Another LSD thread... how to tell if LSD is VLSD without having it in the car

[jacobzking]

I found an LSD and its supposed to be from a 95 j30 (has the double bolt tri-star pattern) but there is no "orange sticker" which could have fallen off. I've looked at most of the threads that talk about this.

Some people say that if its a V LSD that you can turn one side and the other will turn the same direction. Some people say that doesn't matter... So how do I know for sure?

I'd prefer to not open the pumpkin, since I don't want to have to replace the seal/gasket.

Any ideas?

[Chaluska]

I believe on a VLSD, if you spin the differential input flange, both wheel flanges should spin in identical directions

and if you spin the left flange, the right flange should spin the same way on its own

[PyR0NiAk]

I believe on a VLSD, if you spin the differential input flange, both wheel flanges should spin in identical directions

and if you spin the left flange, the right flange should spin the same way on its own

This information is correct. My S13 is running a '95 J30 VLSD and doesn't have the sticker. The differences between an open diff and a LSD are extremely obvious when you spin them side by side.

[Chrischeezer]

both wheels spin int he same direction if its LSD.
both wheels will spin opposite of each other if its open diff.

[purplove]

i know the 96 j30 diff bolts right up. does the 95 also?

[jacobzking]

i know the 96 j30 diff bolts right up. does the 95 also?

yeah, its the 95-96 year that does. always best to just make sure it has the 3 sets of 2 bolts (tri-star pattern).

the diff I just got DOES spin the same direction so I'm sure its good. just wanted to make sure that I didn't just buy another open diff and then waste time installing it, lol.

thanks for the confirmation. FWIW... I'll remove my stock diff and see what happens when I turn one side at a time. (I've even read that in an open Diff they spin the opposite direction... too much bad info out there which is why I asked).

thanks guys!!!

[S14Lee]

I just put one in my 240 the other day when I took it too the shop they knew right alway it was out of a j30 by the speed sensor that's on it.

[project_silvia]

im about to put one on my car but what speed sensor are you talking about ^^ ?? i thought that was only if you have ABS

[S14Lee]

That's what I thought to because I was worried about what I read about the difference in the drive shaft and ask if I should wait to in stall it. And the guy at the shop said that the j30 vlsd I picked up was a non abs and I ask him what the sensor plug was and he said it was a speed sensor and the just usually cut them off.

[ManoNegra]

Just fyi, the J30 pumpkin is a tad longer than the stock ones
the driveshaft has a slack of ~1/4" that will be taken up the J30
this may lead to vibrations/harneshness

ideally, and what I ended up doing, you'd want to swap the open unit with the J30 vlsd one

edit: forgot I took a couple of pics when I did mine
stock on left, J30 on the right
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2158/img0414o.jpg

[jacobzking]

Just fyi, the J30 pumpkin is a tad longer than the stock ones
the driveshaft has a slack of ~1/4" that will be taken up the J30
this may lead to vibrations/harneshness

ideally, and what I ended up doing, you'd want to swap the open unit with the J30 vlsd one

edit: forgot I took a couple of pics when I did mine
stock on left, J30 on the right
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2158/img0414o.jpg

i've never opened any of my diffs, just drain and fill them. what's involved in swapping out the guts? thanks for the heads up.

[omgRWDgoodness!]

All J30s were equipped with a VLSD so there is no cause for concern there, but if I remember correctly there's more to it than just swapping out the internals from the J30 to an open S-chassis pumpkin. I wanted to do this, but ended up finding a Z32 VLSD for cheap so I went down that route instead. You could also find an ABS/automatic-equipped 240SX driveshaft to compensate for the difference in length, or force that sucker in there and hope it fits.

[S14Lee]

Is there a non abs j30 vlsd

[ManoNegra]

i've never opened any of my diffs, just drain and fill them. what's involved in swapping out the guts? thanks for the heads up.

there are write ups floating around
just do a little googling

but basically pop out the half shafts
keep races and bearings labeled so they go in the same way they came out
take out lsd unit
remove ring gear
clean everything and ideally chase the thread on the ring gear and clean the bolt threads
rebolt using some loctite
put everything back the way it came out
and check backlash on the diff (see FSM)

All J30s were equipped with a VLSD so there is no cause for concern there, but if I remember correctly there's more to it than just swapping out the internals from the J30 to an open S-chassis pumpkin. I wanted to do this, but ended up finding a Z32 VLSD for cheap so I went down that route instead. You could also find an ABS/automatic-equipped 240SX driveshaft to compensate for the difference in length, or force that sucker in there and hope it fits.

easiest way is to just buy a jdm/canadian vlsd
they're pretty cheap nowadays

All J30s were equipped with a VLSD

Is there a non abs j30 vlsd

[JZ13]

Is there a non abs j30 vlsd

I know this is an OLD ass thread. BUT it came up on google search and people still read this when trying to find information, so stfu about bumping threads that still come up when doing searches.

YES there are non VLSD J30's!

A buddy of mine owns a 1996 Infinity J30 with a 6bolt diff, it has 110,000 miles on the clock. His rear wheels spin opposite of each other when raised and turned.

He also owns an s13 with a 95 J30 VLSD 6bolt, these halfshafts spin the same direction when raised and turned.

We opened his J30 diff and there was no doubt it was an open diff. He swore he never touched the diff since he bought it.

There you go. Misleading info can be put to rest!

Check the diff before buying! Or wasting your time swapping it over just to have another open diff.

Like I said, people still read this stuff when searching google. I hate reading threads that end with bad info, Or no useful info.

[S12 Drifter]

both wheels spin int he same direction if its LSD.
both wheels will spin opposite of each other if its open diff.

So what about helical lsd's? ;)

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2

[S12 Drifter]

I know this is an OLD ass thread. BUT it came up on google search and people still read this when trying to find information, so stfu about bumping threads that still come up when doing searches.

YES there are non VLSD J30's!

A buddy of mine owns a 1996 Infinity J30 with a 6bolt diff, it has 110,000 miles on the clock. His rear wheels spin opposite of each other when raised and turned.

He also owns an s13 with a 95 J30 VLSD 6bolt, these halfshafts spin the same direction when raised and turned.

We opened his J30 diff and there was no doubt it was an open diff. He swore he never touched the diff since he bought it.

There you go. Misleading info can be put to rest!

Check the diff before buying! Or wasting your time swapping it over just to have another open diff.

Like I said, people still read this stuff when searching google. I hate reading threads that end with bad info, Or no useful info.

ALL j30s ive worked on are vlsd. MAYBE his could have been a recall and turned it into a open? Which the customer would not have noticed since most dont. His car has to have been tampered with before in that area. Just because he didnt do anything doesnt mean the PO or owner before the previous didnt take it in to have work dont that became a head ache.

Ive seen a broken vlsd before where it was being held together just with the axle stubs... So anything is possible unless you have full documentation from the day the car left the dealership.

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2

[JZ13]

ALL j30s ive worked on are vlsd. MAYBE his could have been a recall and turned it into a open? Which the customer would not have noticed since most dont. His car has to have been tampered with before in that area. Just because he didnt do anything doesnt mean the PO or owner before the previous didnt take it in to have work dont that became a head ache.

Ive seen a broken vlsd before where it was being held together just with the axle stubs... So anything is possible unless you have full documentation from the day the car left the dealership.

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2

That's possible. The gears looked intact and seemed to function normally.

This makes one, confirmed with an open diff, so it's likely there could be more out there. It's there and looks just like any other J30 diff, so the possibilities of buying an open j30 diff off the interweb are there. Even if chances are slim.