How tocheck: does a car have an L.S.D?

ShadowHearth

Looking to buy an mx5, but i really whant to get one with LSD.

I was prety sure all of them have it, but it looks like not..

I have a few ones marked that i whant to go check on monday, but it does not say about LSD...

So how could i check it in the "field" lads?

thanks again in advance!

Ferris

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Looking to buy an mx5, but i really whant to get one with LSD.

I was prety sure all of them have it, but it looks like not..

I have a few ones marked that i whant to go check on monday, but it does not say about LSD...

So how could i check it in the "field" lads?

thanks again in advance!

Get one wheel on wet grass and another on tarmac and give it some power and let the clutch up quickly, if the car sits there spinning the wheel on the grass then if doesn't have an LSD. If it drives off, it does, simple.

ShadowHearth

Ferris wrote: »

Get one wheel on wet grass and another on tarmac and give it some power and let the clutch up quickly, if the car sits there spinning the wheel on the grass then if doesn't have an LSD. If it drives off, it does, simple.

any athers methods? I hear something about putting it on a jack, then turning wheel, if it goes hard, it means it does have lsd. Or am i wrong completly?

Slidey

Jack the car up, both wheels off the ground.
Turn one wheel, if it has a LSD they should both turn in the one direction, if no LSD they will turn in opposite directions.

ShadowHearth

Slidey wrote: »

Jack the car up, both wheels off the ground.
Turn one wheel, if it has a LSD they should both turn in the one direction, if no LSD they will turn in opposite directions.

Pro m8, thx!

blackbox

Slidey wrote: »

Jack the car up, both wheels off the ground.
Turn one wheel, if it has a LSD they should both turn in the one direction, if no LSD they will turn in opposite directions.

This is what would happen if you have no differential, not a limited slip differential. A LSD only engages when the difference in speeds of the wheels is above a certain value.

Putting one wheel on grass (as above) is a more reliable test.

I guess there is most likely also be some information on the makers plate that will indicate if a factory LSD is fitted. Google could be your friend.

Slidey

Yes but if you are viewing my car and do that you would have a problem on your hands.

From my experience, there is a bit of slip in all LSD, hence the Limited part of LSD and you will notice the drag when turning the wheel.

voxpop

Can you not just get the vin and ring mazda and ask ?


Im not sure how happy the seller will be if you are dumping the clutch on grass during the test drive

alo1587

I'd agree that some lsd's have a bit of slack in them.Cant you ask him politely can you do a couple of donuts to make sure she isn't a one legger?

schoolbag2

Slidey wrote: »

Yes but if you are viewing my car and do that you would have a problem on your hands.

you shd have no problem if you were serious about selling a car, if you were worried about it do it yourself and show the buyer, for buyers of cars like these you really need to check everything works and if the owner is hesitating then id suspect something;) and walk away

Pkiernan

schoolbag2 wrote: »

you shd have no problem if you were serious about selling a car, if you were worried about it do it yourself and show the buyer, for buyers of cars like these you really need to check everything works and if the owner is hesitating then id suspect something;) and walk away

You would suspect that the owner of a car has something to hide because he does not want you doing skid starts on his lawn and driveway in the car he is trying to sell???

schoolbag2

Pkiernan wrote: »

You would suspect that the owner of a car has something to hide because he does not want you doing skid starts on his lawn and driveway in the car he is trying to sell???

Reread my post I said if the owner(himself) is unwilling to prove that the diff A.exists and B.works by doing a simple test then id be suspicious as a car like this should be able to take a bit of wheelspin on grass.

And where did i mention his lawn or driveway, tool:rolleyes:

if i was buying an MX5 one of its many good features is an lsd and id want to see that it works,which is exactly what the OP asked in the first place

Eoin

schoolbag2 wrote: »

And where did i mention his lawn or driveway, tool:rolleyes:

No more name-calling or it's a week on the naughty step.

schoolbag2

eoin wrote: »

No more name-calling or it's a week on the naughty step.

thats a bit harsh considering I only used the word tool, if i wanted to call him a name and get banned id be a bit more creative.

IMO he deserved it for either quoting me

Anan1

schoolbag2 wrote: »

thats a bit harsh considering I only used the word tool, if i wanted to call him a name and get banned id be a bit more creative.

IMO he deserved it for either quoting me

Enough. I'm banning you for a month, come back with the same attitude and it'll be permanent.

ShadowHearth

UPS, a bit of forum drama is breaking here .

Anyway, Like some mentioned, LSD is one of the best things in MX5, and i really whant to get one with.

I got this link:

http://ox.mx5oc.co.uk/guide_eunos.htm

But its not that much of a help... It says only RS models ( past 98) are with LSD...

Which i dont whant to believe to be honest...

So:

1. Get car half on grass, half on proper road. Then floor it a bit? If cars drives out normally up front: LSD. If it drops in to corner: none?

Slidey

Trust me on my advice, I have yet to find an mechanical LSD that will not turn both wheels in the same direction with the axle off the ground.

A MX5 is not the same as a twincam or a 325i sport. Most owners of MX5's will have never done a hoop or got the arse out on purpose. For this reason alone, the diff may possibly be a bit lazy at first and secondly they will not appreciate you acting the maggot in it before cash changes hands.

Also my old 325 would fail the grass test til the diff was good and warm, but I still used to change the rear tyres every fortnight