appropriate than the M25!) when I bought it last year so I am looking forward to getting her running properly again I know I have work to do on the brakes  and tuning the solex carbs. and I think I may have a couple of options on Flywheels but I must also investigate the starter to avoid the same problems.

Regards,

Mike