LSD or not LSD?

[Casey]

Thankyou bigdog!

All answers are on that page. I will summarise...

This is a 1.6 open diff with a smooth case:



And this is a 1.6 viscous LSD (torsen) finned case from the right:



And left:



You can see the way to tell the difference is by the tangs on the stub shaft flange where the half shafts bolt in. The open diffs have eight regular tangs (four with studs) on both sides while the torsens have different tangs on the left and right shaped as circled above.

It turns out I have a smooth case torsen which surprises me slightly as my car was one of the first Eunos Roadsters made (July '89, #100225) and I thought that all the first mx5's had open diffs...

Cool...

Moggy - a VLSD (viscous fluid) is a different beast to a TorSen (Torque Sensing) diff. The 1600 only VLSD was quite widely optioned on the Eunos Roadster. The 1800 saw the use of the much stronger TorSen and is externally indistinguishable from the 1800 open diff.

[Moggy]

Moggy - a VLSD (viscous fluid) is a different beast to a TorSen (Torque Sensing) diff. The 1600 only VLSD was quite widely optioned on the Eunos Roadster. The 1800 saw the use of the much stronger TorSen and is externally indistinguishable from the 1800 open diff.

Oh I see... Thanks. Any idea on the strength of the 1.6 VLSD vs open?

[bigdog]

From STM's thread comes the only definitive answer to the original question, as it was a 1.8 diff he was asking about -
\"Another way is to attempt to turn both half shafts in the same direction at the same time (tranny in neutral), can't be done with a Torsen. 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.\"

My thread was only useful to a 1.6 diff owner

[kitkat]

thats for the link bigdog...

We have a Viscous LSD

[Casey]

Moggy - a VLSD (viscous fluid) is a different beast to a TorSen (Torque Sensing) diff. The 1600 only VLSD was quite widely optioned on the Eunos Roadster. The 1800 saw the use of the much stronger TorSen and is externally indistinguishable from the 1800 open diff.

Oh I see... Thanks. Any idea on the strength of the 1.6 VLSD vs open?

Probably about the same strength wise, but the VLSD will wear out faster (much if it's not well maintained).

All the 1800 diffs are stronger as they are physically bigger and have a larger gear set. A TorSen should last as long as an open diff.

[irwin83r]

go for a drive apply power early on corner exit. you will be able to feel the inside wheel lighting up. i have no doubts what so ever i have an open diff

yet another handfull of money to be thrown at the car

[JBT]

do the LSD's use LSD fluid?

MX-5 TorSen does not.

[JBT]

The thing to remember with the TorSen is that BOTH wheels must have grip or it will behave like an open diff.