What's the diff?

[B C]

For those who have driven a car (spritededly) with a Torsen LSD and can actually decipher its characteristics in relation to a clutch-type LSD: 

How do you like it?

Do they become unforgiving or unpredictable and lose lockup when you are modulating the throttle? They are supposed to be an open diff until there is enough torque to lock it up. To me it seems like it may become an open diff at the wrong moment but I have no experience with them which is why I ask the question.  

I find (an unmodified) clutch-type LSD to be very predictable and controllable while on power but the drag of the clutches is like pulling the handbrake 1 click around corners during decel. and can initiate some oversteer. 1000 factors come into play here but the characteristics of a clutch-type LSD are a big player in that game.

The selection of Torsen diffs is favorable as they are newer than any of the clutch-type diffs for an E30 and do not have friction plates to replace/wear out so for those reasons it gets me thinking. 

Talk to me about Torsen diffs

[straight6pwr]

never knew how these worked, and just looked it up, thanks for lesson today. also had no idea you could get these for e30s, but it appears the z3 medium case LSDs are torsen? what ratios are available?

[B C]

3.15 is the standard ratio in the z3. You can take the guts and swap them into an E30 case to get any of the usual E30 ratios.

I am unsure if you can use an e36 ring and pinion in the e30 case though, otherwise any e36 ratios would be fair game as well

[KaiserRolls]

Brooke's Miata has a torsen. Although with 107whp to sticky 225s, it takes a lot to get it to slide/act up in the corners

[patsbimmer1]

107whp... lol

[KaiserRolls]

107whp... lol

Soon to be 250whp and embarrass a lot of shit lol

[GunMetalGrey]

10 hours ago, KaiserRolls said:

Soon to be 250whp and embarrass a lot of shit lol

I remember when @suspenceful had his miata that put down about 210whp, that thing scooted really well!

[suspenceful]

3 minutes ago, GunMetalGrey said:

I remember when @suspenceful had his miata that put down about 210whp, that thing scooted really well!

219whp on 13psi! Ran 15psi on the street before selling it to Willy. I miss that car.

 

[KaiserRolls]

Very cool. She's excited to be finished with hers. We did some more MS2 stuff last night until the wideband decided it need to be recalibrated