Is there an easy visual way to identify a torsen?
#1
Is there an easy visual way to identify a torsen?
As I'm starting to shop for a miata, i'm wondering if there is a simple way to identify a torsen from underneath. I did a search in this forum, and don't see anything. I did see that I can call mazda with a vin to check, but since i'll be looking at cars in person wondered if there was something simple from underneath.
#3
I found this
http://www.miata.net/garage/diffguide/index.html
but its still a little wishy washy. It seems like the damper has to be there for a torsen, but i'm not sure that the damper being there guarantees it being a torsen. Theres also a bit about the "ears" on the stub shafts, but they are mostly talking about 1.6s
http://www.miata.net/garage/diffguide/index.html
but its still a little wishy washy. It seems like the damper has to be there for a torsen, but i'm not sure that the damper being there guarantees it being a torsen. Theres also a bit about the "ears" on the stub shafts, but they are mostly talking about 1.6s
#5
Negative but close, go to a parking lot that has a big empty area. Turn the wheel at full lock which ever direction you are most comfortable doing donut/drifts. Punch it in first and let the tail kick out. If you can keep it kicked out while bliping the throttle on and off its a torsen. If the minute you let off the gas it snaps out of the donut its a tragic open diff. Dont look at tire marks as both can lay down 2 tire skids. I've probably used this to identify rear ends in 10-15 different miata's with out fail. If your not a good enough driver to cut a drift/donut or can't keep it hung out in a tight circle than you really don't need a torsen anyways so idk.
#6
Negative but close, go to a parking lot that has a big empty area. Turn the wheel at full lock which ever direction you are most comfortable doing donut/drifts. Punch it in first and let the tail kick out. If you can keep it kicked out while bliping the throttle on and off its a torsen. If the minute you let off the gas it snaps out of the donut its a tragic open diff. Dont look at tire marks as both can lay down 2 tire skids. I've probably used this to identify rear ends in 10-15 different miata's with out fail. If your not a good enough driver to cut a drift/donut or can't keep it hung out in a tight circle than you really don't need a torsen anyways so idk.
#15
If the car was orignially equipped with power mirrors, then it was originally equpped with a Torsen from the factory (if it was a '94 or later). The exception to this rule is the 1997 STO, which was Torsen-less.
15 years later, who the hell knows if a previous owner replaced a torsen with an open for any number of reasons:
Side impact at the rear axle tweaks diff gears which later self destructs due to misalignment.
Dude's friend has an open and wanted to swap him for $200 + a case of beer
Replaced with an open for Spec Miata classing rules
15 years later, who the hell knows if a previous owner replaced a torsen with an open for any number of reasons:
Side impact at the rear axle tweaks diff gears which later self destructs due to misalignment.
Dude's friend has an open and wanted to swap him for $200 + a case of beer
Replaced with an open for Spec Miata classing rules
#16
Former Vendor
iTrader: (31)
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 15,442
Total Cats: 2,099
Plenty of non-leather cars had Torsens. A good indicator is cruise control - if it has cruise, it has a Torsen. No cruise, no Torsen. It's not perfect but it works for most years.
M.net has a good year-by-year breakdown of the packages and what cars came with torsens.
M.net has a good year-by-year breakdown of the packages and what cars came with torsens.
#18
If the car was orignially equipped with power mirrors, then it was originally equpped with a Torsen from the factory (if it was a '94 or later). The exception to this rule is the 1997 STO, which was Torsen-less.
15 years later, who the hell knows if a previous owner replaced a torsen with an open for any number of reasons:
Side impact at the rear axle tweaks diff gears which later self destructs due to misalignment.
Dude's friend has an open and wanted to swap him for $200 + a case of beer
Replaced with an open for Spec Miata classing rules
15 years later, who the hell knows if a previous owner replaced a torsen with an open for any number of reasons:
Side impact at the rear axle tweaks diff gears which later self destructs due to misalignment.
Dude's friend has an open and wanted to swap him for $200 + a case of beer
Replaced with an open for Spec Miata classing rules
unless you're talking about n/a's only in which case I'm not sure.
but there are tons and tons of nb's with power windows/mirrors and no torsen
#20
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,020
Total Cats: 6,588
Originally Posted by everyone
blah, blah, blah.