Lightweight flywheels on turbo cars

[Hammer Down]

George Roffe wrote:
It would be interesting to get instrumented testing of this, but I don't
see it happening.

Geo & others,
In the OLD days, I have read, they found faster lap times in roadracing when
running large turbos and a heavier flywheel than with a lighter flywheel and
the large turbo.  Heavier in that they were not running as light a flywheel
as the N/A cars.  Their reason was that with the added inertia, when you got
off the throttle and dissengaged the clutch, the engine would maintain a
high rate of rotation, also continuing to pump a large amount of air through
the turbine.  Thus when you got back on the throttle (clutch re-engaged),
lag time to full boost was greatly reduced.  I do not know if
turbine/compressor technology have improved so as to reduce the need or
what.  The lag they were experiencing was probably greater than we with our
T25's would experience since their turbo's were no doubt, a lot larger.
>From what I can remember from "old school" times.

Erik Halvorson

"Think your a fast driver?  Try a kart!"