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Are the housings for the open and viscous NA6 differentials different?

I'm contemplating a Cusco RS-type LSD and they list all NA6's as being viscous (which I believe they were in Japan?)

I just want to confirm that the housings and gears are the same and so will both take the same aftermarket LSD center.

Muchos Gracias.

All NA 1.6 diffs are the same Size and can take the viscous /LSD or Open centre
thay are not the strongest

You're probably already aware of the reputation of 1.6 diffs, but I'd definitely be considering upgrading to a 1.8 diff while you were at it.

Wasn't aware they had a 'reputation'. Sure, I've read of them failing, but not often enough to put me off wanting to upgrade mine. (no issues @ 200k, no issues in my last car @ 250k either)

I'm not going to be putting much more than stock power through it anytime soon, if ever.
Swapping to a 1.8 housing, tailshaft & halfshafts would be at least a few hundred bucks... then I'd still need a center for it so, comparatively, we'd be in OS Giken territory for a 1.6 housing (only in 2way from what I can find)

I more want an clutch type LSD for lift-off oversteer -> power oversteer than for grip or laptimes, so I don't believe a TorSen wouldn't really suit me? (the drivability of a TorSen would though...)

Thanks for the input, search turned up nothing solid.

I guess it depends how much of a hard time you're planning to give it. I suppose you'd be alright on a stock engine in most applications.

I would highly suggest buying a 1.8 diff and doing the conversion. the 1.6 uses a 6" gear whilst the 1.8" uses a 7"

Its usually the crown gear and pinion gear that fails, teeth breaks off and metal everywhere. Ask Nitrodann, he's got a pile of blown 1.6 diffs sitting in his garage

You can pick up open 1.8 diffs for as cheap as $75, half shafts will cost you around $80 each and the prop shaft another $80.

How well would a weld open center go
What's likely to break

Its not the diff centre that breaks, its the pinion and ring gear that does

rwf wrote:How well would a weld open center go
What's likely to break

I've also thought of this given how easy it would be to get replacement NA6 diffs relatively cheaply. Sounds like the gears are still going to break though.

I'm not going to be bashing limiter or clutch-dumping, just occasional sideways action out of corners and fun in the wet (on a private road of course )

Your prices either sound optimistic or like good news Spikes.

Should've bought an NA8

I'll weld mine see how it goes
Only going to bin it to get na8 so why not

He meant to write 750 for a 1.8 open diff.

I paid 650 for a complete drop in Torsen 1.8 diff package with all axles and tailshaft shipped.

Dann

That sounds like a lucky price, MX5 people always have high initial asking prices for major things.

Fück this fork in the road.

Its not a lucky price its about right. I got mine for 650 and with my method, spikes got his for 850ish all up.

Dann

I ran a NA6 diff in Fanta with a Mazdaspeed clutch type centre. I loved the operation of the diff and never had any trouble with the diff - first in a 135 rwk turbo 1600 road car then in Fanta running with the turbo then in Fanta as a 93 rwk normally aspirated. It ran without problem for the 3 or 4 years.

Fanta ran 15x8"rims with Dunlop slicks or Kumho semi-slicks and and ran a couple of seasons of supersprints and hillclimbs without trouble and still holds class records at several tracks, so was not babied, but I was always careful how I used it, but did do plenty of full on launches at the hillclimb.

So a 1600 diff can be trouble free (maybe I got a good one).

However, I have put a Torsen 2 4.3:1 ratio NB diff in my latest 1600 road car for longevity as I could not get another Mazdaspeed centre for a 1600 diff and so I can swap it later to my NB.

I did break a vicous 1600 diff in my street car launching at the hillclimb at 4,500 rpm, but not the gears, it broke a washer/spacer - I think due to poor setup in a rebuild. It was a cheap ebay buy !!

I was directed to a Mazdaspeed LSD on Yahoo Auctions that's been for sale for ages apparently and is now at ¥4,000 ($50 before shipping!)

Thinking I'll give the NA6 diff a go and take it easy on it for a while, and ramp up the abuse very gently.