lsd

[evomind]

i notice monkey wrench racing has an lsd on its catalog for the elise....is the only time we may need lsd is on tight turns?? it doesent do anything for straight line right?

the only other mods i saw for the elise besides engine build stuff, (pistons, etc) were flywheels and clutches....

ive never noticed a difference with lighter flywheels....would it make a difference on the elise?

[Modern Wedgie]

When I lightened the flywheel on my X1/9 (1900lbs and about 80bhp), I noticed a huge difference. The car was quicker off the line. I'm sure it added more hp to the wheels because it was less rotating mass. Never dynoed it though so I cant give you real estimates. It felt a million times better too.

So in the elise, I'm sure you would feel a difference. Less rotating mass is a very good thing. Same reason to use lighter wheels.

[TimMullen]

Originally posted by Modern Wedgie
So in the Elise, I'm sure you would feel a difference. Less rotating mass is a very good thing. Same reason to use lighter wheels.

A lighter flywheel can also make for a rougher running engine, and one that's harder to start out off the line smoothly. I think the Elise revs just fine - I'm not even considering a lighter flywheel, but to each his own...

[Z3convert]

I changed the flywheel in my BMW Z3 and it did feel a small bit faster but it also got a lot louder in the cabin!

[LittleRocket]

It makes the 2zz rap up like a bike and rev matching much easier. Not roughness or starting issues.

It is removing rotating mass but gear dependant not speed dependant like wheels.

Removing 5 lbs from the flywheel in 1st gear is like removing about 150 lbs of stationary weight from the car. As the gear ratios decrease the mechanical advantage also decreases. In short I have a Tom's 8 lb flywheel on my 2zz and it makes for a faster funner car. If you are doing a clutch a flywheel is a good coice to do at the same time or vice versa.

[tonykomo]

The lightweight flywheel feels fantastic in the Elise, but make sure you get a properly balanced one. Factory motorsports ones are the best, 3rd party ones have been known to blow up.

As for the LSD, I have the Quaiffe ATB unit in my Elise and it certainly aids high speed cornering. I can feel the torque transfer. It makes no difference in the straight line unless one wheel is on a slippery section.

[evomind]

the fidanza flywheel is 7.5 pounds...
do u guys really feel a difference? ive changed flywheels b4, of course not in anything as light as an elise...

[Stan]

I think that the stock 2ZZGE flywheels weighs about 13 pounds. It's not super heavy. A four cylinder BMW flywheel weighs 19-25 pounds in most cases.

[mlk_f1]

"Tom's" Japan makes quality racing parts for toyota. Their Flywheel for the 2ZZ weighs around 8 lbs.
I had one installed on my MR2 Spyder, I can definitely feel the difference. The rpm goes up alot easier under load.

[LittleRocket]

The '05 MR2 spyder lsd is available as a part for about 500.00 less and is a helical lsd like the quaife.

I have had the toyota part in my car for some time. It is "invisible" until you need it.

Watch the second driver of the elise in this video. He needs a lsd. The inside tire in this high speed turn ignites.

http://topgear.breedbandportal.kpn.com/cars.aspx

[Randy Chase]

I think Robert and I have the Elise roughly dialed in and it was working well at the last autocross. Except one thing. Inside rear wheel spin became more apparent. There is other ways to reduce or solve that, but number one is an LSD.

[Bill Swizz]

Most of the higher powered track cars go with a stiffer front sway bar so that in corners we lift the inside front wheel rather than the rear. Try this first as it is easier to adjust and cheaper than fitting an LSD.

[Randy Chase]

Originally posted by Bill Swizz
Most of the higher powered track cars go with a stiffer front sway bar so that in corners we lift the inside front wheel rather than the rear. Try this first as it is easier to adjust and cheaper than fitting an LSD.

A custom stiffer bar was completed this morning.

[Evl]

Originally posted by LittleRocket
I have had the toyota part in my car for some time. It is "invisible" until you need it.

You have it in your MR2, right? Do we know that it will fit in the Elise? I don't know anything about transaxles, but in a "normal" differential, different ring gears can require different differential sizes.

[eliseowner2b]

I't s been about a month since I saw any talk about a factory LSD option in 05. Does anyone know if this is still the case?

[Stan]

>>>You have it in your MR2, right? Do we know that it will fit in the Elise? I don't know anything about transaxles, but in a "normal" differential, different ring gears can require different differential sizes.<<<

There are (and have been) several limited slip options that will drop right into the Toyota gearbox without issue and which are already proven in Toyota automobiles.

[LittleRocket]

Originally posted by Evl
You have it in your MR2, right? Do we know that it will fit in the Elise? I don't know anything about transaxles, but in a "normal" differential, different ring gears can require different differential sizes.

Both have the exact same toyota 6 speed.

[TimMullen]

Originally posted by LittleRocket
Both have the exact same Toyota 6 speed.

Not quite... The Elise is supposed to have the close ration gears. But other than the gear sets, it a regular Toyota six-speed (and the gear set is standard Toyota - just the version for the European Celica).

[LittleRocket]

Edited because my gut reaction was a snide remark.

Where are the gear specs for the elise? The "european" gt-s 6 speed?

I bet a fat steak dinner that they are one in the same.

FWIW I have the gt-s tranny with these gears
3.166
2.050
1.481
1.166
0.916
0.725

F 4.529


This is the best list I have seen.

http://www.spyderchat.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=144

[TimMullen]

Originally posted by LittleRocket
Where are the gear specs for the Elise? The "European" gt-s 6 speed?

I don't have the information handy, but when they announced things prior to us actually getting the US Elise, Lotus made a point of the fact that the Elise had the transmission gear ratios used by the European version of the Celica GTS because it had closer ratios than the US version of the Celica GTS.

One thread.

Randy even mentioned it in this thread:The engine will be the Toyota engine and tranny used in the Celica GTS. It will be tuned by Lotus to put out 190hp and with a higher 8500 rpm redline. The 6 speed tranny will be the one use in the European Celica.

It been referenced many other times. Basically the Euro spec Celica GTS gets a closer ratio transmission than the US spec Celica GTS.