How can i tell if my car has an LSD

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bmw-mad
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:52 pm

Ok i have a e30 320i se 1990. i am not sure if the car has an lsd how can i find out. someone has told me if i jack it up and spin the wheels and if they turn the opposite to each other its an Lsd is this true or a load of bull :mad: ?

Any advice would be appreciated!
march109
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:54 pm

bull, why would they turn opposite to each other,

However I'm not entirely sure how to tell with this method, I thought the wheel you turn would spin once for every 4 revolutions of the other wheel, but don't qoute me on that either.

The only way I know to check is find find some dry hard concrete/tarmaced ground, and floor it.... if you leave a number 11 in rubber on the floor you have a LSD.
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eko
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:58 pm

If you jack it up and rotate one wheel and the other rotates the same way then it is an LSD,if they rotate opposite ways its an open diff!
Or you could just do what March said,hold the revs at 3k and drop the clutch,number 1 is shite,number 11 rocks :cool:
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march109
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:14 pm

^^^^ what he said! :lol:

Number 11 FTW!
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dave525
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:37 pm

find the small metal tag held on the back cover by one of the bolts.clean off the rust,doesnt matter if it is really rusty should still clean up. if it says s3.19 the s means its an lsd.the other number is the ratio.no s = no lsd
bmw-mad
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:43 pm

Ok thanks guys will get the car fired up tommorow and try the number 11 :wink:
Davenotouring
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:08 pm

Or jack one side up, if it is stiff to turn. It's probably an LSD. (OR a sticky caliper!) haha
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:10 pm

you can get 11 with an open diff tho..
Got cable ties? Get diffin..

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harry_p
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:12 pm

a less agressive way is to park with one rear wheel on something slippery (wet grass verge is ideal) the other on nice grippy tarmac.

pull away quite quickly, if the revs rise but youre not moving very fast it's not an lsd. if it is an lsd it should lock up and you'll pull away fairly normally.

or, jack it up under the diff, if the wheels spin freely, and turn in oposite ways it's an open diff. if theyre hard to turn and / or turn the same way as each other then it's an lsd.
cheers,

harry
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Post Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:32 pm

best way is to check the tag as you could have a shagged LSD that behaves like and open diff...
SamE30
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Post Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:49 am

Lay down some rubber my son!!
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SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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bmw-mad
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Post Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:16 pm

Thanks for the help guys but it was an open diff!
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Endless325
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Post Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:32 pm

What method did you use to find out winkeye
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Post Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:41 pm

Endless325 wrote:What method did you use to find out winkeye
Burn't some rubber :)
JohnnyThunders
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Post Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:19 am

If your car has LSD it should look like this.

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lol soz i know its an old one.
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Post Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:44 am

JohnnyThunders wrote:If your car has LSD it should look like this.

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lol soz i know its an old one.
my car has Definitely not got an lsd if its supposed to look like that 8O