EXEDY Racing Lightweight Miata MX5 Flywheel

Having only put 120 miles on it, this is a preliminary report. The 13 lb flywheel is a much needed improvement over stock. No longer do I need to hurl the car down the road by the scruff of the neck. Now it revs with control and finesse, it is MILES easier to rev match when shifting, the car is just overall smoother, and power is going to the road and not into dealing with a heavier flywheel. There is still a bit of shuddering during casual engagement , but that is expected with a lighter flywheel. I'm still learning to feather it better.

So far, I have not had any issues with it dying due to the A/C running, while at a stop light (I had this issue on a VW GTi with a lighter flywheel). For the first 10 miles it would almost stall when I pushed in the clutch and let it drop to idle, but the engine management has adjusted, now. It is much better.

Is it worth $300? In my opinion it is. Just for the control when rev matching. Everything else is kudos.

Also, I put it in with Exedy stage 1 clutch - its the perfect combo. Lighter than stock pedal effort, better engagement, and smoother feel. For every day driving a winning combo.

-- Stephen W., Los Angeles ( 2006 6-speed ) April 2021

After an hour of driving with the Exedy 13lb flywheel, I can definitely feel the difference. It's slight, and the engine difference isn't as extreme as a 7lb flywheel, but it feels fantastic. I went in for a clutch job when my throwout bearing started to go out, and decided to try upgrading my flywheel from stock, despite the mechanics offer to machine down any damage on the existing flywheel, and sprung $300~ for the Exedy 13lb. Getting the car back, it felt like driving a different clutch completely (Exedy stock clutch replacement, for those wondering).

The engine rev's up and down more quickly, and it is noticeable if you focus on it, especially while shifting and out of gear. As such, I've found it to be a bit more of a challenging drive, as I need to be much more conscientious of how heavy my foot is on the gas pedal to accurately engine match to my clutch and speed. While on the freeway, the car still retained its power band above 3,500 RPM's, but it felt much less like the car was trying to sling itself forward, and more like the car was allowing itself to fall forward (if that makes sense), gaining speed because that's what it was meant to do, rather than what I want it to do. It feels as if the car needs less effort to push itself into high RPM's, though the difference while in gear and at speed is much more subtle than free-spinning the engine in neutral or while changing gear.

Is the performance difference worth $300? Only you can answer that question. If you have a few hundred dollars to burn and want to perform better than stock, but not burn the clutch out with a rally-car or sport flywheel (looking at the Flyin' Miata 7lb) while daily driving, this is a good choice. If you're working on a car exclusively for track and race day, the FM might be a better fit. After an hour of driving, the engine feels more effortless than it previously did, and I am noticing marginal performance improvements, however the tradeoff is more stress on the clutch when I can't accurately engine match, which makes the car slightly more challenging to drive and less beginner friendly.

Happy driving

-- Dominic R., San Diego ( 2012 NC MX5 Sport 5spd ) November 2019

Great product, noticeable difference in revs up and also drop off between gears.

-- Michael Q., Guatemala! January 2018

I have to say (my gut even told me so when I was ordering it at the time) that the Exedy Lightweight Racing Miata MX5 Flywheel was quite a disappointment. At 13 lbs I knew it was only 3.5 lbs lighter than stock, but the only other GWR offering is a 7.5 lbs flywheel which didnt seem very street driving friendly. I really wanted a 10-11 pounder, but they dont carry one.

For any other NC owner out there, at $300 I'd certainly pass on the 13 pounder. It's a pretty negligible perfmormance and/or driving difference :(

-- Ben A. ( 2006 MX-5 6spd ) April 2015

Hey Ben I'm sorry the flywheel does not meet your expectations. Don't forget that if you are unsure what part to get, you can always call or email us and discuss your options. The 13lb flywheel only makes a marginal impact in driving feel, however, there are still benefits to reducing flywheel weight. Keep in mind there are also downsides to the super light flywheel choices.
-- The Good-Win Racing Team