Thanks in advance, is this a worthwhile conversion to do? Are there any benefits - downsides either way? 

Mk1 Fabia VRs  Std 130 bhp

On a standard engine no benefits, only downsides.

15 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

On a standard engine no benefits, only downsides.

I've often thought about this one myself for when the time comes, considering the potential savings of never having to change a flywheel again (if keeping the car "forever"), and am old enough that dual mass flywheels are a "new" thing that we managed without just fine as drivers/owners 😉

 

I have no prior experience with these engines, before getting our VRS.  Is it just the vibrational side-affects of losing the damping on take up of drive, I take it there are other problems that it creates with these engines/gearboxes?

1 hour ago, Owainsdad said:

I've often thought about this one myself for when the time comes, considering the potential savings of never having to change a flywheel again (if keeping the car "forever"), and am old enough that dual mass flywheels are a "new" thing that we managed without just fine as drivers/owners 😉

 

I have no prior experience with these engines, before getting our VRS.  Is it just the vibrational side-affects of losing the damping on take up of drive, I take it there are other problems that it creates with these engines/gearboxes?

 

Dual-mass flywheels are a newish answer to an old problem, diesels vibrate worse than petrols because they have much stronger power strokes at low RPM, this is due to the higher compression ratio. Diesels also need stronger, and therefore heavier cranks, rods and pistons due to these very high pressures. In the old days diesel flywheels were huge to help absorb the vibrations, dual-mass flywheels were created to allow the use of a much lighter assembly which dramatically reduces parasitic power losses and inertia whilst controlling vibration, the result is a more powerful and fuel efficient engine that revs much more freely.

 

No-one needs a car that lasts forever because the tinworm will claim their prize long before it ever becomes relevant, fit an SMF when building a high power tuned engine, otherwise just don't do it.

48 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

 

Dual-mass flywheels are a newish answer to an old problem, diesels vibrate worse than petrols because they have much stronger power strokes at low RPM, this is due to the higher compression ratio. Diesels also need stronger, and therefore heavier cranks, rods and pistons due to these very high pressures. In the old days diesel flywheels were huge to help absorb the vibrations, dual-mass flywheels were created to allow the use of a much lighter assembly which dramatically reduces parasitic power losses and inertia whilst controlling vibration, the result is a more powerful and fuel efficient engine that revs much more freely.

 

No-one needs a car that lasts forever because the tinworm will claim their prize long before it ever becomes relevant, fit an SMF when building a high power tuned engine, otherwise just don't do it.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes a lot of sense.  You're right - my limited experience with diesels always involved flywheels that weighed as much as a semi-detached.  I'd never put the weight thing together, and had always assumed they were purely for the damping effect on take up 👍

Unless you really have to, don't fit a single mass to a Fabia vRS. The noise is simply awful. 

 

No nice way of putting it, it sounds like all the bearings have failed in the gearbox and people will point and stare.

Thanks for all the info, i've learnt something then. Dual Mass it is! Next question, is it a DIY job?

DIY yes if you like to struggle, its worth it in the end but then again I'm built like that   Why dont you have a VRS clutch change party ?

 

Invite the right people from here and get some beers and curry in as a reward? Should all be done in about 5 hours minus the drinking

 

25 minutes ago, cello said:

DIY yes if you like to struggle, its worth it in the end but then again I'm built like that   Why dont you have a VRS clutch change party ?

 

Invite the right people from here and get some beers and curry in as a reward? Should all be done in about 5 hours minus the drinking

 

Done now thanks, not too bad a job, and yes we did drink quite a bit afterwards, sorry i forgot your invite!