Can you tell if a 95 Miata rear end is an lsd by sight?
Can you tell if a 95 Miata rear end is an lsd by sight?
I thought only the lsds had the vaned covers like that one, but that could be a 1.6 diff thing (only 90-93 Miatas).
The finned thing is a 1.6 thing and is not even correct there.
For the 1.8 diffs if you cant peek thru the axle holes to see if it is a LSD your next best option is to try to figure out what package that car came with to see if it should have an LSD. If it is an automatic it does not have one. for 1995 If it is a manual with power mirrors there is a pretty good chance it had one from the factory.
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:I thought only the lsds had the vaned covers like that one, but that could be a 1.6 diff thing (only 90-93 Miatas).
I think it's just the early 1.6 diffs that had smooth covers but I can't remember for sure. As far as I know there isn't a way to tell visually without pulling an axle.
1995 Miata 1.8l only came with Torsen/LSD differential.
" Starting with the 1.8 liter in '94 to '02, Miatas with LSD have a Torsen. '94 into '95 a Torsen Type I and late '95 to '02 a Torsen Type II.Jan 17, 2010" per Miata.net
It's a manual, power window car.
Here is a picture for a 1993 Miata diferential. If they were just in a pile you can tell the difference. But they are still a type of LSD.
In reply to MyMiatas :
Are you saying that all Miatas had LSD? That is not correct.
I don't think you can determine if a Miata diff is an LSD from the exterior.
M.net differential spotters guide
clownkiller said:It's a manual, power window car.
Good chance in that case. If it has power mirrors and cruise in addition to that you can be pretty sure it came with an LSD. I find the power windows are swapped in more than the mirrors so I use the mirrors as my reference for LSD.
In reply to moxnix :
Has cruise, power widows and mirrors.
MyMiatas said:1995 Miata 1.8l only came with Torsen/LSD differential.
" Starting with the 1.8 liter in '94 to '02, Miatas with LSD have a Torsen. '94 into '95 a Torsen Type I and late '95 to '02 a Torsen Type II.Jan 17, 2010" per Miata.net
That tells you what kind of LSD they have if they are equipped with one.
The packages changed from year to year, and iirc it was a standalone option much of the time. Best way to be sure of how it was equipped from the factory is to call Mazda customer service with the VIN. But looking at the other options and comparing with the Miatas In America listing or the Find It, Fix It, Trick It book is a decent start.
MyMiatas said:Here is a picture for a 1993 Miata diferential. If they were just in a pile you can tell the difference. But they are still a type of LSD.
This picture is a VLSD in a 1993 Miata. IIRC the differences in Miata diff's are the gearing and the type of axles that fit into it. (FYI the original picture is the same diff just taken at an different angle)
In reply to MyMiatas :
The 1.6 VSLD is the only one that can be identified from the outside due to the stub shaft flanges. All other Miata LSDs look alike externally. The 1.6 diffs use a smaller ring gear and are physically smaller than 1.8 diffs, so they cannot be exchanged for 1.8 diffs unless you also change the halfshafts, driveshaft and driveshaft hardware. The 1.6 open and 1.6 VLSD also use different stub shafts from each other, and they're a smaller spline than the 1.8 ones.
The original picture is of the larger 1.8 diff, as can be seen from the one-piece halfshafts (1996-05, IIRC). You can use the same 1.8 halfshafts in all 1.8 diffs other than the MSM unit, which uses a larger spline size.
Look on YouTube for A+ Racing channel. He has a video about LSD. I believe the easiest way is to take the axle out and look through it.
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