non turbo mk3 diff

[turrrrrrrbooooo]

im looking for a diff for my mk3 i hear that the non turbo diffs are geared and not viscus like the turbo mk3 does any one know where i can find one?

[Jeeves]

It's true, the N/A's had higher gearing, but they were not all LSD's. So, if you want an open diff. just call up you pull it and see if they have any Mk3's laying around. They probably do.

4.30:1 - 3.0L N/A Mk3's
3.90:1 - 3.0L Turbo (87-88)
3.73:1 - 3.0L Turbo (88-92)

Check the metal tag on the firewall for the axle code. If the last digit is 4, it's an open diff, if it's a 5, it's an LSD. Turbos always had LSD though.

For good measure, here are the tranny ratios too:

R154 (Turbo) ------- W58 (N/A)

1st = 3.30:1 ————— 1st = 3.285:1
2nd = 1.95:1 ————— 2nd = 1.894:1
3rd = 1.34:1 ————— 3rd = 1.275:1
4th = 1.00:1 ————— 4th = 1.000:1
5th = 0.75:1 ————— 5th = 0.783:1

[turrrrrrrbooooo]

ya im gonna try u pull it and my mk3 did have the lsd but its wearing out so if i can find a geared diff im just gonna weld the internals by the way what does your mk3 run on the quarter mile

[bgrieger]

have you ever driven a welded diff on the streets, or is this car track only? If neither of these is true, you're going to learn to hate it!

[Jeeves]

Send me a PM if you care to talk.

I'm with Bob, not a big fan of welded diffs.

[turrrrrrrbooooo]

i like drivin with welded diffs plus this car will be used for drifting

[TcmaBoy]

All welding the diff will do is chew your tires to bits.

[Jeeves]

You're going to drift a Mk3?
With a welded diff?

/facepalm

[turrrrrrrbooooo]

yes yes i am plus it makes takin off from a dig a whole lot faster

[Jeeves]

Who cares about speed from a dig? You're talking about making a drift car, not a 1/4 mile car. Even then, not really. If you've got a turbo targa car, they clock in around 3600lbs (without you in the car), in stock form and are good for a high 16 second quarter mile up here. Turbo Mk3's aren't fast cars, even with a 4.3 diff.

The average weight for the 240sx (common drift car) is 2700-2900lbs.

[TcmaBoy]

Originally Posted by turrrrrrrbooooo

i like drivin with welded diffs plus this car will be used for drifting

[turrrrrrrbooooo]

ya i know s13s are the best cars for drifting all my homies own them but just because there the best dosent mean there the only drift cars why not do some thing different

[Jeeves]

Because you're going the painfully wrong way for "different." You've picked a VERY heavy chassis that isn't known for rigidity nevermind the cost of the suspension hardware to get it into 'decent' drift shape.


For the power output you've PM'd me you want to make (450-550whp), and the suspension you'll need/want you're looking at a VERY expensive car.

[Wreckless]

Wow, back out of hibernation just to find this..

There have been drift MK3s, but there hasn't been one that was competitive in any sanctioned drifting series in well over 10 years - i.e. MK3's were dead from D1 before anyone over in the US knew about D1.

Jeeves mentioned the weight. Assuming you're getting hardcore and doing a full gutting job on everything and going lexan on the rear glass, pulled bumper supports, single race bucket, cf hood, etc, you have a chance of getting it under 3100lbs with a proper cage in place.

But more than the weight is a problem, its the long ass wheelbase of the MK3 that you're fighting, along with its very crappy steering angle. You can get more steering angle with things like rack spacers and new tie rods, etc, but the wheelbase isn't changing. Once a MK3 gets sideways, it wants to STAY sideways. Sure, with proper coilovers and cornerbalancing, along with some very precise wheel & tire sizing, toe-in settings, antiswaybar settings, adjustable trailing arms, etc. you can begin to work around it and actually make the car work well.

But now we're easily 7-9k into a chassis and we've not even mentioned the motor or diff yet.

About diffs. Welded diffs are absolutely miserable on the street. A friend of mine welded the diff in his drag MK4 as a temporary fix until he could get the diff he wanted, and I can't begin to describe how much that sucks in parking lots, turning right, etc.

If you're really looking to spend $10-13k + on a Toyota drift car, I'd stay away from the MK3. I'd be hunting for an early '90s SC300 with a busted up interior, as they have vastly better suspension parts support from the motherland and have been proven drift cars for some time.

[TcmaBoy]

From the way this is going I figure I would throw this out there.

Doing burnouts and half ass donuts in a parking lot in the middle of the night is not drifting. If you want to weld up the diff just so that you can roast your tires with your "homies" and their 240s then go for it. Just don't confuse it with drifting.

If you are serious about drifting find a cheap light rwd car that you can easily find replacement body parts for (because you will wreck it many times over). Rather than dumping money into the car, drive up to Vegas and go to a driving school. After a few years of competition driving then maybe you can consider modifying the car.