Installing Flywheel On P5

[Woody]

I'm thinking of going to the slightly lighter flywheel available from Mazdaspeed.

Where is the flywheel located - and how hard is it to remove? Do I have to remove belts, or is it just a matter of removing a few bolts?

Thanks in advance!

(What can I say - I know motorcycle better than car mechanics.)

- Woody

 

[20ESGUY]

The flywheel is located on the tranny end of the crankshaft. You'd have to remove the transmission just like doing a clutch job to get at the flywheel. If you know bikes, which you say you do, then imainge it as the process of removing the magneto/flywheel assembly on a honda goldwing...just on a slightly larger scale.

 

[Woody]

20ESGUY,

I just talked to a gear-head here at my office. He was not sure of the particulars to Mazda, but in general he told me what you just did. Damn - more involved than I thought. I guess that's why guys tend to beef up their clutch at the same time - since its all apart - why not, right?

I'll have to stew on this a bit more. Probably more $ than what I had in mind.

Thanks!

- Woody

 

[20ESGUY]

Actually, if you're mechanically inclined its not that bad especially if you have the stock air box removed. The tranny bolts are easy to get at and if you have a jack and two jack stands the only other specailty tools you'll need is a pilot tool and a good quality torque wrench. Just make sure to loosen all the motor mounts up a little bit so that you can wigle the tranny out at an angle. The only thing that i'm not sure off is if you'd half to drop the crossmember or the "K" frame. I doubt you'd have to mess with the "K" frame but the crossmember would be a good possiblity. Personally i'd rather do put a flywheel in a protege then do anything but ride a goldwing.