by "Milky" (jordanmielke)
Published 02/08/2017 at 11:28
by "Milky" (jordanmielke)
Published 02/08/2017 at 11:28
Tags: NC
; MX5
; Miata
; LSD
STARS: 0
How do you know if an NC has a LSD? I’ve heard that only sport pack cars have them and there doesn’t seem to be easy visual to find out if a car has it. Besides doing a burnout and seeing if its a one-wheel-peel, how do you check?
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Going to go test drive one this weekend. There are a couple of them down in Ohio that seem like good deals.
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"Scary__goongala!" (corymagee)
02/08/2017 at 11:30, STARS: 0
I believe the Vin should tell you everything the car was optioned with.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/08/2017 at 11:31, STARS: 0
Jack up the rear end with the car in gear and spin a wheel. If the other wheel spins the same direction you have an LSD. If the other wheel spins the opposite direction you have an open dif.
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
02/08/2017 at 11:32, STARS: 0
The GT had a LSD.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
02/08/2017 at 11:33, STARS: 1
Having borrowed my mom’s NC, I found a fool-proof way to determine whether NCs are optioned with traction-control. Unfortunately, I made that discovery accidentally in a parking garage.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 11:34, STARS: 0
I thought you only knew stuff about Jukes.
"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
02/08/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 1
Even a one-wheel-peel isn’t a reliable test in a Miata. The cars are so well balanced that I was able to make elevens in my NAs even when they had open diffs.
In Mexico, of course.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 11:42, STARS: 0
That seems like something to do when you get closer to actually buying one. Was just wondering if the shocks looked different or some other way to find out on a test drive.
I dont want to bust out a jack in a dealer parking lot, lol.
"gawdzillla" (gawdzillla)
02/08/2017 at 11:43, STARS: 0
one tire on pavement another on grass, spin them both,
the only way to know 100%
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 11:43, STARS: 0
Is there a free site where you could that info up?
"wkiernan" (wkiernan)
02/08/2017 at 11:44, STARS: 3
Oh that’s easy, just check out its pupils. Not on LSD:
On LSD:
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
02/08/2017 at 11:44, STARS: 1
I almost bought a 08 GT last May, I did lots of research on them.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 11:45, STARS: 2
Of course.
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
02/08/2017 at 11:45, STARS: 1
Calling Mazdas 1800 number
"clangus" (clangus)
02/08/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 1
Totally stealling this!
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
02/08/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 0
dunno i drive an NB and have LSD. NC’s are harder to tell ive heard
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 0
I like this answer. Easy and informative.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
02/08/2017 at 11:50, STARS: 0
Mazda’s online chat was willing to give me that info when I was looking at NBs.
Of course, none of the ones I looked at where it was a discrete option had it, so I decided screw this, and bought a trim that I knew had it.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
02/08/2017 at 11:56, STARS: 1
DECODETHIS.COM is like 50/50
"Khalbali" (khalbali2)
02/08/2017 at 11:56, STARS: 0
Manual with the yellow bilstein struts. Autos don’t get the lsd at all. If you want to be positive I can pull a Vin from mazda for you.
"Scary__goongala!" (corymagee)
02/08/2017 at 11:56, STARS: 0
That I don’t know:(
"Khalbali" (khalbali2)
02/08/2017 at 12:05, STARS: 1
They both have it.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 12:05, STARS: 0
Good to know, since thats probably the trim I’ll get anyways.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 12:08, STARS: 0
“Yellow bilstein struts” is exactly what I was looking for. So there is a visual difference. Assuming the non sport pack ones are not yellow.
Appreciate the vin offer, but I’m not that far along yet. Haven’t even ever been in an NC. Which is the point of looking at one this weekend.
"red014" (red014)
02/08/2017 at 12:08, STARS: 1
Easiest telltale is the yellow Bilstein dampers of the sport suspension package. The only NC that came with an LSD and stock (black) dampers was the ‘08 Special Edition (Ice blue, brown top). So 99.9% of the time, yellow dampers = LSD.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 12:09, STARS: 1
I’m glad you got re-authored, this is good Oppo. Thank you.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/08/2017 at 12:16, STARS: 0
Sport package = sport shocks = yellow bilsteins. Look under the car, if you see yellow shocks you’re good. Sadly despite having a Torsen LSD the yellow shocks are the *one and only option* my Miata doesn’t have.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/08/2017 at 12:17, STARS: 0
You win.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 12:20, STARS: 0
There should be a youtube channel like Everyday Driver, that reviews old sports cars, that tells you stuff like this. It’d be super helpful. Thanks.
Also you know your Miatas.
"InfinityAero" (infinityaero)
02/08/2017 at 12:37, STARS: 0
Man, the NCs really seem to be holding their value with low miles... surprised to see 06s going for almost as much as 06 S2Ks (with double the mileage, though...)
"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
02/08/2017 at 13:05, STARS: 0
yea with NB’s the trims pretty easily show if you have one or not.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
02/08/2017 at 13:34, STARS: 0
Does this technique works with Torsen differentials? I would guess not.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/08/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 0
I’ll have to try when I do my brakes on my Miata.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
02/08/2017 at 13:54, STARS: 0
The more I’m thinking about how a Torsen works, the more I’m confusing myself what to expect. With the car in neutral, I would expect both wheels to turn in the same direction. But with the differential carrier immoble, I think the wheels will have to rotate in the opposite directions.
"t0ast" (t0ast217)
02/08/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 1
Since you’re looking to buy in the earlier years of the NC and your main question has already been answered (yellow dampers = LSD), here are some quick year-to-year notes that might help in other areas:
2006 - some early build date cars are more prone to suffer engine issues (rod problems and/or non-”keyed” cams that could be knocked off normal timing with enough shock/load IIRC), later builds should be perfectly fine.
2007 - first year for power retractable hard top, another very small batch of bad rods (not likely to encounter, but a non-zero possibility nevertheless).
2008 - nothing noteworthy here unless you’re 6'2" or taller. If for some reason you are, the height-adjustable seats sit a tiny bit higher up at minimum height and don’t have the option for an easy bracket modification to lower the seat rear by 2" as the ‘06-’07 cars do. I only know this because I’m a tall guy with an ‘07 :-).
2009 - this year or later is the ideal pick if at all possible. The facelift may or may not sit well with you, but the real headlines here are new forged rods + crank (manual transmission only, +500 RPM redline, +1 HP), minor suspension improvements, and better gearing for the 6 speed manual (change from matching the top+final gearing of the 5 speed to a slightly taller spread).
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
02/08/2017 at 14:25, STARS: 0
Why not. “Hang on I need to test something....” come back with jack an mask stands. Lift up car. Salesmen begins to pee himself.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/08/2017 at 14:50, STARS: 0
Once the torsen “feels” the difference in velocity between the two halfshafts (from them turning opposite directions) it should lock up and turn them both the same way, I believe. That’s with the carrier locked. I might be confusing torsens with the fluid LSD in my NA
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 14:56, STARS: 1
The miles are what is really putting me off from an S2k though. I drive 20k+ a year, so a higher mileage s2k would be really high mileage when I’m done with it.
Then low mileage s2ks are close new Miata money.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
02/08/2017 at 15:19, STARS: 0
Once the torsen “feels” the difference in velocity between the two halfshafts (from them turning opposite directions) it should lock up and turn them both the same way, I believe.
What you described is the operation during powered acceleration, when the carrier is being powered (and turned) by the engine. I think the carrier HAS to turn for both axles to spin in the same direction.
During a turn, when one side is spinning faster than the other, the axles are essentially turning in opposite directions *relative to the carrier*. The outside is spinning faster than the carrier, and the inside is turning slower than the carrier by the same amount. With the car jacked up and the carrier immobile, I believe the same scenario is in effect (except the carrier speed is now zero).
Next time my car is in the air, I’ll have to experiment.
"InfinityAero" (infinityaero)
02/08/2017 at 15:35, STARS: 0
Yeah, agreed. Mine has 80k miles, so twice as many as either you listed, and a solid 4k more on the ask price when I bought it(didn’t pay sticker, obv).... feeling pretty safe with the decision due to Honda reliability, but with the cost of the engine/ transmission, I’ok be screwed if anything *does* go catastrophically wrong....
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/08/2017 at 15:49, STARS: 0
Its just hard to ignore how good of deals NCs are. Thanks for all that info.
I’ve just been looking up how to get aux input for the last 20 minutes, lol.
"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
02/08/2017 at 22:45, STARS: 0
Sorry if someone already said this, but: I called up Mazda of America about a couple specific NC’s I was looking at, and they were totally willing to look up the option details via the VIN, particularly LSD.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/09/2017 at 09:14, STARS: 1
Someone here, that I think works at Mazda, already looked into the two car that I linked.
They both have the LSD! But yea knowing that will probably be helpful If I want to look at any other NCs. Didn’t know you could just call up the company and have them looked up.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/09/2017 at 09:34, STARS: 1
Yea I’m sure your Honda should be reliable. I’m just over maintenance with my 185k miles Chrysler and I could drive a 40k mile MX5 for 3 years before I have to do anything, lol.
"InfinityAero" (infinityaero)
02/09/2017 at 12:27, STARS: 0
Yeah, I had to drop over 2K in maintenance on my Xterra last year-- made me ready to get something newer and lower maintenance for sure. Miatas definitely seem to hold up over the years- historically as good as any other roadster ever made I’d say.