Do i have a LSD?

I have a 1996 240SX SE and i was wonderin how, if any way, i can check if i have a LSD. I kno it was optional on that year, but im the second owner so i dont knoe how i can tell...? Any visual way to tell?

I believe i read somewhere if the 13th digit in the serial number (not vin#) is an "a", you have lsd, if it is a "c", you have both lsd and abs; s14 chassis code only. someone correct me if I am wrong.

im new to the whole nissan and even the whole car scene... where do i find the serial number if its not the VIN, i kno where the VIN is

door jamb i believe

chances are you don't

you can look on the side of the diff for an orange sticker that says "viscous"

or you can jack the rear end up by the diff and spin one of the tires. if they both spin together in the same direction you've got a vlsd.

To whore something from a member of Zilvia...

"if you cant tell if you have an LSD from sprited driving you dont need to know."

ive always heard if you burnout and leave 2 tire marks you have it

Most SE models have LSD, easiest way to know for sure is ofcourse do a burn out from a stop and see if it leaves 2 lines or 1 ... the best way to check is to lift both rear tires off the ground then you can either start the car and put it in 1st and let go off the clutch (auto in D) and see if they both spin in same direction or both spin opposite direction... or you can just spin the shaft by hand when its in Neutral...

someone confirm on this, if im right on the shaft spining by hand or putting it in drive and seeing if tires spin in same direction or opposites...

same direction LSD
opposites Open D

the LSD should be also harder to spin with your hands than the non lsd..

i also think that the VSLD has little "fins" on the differential...

ok here what u do....... at exactlly 12:00AM head to COSTCO. once your there take a deep breath, smile at ur freind thats holding the camera out side. once ur ready, floor the gas, drop the clutsh.

Burn baby burn....if ur not having fun (ur not spining around) then u have an OPEN LSD = (basic traction control) its not bad (keeps u from spinig out, understeer)

Cool




BTW R.W.240 LOL i saved that comment from Zilvia!!!

ok here what u do....... at exactlly 12:00AM head to COSTCO. once your there take a deep breath, smile at ur freind thats holding the camera out side. once ur ready, floor the gas, drop the clutsh.

Burn baby burn....if ur not having fun (ur not spining around) then u have an OPEN LSD = (basic traction control) its not bad (keeps u from spinig out, understeer)

Cool
BTW R.W.240 LOL i saved that comment from Zilvia!!!

wait... LSD is Limited Slip Differential you cant have open LSD... its either LSD or Open Differential or open rear end.. just go burn out and tell is if you have 2 skid marks or 1... that simple..

i mnt OPEN diff not open LSD my bad!! tnx for the heads up!

well you could have a vlsd that is worn out or needs to be serviced and it would not react to those tests properly....

THE BEST WAY

jack up the rear of the car, use some stands, get out some tools and a drain pan, drain, take off bolts to cover, before completely removing all fasenters pry it open slightly with a flathead screwdriver, something big not real small like a pocket screwdriver... try not to damage the housing... and crack open the cover so stuff spills out and the bottom end is no longer sealed... I like to take differential cover bolts off from bottom to top when I service them.

When you get the cover off, be ready with a friend to drive you to a parts store... first off inspect the actual differential that is on the big ring gear... you will either be able to look inside of it and see 4 gears that interlock with each other, these are called spider gears and its not a VLSD... now if you take it off and all you see attached to the ring gear is a soild mass kind of like a cylinder then you have the VLSD.... visual identification is the best and the only true 100% positive way of knowing that you have, because you could have a lsd equipped car and not be the original owner and somehow it is possible its swapped out for something else... likewise with a junkyard unit.. always check out things like that before you buy it to be 100% certain.

yeah..i was just messing around..listen to power! he knows his shit!

well you could have a vlsd that is worn out or needs to be serviced and it would not react to those tests properly....

THE BEST WAY

jack up the rear of the car, use some stands, get out some tools and a drain pan, drain, take off bolts to cover, before completely removing all fasenters pry it open slightly with a flathead screwdriver, something big not real small like a pocket screwdriver... try not to damage the housing... and crack open the cover so stuff spills out and the bottom end is no longer sealed... I like to take differential cover bolts off from bottom to top when I service them.

When you get the cover off, be ready with a friend to drive you to a parts store... first off inspect the actual differential that is on the big ring gear... you will either be able to look inside of it and see 4 gears that interlock with each other, these are called spider gears and its not a VLSD... now if you take it off and all you see attached to the ring gear is a soild mass kind of like a cylinder then you have the VLSD.... visual identification is the best and the only true 100% positive way of knowing that you have, because you could have a lsd equipped car and not be the original owner and somehow it is possible its swapped out for something else... likewise with a junkyard unit.. always check out things like that before you buy it to be 100% certain.
no... that's the idiots way because it takes more than an hour. its a little easier to jack it up by the diff and spin the rear tire or do a burnout.

no... that's the idiots way because it takes more than an hour. its a little easier to jack it up by the diff and spin the rear tire or do a burnout.

Yup, SR20, you make things to complicated.

if u can't tell u dont need it! (lol R.W)

Yup, SR20, you make things to complicated.

thats because I actually work on cars for a living and know how it is


it takes me about 5 minutes to pull the cover off including jacking up etc. if its not even in a car and ur just checking it you can bolt it right back on in another few minutes... if your putting it on your car you need to clean it, seal it, top off the fluid, which is NEVER a bad thing, can't be done enough.

I say that is the only way to be sure because Id say 75% of cars/trucks that come into shop with lsd units work improperly
:iceslolan
including the last two Nissans i drove that were factory equipped with vlsds(j30, z32)

You would think that Nissan would just put a notice in the driver's manual.

First, we don't all work on cars for a living, unlike you, we can't all take out a tranny in 15 minutes, rebuild an engine in 8 seconds, pull out an LSD in 4 seconds or whatever. And second, there's LSD oil, you'd have to drain it to take the cover off, then refill it, it's not a 5 minute ordeal, it would take 15 just to gather the damn tools from around the garage.

it would take 15 just to gather the damn tools from around the garage.

I hear ya LOL.
My damn tools keep walking away as i work on my car!

lol, all my tools are in the apartment, if I forget something, I gotta go all the way back upstairs.:-S

ahhhh...the power of an organized tool box with a lot of tools, knowing where everything is while blindfolded and an air compressor

:smokin:

I understand though, doing things at your house is a lot different, thats why I work a couple hours at night or on weekends over there on my own projects when the shop is closed. Still, even with some mechanical experience and a little bit of intiative to do the job you can get things done faster then you think with some hand tools.

working on cars for a regular job is very different then some weekend warrior with a bright idea.