E30 Zone

Whats the easy way to find out if i have an LSD on my 1990 318is?

Any help would be great

Jack the back of the car up and turn one wheel by hand. If the other wheel turns in the same direction, then you have yourself a slipper.

Cheers matey thats what i thought, what are you feelings on the 318is LSD's?

I know some people go out of there way to fit one and other people seem keen on getting it welded up for drifting.

I not really one for drifting but do like to kick the arse out everynow and again

I wouldn't be worrying about it in yor case then

Do you find yourself spinning up one wheel often? Is it annoying you? If so get one, if you have the money spare. If you don't mind having slightly less traction and you don't mind controlling the power carefully with less resultant sideways driving then don't get one. I only ever have problems, on the road, with loss of traction on my open diff when pulling out of corners on a slightly gravelly/muddy surface. If you stay on smooth dry tarmac you probably don't need the extra traction, until you meet the track. As far as sideways goes, it does make drifting easier as you can oversteer easily with input biased towards power and less car balance but if you're not after godly drifts you can have tasty amounts of sideways with an open diff just by the balance of the car and a little controlled power.

For a non drift car welded is probably a bad idea, makes it a nightmare to drive normally or hard.

If you can afford one (and find one) get one, I have an LSD and its an improvement but with only 136 BHP most people can control the car with an open diff. BTW if you want to control drifts more easily change the steering rack to the quicker E36 one.

E36 rack is a deffo godsend. LSD is expencive but if it won't brake the bank you will love it

Just do a wheel spin. 1 black line = open diff, 2 black lines = LSD


That's assuming the I.S has enough torque to break traction!!

Rosc0PColtrane wrote:Just do a wheel spin. 1 black line = open diff, 2 black lines = LSD


That's assuming the I.S has enough torque to break traction!!

I disagree, I've had two black lines out of an open diff before.

Drive it around if you can't tell if you've got an LSD you don't need one ;)

I'd be very surprised at that mate.

Though completely agree with your second sentence!!! Well put!

One wheel ion tarmack and one grass shuld tell yoou

Or try and drive up a steep snowy drive...

GrindCulture wrote:Or try and drive up a steep snowy drive...

What would that demonstrate re lsds? Serious question, as my car proved woefully inadequate at doing this recently.

Rosc0PColtrane wrote:Just do a wheel spin. 1 black line = open diff, 2 black lines = LSD


That's assuming the I.S has enough torque to break traction!!

ive seen an open diff car do 2 black lines before, though not quite sure why it happend

could be a freak incident where both rear wheels had the same lack of traction... I've seen it done too..

GrindCulture wrote:Or try and drive up a steep snowy drive...

my touring wouldnt go up a slight snowy hill with an lsd.

fuzzy wrote:

GrindCulture wrote:Or try and drive up a steep snowy drive...

my touring wouldnt go up a slight snowy hill with an lsd.

Mine must have one on then. Mine's rubbish on a bit of a slope and snow.

Probably an improvement over not going anywhere on the flat like mine fuzzy
(open diff)

hoshy wrote:http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... fferential

Having read this, I would say I have a 3.64 LSD ('86 325iSE).

Would somebody be able to explain how this would affect the gearing of the car from a driving point of view. I know how it feels to me, but I might be a rubbish driver

Certainly, first gear seems to mainly be for decorative purposes only

Oh, and sorry for the hijack

Rosc0PColtrane wrote:I'd be very surprised at that mate.

Though completely agree with your second sentence!!! Well put!

That was 3 miles before the cross pin meshed with the crown wheel. So all was not well in there.

Thanks for all the info guys, looks like it does have the LSD so i'm just gonna have to wait and get a feel for it see if i like it or not.

pac1982 wrote:Thanks for all the info guys, looks like it does have the LSD so i'm just gonna have to wait and get a feel for it see if i like it or not.

You 'will' like it!