I am going to need to replace my clutch pretty soon here. I want to upgrade and get a new fly wheel. I know there are opinions here, please offer your them to me.
I'm also planning to do the LN Engineering IMS bearing update while we're in there. It will be nice to have that level of security.

 

That's what I did

 

You might be tempted to go with a lightweight flywheel, but they're not a good idea for the 996 unless your engine rotating assembly is disassembled and balanced. Stick with stock.

 

Exactly what I did about 3 weeks ago. While it was apart i asked the dealership to replace the AOS. I've heard it can cause problems and my car has done 80k miles so I figured it was due. Also it's a lot cheaper for them to do it while they have it apart........i think that piece of work cost me around $330 for them to do it, parts and labor.

Don't know how your clutch feels right now but mine had become very heavy. Now it's as light as any regular car.

My job included........new clutch assy, new flywheel, new RMS, LN IMS fitted, new clutch slave cylinder, new AOS. Car runs and drives great!

 

I wish someone made a mediumweight flywheel for these cars. Like a lightened dualmass or something of the sort, 5-10 pounds lighter than the OEM but a bit heavier than a lightweight.

The DSM (the old turbo Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon) guys often machine 5 pounds or so off their OEM flywheels, I had it done to my old Eclipse and it made a big difference in shifting and revs for not a lot of money.

 

As a mechanical engineer I gotta think that the Porsche engineers put a lot into vibration and torsional analysis, stress and inertia calculations, considerations for rotational momentum, thermal mass, etc., as well as structural design for clutch and shaft attachment, starter ring, engine breaking, etc., when coming up with the mass of the flywheel.

But as a 996 owner I gotta ask, what's the benefit of a lighter flywheel? Rotational acceleration? Vehicle weight? Rear main stress? Were there known problems with the OE?