How I got Differential Screwed
06-11-2008, 10:21 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,365
Total Cats: 0
How I got Differential Screwed
So about a month ago I bought a black 94' to be my daily driver/turbo project.
My plans was to make sure I got a car with a LSD for obvious reasons.
I checked the VIN # w/ Mazda and my original car had a LSD as part of options(im not fam, but I beleive its a C Package car).
I had the car up on jacks because im swapping clutches to get ready for big power, and as its up on stands, I made note that the wheels were rotating the opposite directions. OH NO. Moved them around, and yep, they rotate in opposite directions. sigh
I look at the diff, and it has paint markings all over it, as if it was a salvage item.
Sigh how likely is it the previous owner broke the torsen and swapped for an open :(?
My plans was to make sure I got a car with a LSD for obvious reasons.
I checked the VIN # w/ Mazda and my original car had a LSD as part of options(im not fam, but I beleive its a C Package car).
I had the car up on jacks because im swapping clutches to get ready for big power, and as its up on stands, I made note that the wheels were rotating the opposite directions. OH NO. Moved them around, and yep, they rotate in opposite directions. sigh
I look at the diff, and it has paint markings all over it, as if it was a salvage item.
Sigh how likely is it the previous owner broke the torsen and swapped for an open :(?
Reply
0
0
06-11-2008, 10:52 PM
#7
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Point Pleasant, NJ
Posts: 2,957
Total Cats: 2
from randy's site
The Torsen won't always turn both wheels when you turn the driveshaft, sometime if they are cold they will. One way is to take out the fill plug to see the Torsen gears which is hard to do because of the angle. Another way for a Type-I is to grasp both halfshafts and attempt to turn both of them in the same direction at the same time (tranny in neutral), can't be done with a Type I Torsen because the torque required to overcome the gear incompatability is too great by just turning the small diameter halfshafts. The The foolproof way is to pull the stub axle on the type 1 or the drive axle on the type two. If you don't see a bar and can see directly thru the diff. it is a Torsen. If there is a bar, (spider gears) it's an open.
I say jsut drive the thing. It's easy to feel the difference between an open and a Torsen. Think about it. If it wasn't easy to feel a difference between how an open rear and a Torsen perform why would we be concerned?
The Torsen won't always turn both wheels when you turn the driveshaft, sometime if they are cold they will. One way is to take out the fill plug to see the Torsen gears which is hard to do because of the angle. Another way for a Type-I is to grasp both halfshafts and attempt to turn both of them in the same direction at the same time (tranny in neutral), can't be done with a Type I Torsen because the torque required to overcome the gear incompatability is too great by just turning the small diameter halfshafts. The The foolproof way is to pull the stub axle on the type 1 or the drive axle on the type two. If you don't see a bar and can see directly thru the diff. it is a Torsen. If there is a bar, (spider gears) it's an open.
I say jsut drive the thing. It's easy to feel the difference between an open and a Torsen. Think about it. If it wasn't easy to feel a difference between how an open rear and a Torsen perform why would we be concerned?
Reply
0
0
06-12-2008, 08:31 AM
#13
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Point Pleasant, NJ
Posts: 2,957
Total Cats: 2
also from Randy's site: Even the attempt to lay a patch of two black marks on your driveway is not a telling attribute because the Miata is very well balanced and has equal weight on both tires as well as the IRS puts no twisting torque load on the tires either, an open diff Miata will also leave two black marks if you dump the clutch and peal out in a strait line.
Reply
0
0
06-12-2008, 01:07 PM
#20
Okay guys, stupid questions, but with a torsen, when you break traction and start laying rubber, you always are going to see two tires marks, right? I ask because when I slide around a corner, I'll see a mark from either both tires or the outside one, yet the one time I did a brakestand only one wheel spun. I have a friend that insisted the car has an LSD after he drove it and he usually knows his stuff but I'm looking for confirmation. I don't understand how a torsen 'locks' so I don't know if the amount of torque going into or age/wear factors in. I've driven a rwd car that has an LSD and mine is no harder to get sideways.
Reply
0
0
