Hi all, right i have a mk1 1.8 diff, but not sure if its a limited slip one, i have been told if you take the driveshafts out and can see right through it that means it’s a limited slip, Is this true? Thanks in advance.
Read:
http://www.miata.net/garage/diffguide/index.html
The simplest way is to check if a damper is fitted.
Left hand diff is a Torsen.
Excellent, it has the damper fitted which is good news! how much are these worth? cheers
£2-300. Not big money as they are fairly common. I suppose a 4.300 T1 diff might go for a little more.
fair enough, whats a 4.300 t1 diff? which model were these fitted to?
Actually the 4.1: 1 TorSen diff is probably worth more than the 4.3 ratio as many of those with turbo or supercharger power and therefore enough torque to pull a longer final drive gear might like to increase the max speed and cruising MPG.
The 4.300 T1 was the Torsen T1 fitted to RS-Limiteds and R-Limiteds. Other 1993-1995 Roadsters were fitted with 4.100 T1 differs. 96+ cars had a 4.300 T2 Torsen differential. The 4.300 gearing maintains the final gearing used in the 1.6, and was Mazda Japan’s answer to sliding sales of the 1.8 in Japan. T1 diffs tend to have all the bias during acceleration, but act as an open diff on decceleration, whereas the T2 diffs have a lot more bias on deceleration, so for some, the T1 diff is preferential on twisty courses, because it stays as an open diff while turning, then will lock when you get on with the power.
Top speed and MPG is fairly academic. None of these cars are particularly quick anyhow, and MPG; no one buys these cars to save chump changeat the pump.
I believe the presence of a damper only tells you the diff was from a manual 1.8, it doesn’t necessarily tell you it’s a Torsen. As the OP asks - the definitive check is pulling out the halfshafts and looking through - if there’s a clear hole right through then it’s a Torsen.
Quite right, and a little more definative than previous answer to the OPs` question…
Dr. Eunos 