looking to get a new diff

jko · Postby **jko** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 4:37 am

I have a 1991 NA 1.6 with i think came with an open differential from factory. I'm looking to get a new one that's best for skids and get sideways, but I'm not sure which one and would like to ask for suggestions. I'm currently using the car as a daily and will tracking it in the future if any of this info helps.

As for gear ratios, I'm not sure whether to go for 4.3:1 or 4.1:1 as I don't know what differences it makes to the car.

I'm quite noob to cars etc, but if you've got any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

speed · Postby **speed** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:33 am

Most will tell you to get a torsen from a later model.

Budget about $1,100 plus labour and you will need both half shafts and think also tailshaft.

What are your plans and how much power does the diff need to be able to take?

jko · Postby **jko** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:10 pm

speed wrote:Most will tell you to get a torsen from a later model.

Budget about $1,100 plus labour and you will need both half shafts and think also tailshaft.

What are your plans and how much power does the diff need to be able to take?

Diff doesn't need to take that much power as it is not turbo.

I read suggestions of getting a 1.8 diff from another thread as its much stronger?

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:57 pm

A lot stronger.

One of the weak point in the 1.6 is the pinion. If you were to replace your internal with a Much stronger LSD you would still have the pinion.

I replaced my 1.6 diff with a 4.1 Torsen II and have never looked back.

And yes I'm bias.

TrackAttack · Postby **TrackAttack** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:08 pm

For "skids and sideways" a Torsen is no good...

I have a NA6 LSD for sale. Buy it, replace the pinion bearing and give it hell. It's the hearing that causes pinion failure

speed · Postby **speed** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 1:58 am

TrackAttack wrote:For "skids and sideways" a Torsen is no good...

I have a NA6 LSD for sale. Buy it, replace the pinion bearing and give it hell. It's the hearing that causes pinion failure

How much?

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:47 am

Jko

Kaaz is a lot more aggressive then the Torsen. Torsen is pretty stock & doesn't lock up as easily as the Kaaz. You probably will not even feel a difference while driving normal with a Torsen.

I personally would still be concerned though but as I said I'm bias.

I never replaced a pinion in my broken diff. I just replaced it with a 1.8 conversion.

A 1.8 conversion would be somewhere around $1500 or so. Not sure what the Kaaz ( assuming the diff being offered is a Kaaz ) is going for. But would without a doubt be cheaper option. And give you easier skids & sideways action.
I personally prefer the piece of mind. Perhaps I'm super cautious.

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 8:07 am

there are 2 types of Torsen. And as said most likely the replacements from NB's are generally the Torsen Type 2
Type one is more baits towards acceleration. 2 is more baits towards deceleration. But it has been suggested barely noticeable difference between the 1&2

If memory serves me correct type 2 started being installed around 1995/96?

TrackAttack · Postby **TrackAttack** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 12:33 pm

speed wrote:How much?

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=69291

jko · Postby **jko** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 5:32 pm

Thank you for all the info guys!

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:02 pm

Looks like TrackAttack's diff is a VLSD. Without trying to rob TA of a sale, the VLSD, which was standard on the Eunos cars, was not designed for lock-up and slide action. It is more for traction in snow and icy areas, as they only ever gave 10-15% lock up.
Most VLSD's are worn out by now since they were last made in '93ish. They are non-serviceable and once worn behave as an open diff.

Read more here:
http://www.miata.net/garage/vlsd.html

jko · Postby **jko** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 12:21 am

smy0003 wrote:Looks like TrackAttack's diff is a VLSD. Without trying to rob TA of a sale, the VLSD, which was standard on the Eunos cars, was not designed for lock-up and slide action. It is more for traction in snow and icy areas, as they only ever gave 10-15% lock up.
Most VLSD's are worn out by now since they were last made in '93ish. They are non-serviceable and once worn behave as an open diff.

Read more here:
http://www.miata.net/garage/vlsd.html

Yeah I wasnt leaning towards a VLSD anyway haha, I'm just trying to decide whether to go with a kaaz lsd or a Torsen.

TrackAttack · Postby **TrackAttack** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 12:08 pm

A Torsen won't lock up. That's not how they work. Once you get wheel spin, they quickly become an open.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 12:23 pm

A torsen won't 'lock' in the strict sense of the word, but it will send power to the other wheel if one starts to slip.
If you get one wheel airborne it wheel behave like an open.
A torsen is a good compromise for a street dríven car. Clutch pack diffs can make the little mx5 understeer when doing tight and twisty stuff. And at the end of the day isn't that what the mx5 is for?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

TrackAttack · Postby **TrackAttack** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:00 pm

smy0003 wrote:A torsen won't 'lock' in the strict sense of the word, but it will send power to the other wheel if one starts to slip.
If you get one wheel airborne it wheel behave like an open.
A torsen is a good compromise for a street dríven car. Clutch pack diffs can make the little mx5 understeer when doing tight and twisty stuff. And at the end of the day isn't that what the mx5 is for?

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I'd personally take the Torsen, but "jko" is