a good price for an 1800 Torsen conversion

a good price for an 1800 Torsen conversion

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dylan0451

Original Poster:

1,040 posts

197 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
Everything mx5 are selling on ebay:

reconditioned torsen diff - £450

1800 half + driver shafts - £130 - i presume reconditioned also

does this sound like a good price? i think so, i was going to have a look down the scrappy for the whole lot but figure they'd want prob. £200-£300 and i'd want a transmission specialist to have a look/adjust/recon before i fitted it anyway

maz8062

2,545 posts

221 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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why exactly do you need a Torsen?

dylan0451

Original Poster:

1,040 posts

197 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
err, i suppose the same way i need, or don't need a car - i could get along without but it's more fun with ?!

my 6" diff has been abused a lot on track, as such, it rattles, sounds awful on overrun and makes it difficult to downshift at high revs smoothly. additionally, the viscous unit feels as though it's past it's prime and hasn't the strength to limit slip that well, as well as having to be hot first before it even starts locking

seems daft to get my 6" recon'd, only to blow it to bits and be back here again looking to upgrade to a 7". or to upgrade to 7" open, then realise spinning up an inside wheel isn't really that much fun, then look at replacing the diff again

that and the kaaz unit looks slightly more aggresive than i want

maz8062

2,545 posts

221 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
Fair enough mate. Torsen's are bullet proof. I've never actually heard of one failing on stock power, so I'm not sure a reconditioned one is worth the extra cash. If you can get one for £300 including the half shafts go for it - I paid £250 for mine. Whatever you do make sure you get the halfshafts to go with the diff and know what you're looking for when viewing a Torsen.

For the price you've been quoted I'd get a 1.8 Kaaz LSD.

dylan0451

Original Poster:

1,040 posts

197 months

Monday 25th January 2010
quotequote all
this is the thing, i know it'll be fit and forget as long as i treat it kind with oil changes etc. but a main part is getting rid of all the lash - i might get a 2nd hand 7" which is indestructible but it may well be equally worn and feel like crap!

i would get a kaaz but i think they're ~£600 plus a 7" diff + shafts + install/setup and there's probably not a lot of change from £1500eek

Vistav

1 posts

176 months

Thursday 4th February 2010
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Yup, I was looking into this to, what do they mean by reconditioned? I'm not exactly opening up to check! Have you decided which option to take?

dylan0451

Original Poster:

1,040 posts

197 months

Friday 5th February 2010
quotequote all
Vistav said:
Yup, I was looking into this to, what do they mean by reconditioned? I'm not exactly opening up to check! Have you decided which option to take?
reconditioned should mean the the diff's been stripped, adjusted and bearings etc. replaced as necessary, essentially it should operate as well as a brand new unit.

currently, i'm in two minds, i either buy a torsen diff and shafts, or buy an open diff + shafts and save for a kaaz

at the moment however i'm replacing the gearbox seeing as mk2 boxes are £100. then i'll replace the diff bushes (£100 for poly ones) then the engine mounts (£100?) i have a feeling that might cure more of the lash for me that i'm getting at the mo.


NeoVR

436 posts

177 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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IIRC the whole lot usually goes for around 400quid when people break cars... keep an eye on ebay, nutz and OC. there was one for sale not too long ago on nutz although the seller has since dissapeared off the planet.

Salgar

3,283 posts

190 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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Out of interest, if I have an open diff on my 1.8, I don't need the half/drive shafts to convert to a Torsen do I?


Howard-

4,958 posts

208 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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I've been looking into this also, but mostly because I have it instilled in my mind after reading lots of internets that my standard early 1.6 open diff is going to explode soon, having a supercharger and all.

But a 1.8 LSD also seems like a sensible upgrade path, to help put the power down etc etc, no? smile


Munter

31,326 posts

247 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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Howard- said:
I've been looking into this also, but mostly because I have it instilled in my mind after reading lots of internets that my standard early 1.6 open diff is going to explode soon, having a supercharger and all.

But a 1.8 LSD also seems like a sensible upgrade path, to help put the power down etc etc, no? smile
Absolutely. I figure if Lazza can't destroy one, it must be strong....

Howard-

4,958 posts

208 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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What's the most common final drive for the mk1 1.8 Torsens? Is my 1.6 diff going to be 4.3? I presume it's going to fubar any speedo readings if I upgrade to a 4.1 or 3.9 whatever?

Edited by Howard- on Friday 5th February 17:22

MX-5 Lazza

7,952 posts

225 months

Friday 5th February 2010
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I drive like a granny tongue out

Seriously though, while torque can break a dif, what really damages them is wheelspin. I try not to spin the wheels if I can help it and don't go in for all that sideways crap on the road wink

OnlyMX5ives

1,142 posts

198 months

Sunday 7th February 2010
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When I have therm in I sell them for £350 for a complete set up:

Diff
Prop
Half shafts
Prop bolts (they are bigger than 1.6 ones)

I have never known anyone 'recondition' a torsen nor known any to have any problem, so I'd be extremely sceptical and want to know EXACTLY what was done.

Fitting can be simple or a complete arse if everything is seized.

99% are 4.1 which usually means your 1.6 speedo will read bang on rather than over estimate.

On an NA car you may notice the higher ratio slightly dull your acceleration on an FI car you won't.