LSD not Locking?

[sgratton]

I have searched the forum for similar problems, but do not seem to be able to find any useful threads, so apologies if this has been discussed before.

Basically I have an S14a with 77K on the clock. I have only owned the car a week and it seems that the LSD has stopped locking. I have experiemented in a wet car park and it just seems to spin the power away like an open diff. It did not do this earlier in the week.

Any thoughts and does anybody know what is involved in reconditioning the diff or is it more cost effective to buy a new one?

Cheers

Si.

[PulsatingStar]

They just arnt very good to put it bluntly. Some seem to work better than others though.

If it really bothers you buy an aftermarket non viscous diff, although I guess you could upgrade the one you have but I wouldnt of thought it worth it.

[CraZyMoFo]

speak to some of the drifting guys,

I iknow newclearbomb has found a place that will uprate the diffs for about £500 but it means having your car off the road for a while while it's done. Or you source a 2nd hand diff, have it uprated, fit it & sell yours on.

My diff take a while to lock but when it does :eek: :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[dan_t]

trying to work out how an LSD works hurts my head :wack:

[James]

you called? :)
As the guys have said, the standard LSD really isn't up to much. If you apply the power progressively it will always spin the inside wheel. If you want to do donuts/drifting, you need to be really violent with it, get loads of revs and dump the clutch.
It really depends on what kind of driving you plan to do and how serious you are about it as to whether you can justify an uprated/aftermarket LSD, but if you do there are a few options starting at about £400 + fitting.
The basic fact it that the standard S14(a) LSD is lame..........

[CraZyMoFo]

speak of the devil :D

What are the options then mate? just so I know ;)

[James]

:p :)
Basically the options are go for an uprated viscous unit like I have in the drift car, where you can choose how stiff you want it from standard to almost like welded and it doesn't need any special caring for or you go for an aftermarket mechanical diff, something like a quaiffe if you just want fast road/track or a 1.5 way if you want to do a bit of drifting or a 2 way if you want a great drift diff. You should change the diff oil about every 5k miles if you're going for a mechnical diff and you will also have to get used to the clanking :wack:

[SX Sam]

So the standard LSD isnt very good at all then? If you put your foot down and it spins will only one wheel be spinning? Or are all standard LSD's different? Just asking because im buying an S14a off a mate its got a standard diff and when ever ive seen it both wheels have been spinning!

[James]

don't get me wrong, it's loads better than an open diff, but because it's a weak viscous one, you need to give it a shock to get both wheels spinning up rather than applying the power gradually. Of course this isn't ideal as it puts massive pressures through your drivetrain but it'll certainly get them both spinning :D

[SX Sam]

Ahh i understand! I think an uprated diff can wait for me! My first RWD car and im stepping straight in at the deep end with my first turbo'd car aswell! Always had vtecs in the past, its going to make a nice change! Dont think ill be drifting for a good few months yet :D

[cortina-mk1]

it probably needs attention
as over time these parts wear inside the diff

[sgratton]

Thanks for all the input guys. I understand now. Thinking back, your are right, if you dump the clutch it does spin the wheels better, but I think some uprated engine mounts are in order for this type of punishment if done frequently.

I am hoping to use the car for drifting, so I think I will go the mechanical root, however there is much to do and I think Suspension may come first. My friend has tein drift suspension and he does not seem to have any trouble with the standard diff, but I think this is because there is a lot less weight transfer to lighten the inside wheel, so it does not spin the power away. Cheers.

[edb49]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread about this, but I noticed the same at the w/e.

I've had a BMW E30 325 which I fitted the BMW standard LSD to. It's 25% lock, and a clutch-type diff. It was always very predictable when it was going to lock, and I could always put my foot down at roundabouts and know the back end would go out. Every now and then you'd have to do the crowd pleasing donuts too. :)

My S14 has got 120k, so quite a few miles on it and I'm not getting the same kind of predictable behaviour from the diff. On a roundabout in 2nd it will always send the back end out if I want it to under power, but 1st gear is pretty unpredictable. It also snaps much more quickly then the BMW did, I'm glad the rack is reasonably quick, otherwise I don't think I'd be a 200 owner anymore. :D

Anyway, yesterday I was at my motor club autotest, which was basically all 1st gear work. I just couldn't get the back end to come around in the same way as the BM would have done, and even simple things like donuts it didn't want to do.

Reading above it seems the stock diff is a viscous one as opposed to a plate type in the BM. Anyone care to let me know the technical differences, and how it should be driven? Or is it just foobarred? :(