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DOes this VIN have a TORSEN

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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 11:05 AM
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Default DOes this VIN have a TORSEN

Can anyone help me search to see if this Diff has a Torsen? I just stumbled across a totally wrecked Miata this morning, and the only thing it has left in it is the diff with a broken hanger.

JM1NA351XV0721469

Thanks, Marc
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 11:42 AM
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Check that VIN...it's not valid.


Tony
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 11:45 AM
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Looks valid to me. See: http://www.hazmat.com/~mjb/candm/decoder/

It's a '97, so it's possible, but that's all we can say from the VIN alone. You need to check the original build records. Call Mazda USA and ask them what option packages the car had. Then compare to this: http://www.miata.net/faq/features.html

Make sure it did not have an automatic.

If the side axles have been removed (you said the diff was all that was left) then you can tell just by looking sideways through the axle holes. If there's a bar in the middle, it's not a Torsen. If it's wide-open, it's a Torsen.

If you know what you're looking for, you can also tell by looking through the oil fill hole.
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 12:03 PM
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Double check the VIN is all I can say.

Joe, that is not the best place to check for Mazda VINs.


As far as a quick check for a torsen...if the vehicle has power windows it would have a torsen.


Tony

Last edited by mrtonyg; Apr 26, 2008 at 12:20 PM.
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 02:59 PM
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you can call mazda directly and they can tell you what came with your particular car
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by mrtonyg
Joe, that is not the best place to check for Mazda VINs.
And as far as I can tell, you aren't the greatest source of wealth either. VIN pulls up records in carfax.
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Braineack
And as far as I can tell, you aren't the greatest source of wealth either. VIN pulls up records in carfax.
Well, that is not nice is it...interesting...I guess it's your loss, not mine.

Tony
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 03:31 PM
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Originally Posted by mkulak
Can anyone help me search to see if this Diff has a Torsen? I just stumbled across a totally wrecked Miata this morning, and the only thing it has left in it is the diff with a broken hanger.

JM1NA351XV0721469

Thanks, Marc
wow, you are lucky to even find one in the wrecking yard!! strip any parts you may need and put the rest on ebay.
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by mrtonyg
Joe, that is not the best place to check for Mazda VINs.
You're right, it isn't. Mazda USA is. Which i why I said:
"You need to check the original build records. Call Mazda USA and ask them what option packages the car had."

This is how I verified that the "purple" car which a junkyard in Arizona had was in fact "Merlot Mica", and therefore an M-edition, which with a 5-speed meant that it must have had a Torsen. And it did.


Originally Posted by mrtonyg
As far as a quick check for a torsen...if the vehicle has power windows it would have a torsen.
You fail.

Touring Package cars had power windows and did not have Torsens. And no cars with automatic transmissions had a Torsen, regardless of power windows.

Additionally, the "power windows" test ignores the R package cars, all of which had Torsens, and none of which had power windows.
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 03:51 PM
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Originally Posted by mrtonyg
Well, that is not nice is it...interesting...I guess it's your loss, not mine.

Tony
my loss? wtf?!
Old Apr 26, 2008 | 04:17 PM
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STO also didn't have Torsen.

Marc, shoot the VIN to me in email, ben at mazmart dot com
And I'll run it on Monday.
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 04:53 PM
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My experience has always been on matching the power windows to the torsen ...but if that is wrong, I stand corrected.


But back to my original point...the posted VIN: JM1NA351XV0721469 is wrong...period.

Tony
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Old Apr 26, 2008 | 05:32 PM
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VIN JM1NA351XV0721469
Year/Make/Model: 1997 MAZDA MIATA
Body Style: CONVERTIBLE
Engine Type: 1.8L L4 FI DOHC 16V
Manufactured In: JAPAN
Search Results: 10 records found in our database


http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf


so where is this great source that you know it's wrong?
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