I got stuck on some snow/ice earlier today and as I was trying to get some momentum to get unstuck the right side rear wheel just stops spinning altogether and the left side kept on spinning normally. After I got unstuck, I drove around and noticed the car felt different. The rear end breaks loose and slides to the right under harder acceleration in both 1st and 2nd gear. Its never been able to do that before. I’m thinking of getting the Z on a lift and testing to see if both wheels spin at the same speed. I’m not sure if this will prove anything though because there will be no load on the differential. Does this sounds like a broken carrier bushing or something else? I appreciate any input, I have no clue where to start
sounds like it may be week how long has it been since ya drained the diff fluid and put in new l/s additive in it ? if ya havent ya may want to as its prolly shot
It should have a sealed VLSD cartridge, don’t think you can drain and put new fluid in.
ya can open every diff ,i have ever seen but ya may be right worth a look anyway though
worst case is your VLSD has now become an open diff. the early gen miatas that had VLSD’s gave before 100k miles and just became open diffs
Theres a filler plug, I should be able to change the fluid no problem. Idk exactly when it was last changed.
Thanks for the help, I’ll post up when I get the rear jacked up and have a better look
As for the Z world… I’ve hardly ever heard of the R230s Giving up the ghost… Now its possible that it did and its time to get a new one, you can generaly find them for around 300+ bucks… but they can take some serious serious abuse and not go…
Drain the thing out, put 75w90 back in with lsd additive…
The only thing I could think of is the cold temps screwing with the Viscous fluid in the differential? but ive never heard of that so i have no idea…
Thats good to hear, I really hope its just due for a flush.
What would you think of a whining sound coming from the right rear though? I noticed it as I was driving, the sound comes consistently as the wheel rotates past a certain point and it varies with speed… Thats whats kinda got me worried it may be a bearing or something
prolly a bearing i the wheel get it jacked up and listen only real way to know
Got the rear jacked up. Good news is both wheels spin when one wheel is rotated. The right wheel whines when its turned. I’m going to test the viscous coupling and see if theres any metal shavings in the fluid.
drop the fluid and replace wit good gear oil and a l/s add,now as it is gettin weak the whine is prollly a hung brake or bad bearing
will do, I’m filling it with 75w90 synth. from now on. Any sure way to tell if the caliper is seized, short of removing the pads and seeing if the pistons move?
Have someone step on the brakes and see if you can turn the wheel
Quick update-
I've got some good news, I think the diff is fine. I just drained it and the fluid looks and smells fine. No shavings in it at all and the color is good as well. I also tried putting the car in gear and rotating one wheel (before draining the diff.). It was REALLY hard to turn but the other wheel did turn in the opposite direction. I'm getting some redline 75w90 w/additive so hopefully that will help.if the wheels spin in opposite directions its not ok,they should both spin the same if its l/s or posi
I asked the same question on a Z forum and heres a reply I got-
When the transmission was put in gear the pinion shaft is now locked and can’t move. Now the spider gears cluster has to rotate within the center bearing cage, so when you rotate one wheel the spider gear cluster will turn the other wheel shaft in the opposite direction.
if it were a l/s or posi in gear niether wheel should turn or one should for a revolution or 2 thats it as long as the clutches or coan is workin right
But doesn’t a VLSD have to slip first to heat the oil in order grip the clutches together or something? I’m not sure how much alike your rear diff is to the R200V I got.
it shouldnt have to heat anything ,in essence there are 3 diff types of l/s diffs a clutch style wich is locked by spring pressure and clutches much like astandard car ,a coan type that engages and locks the diff ,and a govenor lock style but they are mostly on trucks that when they achieve a certain wheel speed lock up but are incorporated wit a clutch or coan.now wit that bein said all posi and l/s diffs will spin whells the same dirrection when spun unless theree fried or week
Just for the record, the diff is a R200V