Flywheel resurfacing

[bumere90]

Hey guys, I am doing an engine swap on my 2008 VW Jetta 2.0T. While I was inspecting the clutch, I saw black spots on flywheel. My buddy tells me that they're from the pressure plate getting hot and that I should replace the flywheel. Its a dual mass flywheel and the cheapest one I found was $600 (OEM)
Is it possible to resurface the flywheel? Is it something my local machine shop would do? I ordered a brand new clutch kit (without flywheel) for $400 and really don't want to spend another $600.

[Silver-Bolt]

Depending on the flywheel it may be able to be surfaced. Call your local automotive machine shops. Not all of them do surfacing. Take it in and have them look at it.

[bumere90]

We got 2 machine shops in Fort Myers. Both of them want $70 for a dual mass flywheel.
Regular flywheel $35
what a difference lol
I'll give it a shot..new flywheel is $600

[TK-421]

When I did my SR swap on my 240, the stock flywheel had been sitting for a bit so I had it resurfaced just to be safe before I put in the chromoly one. Cost me $40 out the door (regular flywheel).

[bumere90]

Got it done at my local machine shop. Paid $85
new clutch kit + resurfaced oem flywheel, shifts like brand new again.

[Casca]

Been reading on this and according to Sach's, "........flywheel must be replaced on second clutch change." (Luk...sachs...i dunno. Whatever). However, they do say not to resurface. Inspect it, use it as it is if it is good or replace with a new one if it is not or if its the second time changing the clutch. Not resurface. Saw that on a Sachs PDF someone linked somewhere during my search. Will find it again and link it, but its way late and I gotta wake up in 3 hours to fly cross country. OMG, why can't I sleep!

I'm gonna guess that the main reason they say not to resurface is not because it*can't be put on a lathe and material removed till everything is all nice looking and super flat again, but probably because they know there is not enough material there to actually do this and stay within the margins they deem safe and reliable. I mean, if the manufacturer of these flywheels say not to do it, then what specifications are machine shops using to determine that they didn't just give you back a flywheel that is dangerously too thin? Damn right you won't get a warranty on that work.

Honestly, seems safer to me to put a new clutch on an inspected and unresurfaced flywheel and maybe have the new clutch wear out faster than it is to resurface a flywheel the manufacturer explicitly states not to resurface. A new clutch on the old unresurfaced flywheel will feel good and shift like new again too.

[bumere90]

I was going to replace the flywheel, but there was no way I would pay an additional $600. I sold the car. The guy still drives it and he loves it. Resurfacing didn't hurt.