7 replies to this topic

[space]

Looking for some help.  I have a NA and still run the Mazda Comp LSD.  Last race weekend, I started hearing a vibration, and then it started getting loud.  I pulled off the track within 2 laps tops of when I first heard the vibration.  I pulled the rear end apart and it turns out I broke a couple of teeth off the pinion gear.  There are some marks on the ring gear.  My question is...Is there a way to pull the diff apart to spray it out/clean it.  Is there a way to know if it's damaged?  There isn't anything visually wrong with it.

 

My thoughts before I pulled it apart were "Time to change to the torsen."  My thoughts now are, replace the ring and pinion, and bearings, clean everything up and put it back together.

 

Thoughts?  Keep in mind that for me, if I can save this and the risk is low that the diff is damaged, that gets me out to the track for another weekend.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Ron Alan]

Find a diff at your local salvage/wrecking yard...remove your LSD...install in new/used junkyard unit...go racing! If it turns into a one legger at some point your LSD internals may need some attention then!

[davew]

My opinion, you have 2 choices

 

Best choice, buy a Torsen swap and install it and forget about it

 

Other choice, buy a used 1.6 diff, swap your Comp unit into it. Set up backlash/preload. Hope it lasts the weekend. Knowing that eventually it will break again, they all do. Worry about when it will break every weekend.

 

When you factor in the costs of doing the job a second time (race weekend lost, travel expenses etc.) doing it right the first time may be cheaper in the long run.

 

I do not have any to sell at this time. So I am not biased.

 

dave

[Steve Scheifler]

If you go Torsen, I'm interested in the old LSD (so obviously, I'm in the fix it camp, because I much prefer it over the Torsen). But to your question, we've broken a couple R&P and the LSD was fine.

[Zauskycop]

(whistles politely in the air) And I just may know someone who has one for sale (rebuilt with an old diff unit and never run since rebuilt)

[tburas56]

I have a 1.6 LSD Mazdacomp, BSI built for sale, I have not run it yet. 

[space]

Thanks for the feedback guys...still not sure what I'm doing yet, but it's good to understand that the failure mode is pretty standard.  I assumed that when they failed on people they grenaded and it was beyond just the ring and pinion.  Granted, any failure that takes you out take you out.

[SaulSpeedwell]

I AM biased, because I have a dozens of 1.6 diffs out there with dozens of weekends on them.  At Mid Ohio with my customers that have done A-B-A testing, the 1.6 is definitely faster than the Torsen.  The 1.6 ring and pinion are definitely more fragile - but to your question, I've never seen a Comp LSD itself killed from "shrapnel".  The clearances are tight and the parts are tough - so we just disassemble them and clean out the fine debris.

 

If you aren't within 0.5 seconds of your goal and you aren't getting wheelspin, you might be happier with the Torsen.  If you are getting wheelspin and are bummed about it or trying to be as fast as you can in a 1.6, consider the MazdaComp or Cusco in a properly set up 1.6 diff.  Setting up a used 1.6 diff using the FSM specs is how you get the one week timebomb - send it to a MIata specialist that has figured out how to keep the 1.6 R/P alive with a custom setup.