Another 2002 Maxima 6 speed owner emailed me about the limited slip differential (LSD). He thinks there is some type of limited slip differential on the car. He thought it had VLSD, since he could lay 2 long patches of rubber. To me, the car feels like it has some type of limited slip, since it launches so well. I did a little test at lunch time. On a sweeping left turn (moderate left turn), I laid 2 srips of rubber. I'm thinking... man this does have VLSD! (Viscous) (Not as good as Helical Limited Slip Differential, but better than nothing.) I then tried another test. This time I took a hard right, in which my wheels were turned at 45 degree angle. This time I laid one strip. I guess this means it has open differential. Agree? The moderate turn and launch was pretty impressive. I'm thinking that VLSD is still a possibilty.

 

So I take it your new ride is all broken in?? hehe...

 

Pretty much. I'm doing it gradually, with the exception of this afternoon. I have a hair over 700 miles.

 

Paul;

I'm assuming you had dry pavement during your tests. The reason I mention it is because my LSD equipped AE will spin only one wheel under hard acceleration in the rain. I think it is because the stock Potenzas have ZERO grip when wet, but it may also be that the VLSD just not as effective as a HLSD.

If you did it on dry pavement, got single wheel spin...most likely No LSD...if it was slightly wet, who knows???

 

Yeah, dry pavement. Looks like I have no LSD then. I was surprised that I had both wheels spinning on my wider angle left turn. Anyway, the car does launch nicely without LSD. I've driven it once in light rain, it seemed pretty good. I think driving in the rain with stick is easier. You can regulate the throttle a bit easier. So you get 2 wheels spinning/leaving black marks on dry pavement?

 

Yep...two nice long stripes. I bought the AE specifically for the LSD. I am impressed with the twin stripes, and I know that it helps with traction on turns, but I expected better performance in the wet. Also, torque steer is still noticeable on hard launches...I thought the LSD would eliminate that.

I am convinced that something is wrong with my car...whether it's in the LSD or maybe the front passenger strut/spring is bad. I get wicked wheel spin/hop under heavy acceleration on the wet...on just the right side. The dealer said everything is fine...but ???. I asked them to check the LSD fluid level (since it is driven by fluid pressure) and they told me that the LSD was inside the tranny and it used the tranny fluid to do its job. That tranny fluid level was fine, but I'm not so sure they were right...can anyone verify that the LSD is inside the tranny? Maybe I should switch to RedLine and see what happens???

 

I'm definitely not an LSD expert, but...have you tried a hard launch with somebody sitting in the passenger seat? Seems like there would be more of a tendency towards passenger side wheel spin if the passenger seat was empty.

 

That's not a bad idea, next time it rains, I will get my roomate to take a drive with me...I'm also thinking it could be that the drive shaft on that side is shorter, thus it would have a little less weight and could spin more easily.

 

time for some test drives

 

Although the brochure didn't say, but all Canadian SE (auto or not) comes with LSD. Helical for the six speed and VLSD for the manual and other early SEs.

 

Yea when turning my se-r to the right like you did, i didn't put one strip, instead my car pushed out into the traffic across instead of turning! lol!! both tires were spinning. Anyways, yea you don't have LSD. My max smokes both tires if I have them straight!

 

On my straight launch and softer turn, I got the twin stripes too. Just not on the hard, fully locked wheel, turn.

 

Easiest way to tell if you have a VLSD, jack up the front and turn one of the wheels. If the other wheel turns in the same direction OR doesn't turn at all, VLSD. If it turns opposite, it's an open diff. (note, this test will not work w/ the HLSD)

You guys are forgetting, on an even surface, you CAN spin both wheels with an open diff.

To the other person wondering if the LSD unit is located inside the tranny: your car is FWD, so the answer is YES. RWD cars have their diffs located externally.

 

i've been wondering about a VLSD myself. i could have sworn Daniel said that it had a VLSD but not a HLSD and that it would be good enough. I'm gonna try to get ahold of nissan and find this out for sure.

 

Cool thanks. I'll do it tomorrow. A little dark out right now.

 

See...the good thing about this forum is that there is always someone with the information you need.

MHGSX...thanks for the simple test procedure and for the info on the tranny/LSD combo.

 

See...the good thing about this forum is that there is always someone with the information you need.

MHGSX...thanks for the simple test procedure and for the info on the tranny/LSD combo.

 

Nissan Canada told me the initial production of 6spd would have a standard or open differential. The dealer however, told me that there is some sort of LSD on the initial 6spd run in an attempt to get me not to cancel my initial order. Personally I tend to believe Nissan Canada more than my local dealer. When I initially ordered my 6spd the dealer insisted that it would come with HLSD. The dealer finally fessed up a few days before delivery (I told him I would not buy unless it had HLSD) and told me this was not the case. All along though Nissan Canada had been telling me otherwise. I think Nissan Canada evetually called the dealer and told him to stop talking crap, after I expressed my disappointment of hearing two different stories from Nissan. I think it makes Nissan look bad when nobody knows WTF is going on for real. One thing is for certain, it's painfull waiting for the new HLSD 6spd Max. I hope they deliver before the new year.

Regards,
Rudy

 

The salesman in Calgary I talked to said the early 6 speed don't have LSD at all, nothing. Who do you believe?

 

Yeah...6-spds do come with LSD. I just finished ordering one for my friend the other day.

 

Do you do this test in gear? Another person told me to do this test in neutral.

 

 

Neutral, of course. Unless you're REALLY strong!!!

Set the gear box in neutral, set the rear handbrake tight, and jack
up the front end. Grab one wheel (preferably one of the ones in the air!!) and turn it. If the other wheel spins in the same direction, or if it doesn't turn at all, you've got a VLSD.

 

It was easy to turn in 1st gear, almost as easy as neutral. When I turned the tire while in 1st gear, each tire rotated in a different direction. When I was in neutral, only one tire would turn.

 

the HLSD for canada is for november production, meaning their making it in japan as we write. the nissan sales rep. told me most likely they would be in by early january to early february.

 

Wow, that's pretty interesting at the ease of turning the wheel in 1st gear. Always assumed it would be a b!tch since engine braking is more effective the lower the gear you're in.

Anyways, the fact that the wheel turned opposite while in gear indicates you have an open diff.

The only reason I could think of why, in neutral, the other wheel didn't spin opposite is that the wheel you chose to turn is connected to the side of the diff, that doesn't have the direct input from the tranny, not the pinion side of the differential (for lack of a better description).

Perhaps in neutral, there's not enough resistance to induce the differential action??? Next time the front end is up, try turning the other wheel when in neutral and see if that causes the other wheel to rotate in the opposite direction.

 

I already did that. On both sides in neutral, only one wheel turned. On both sides in 1st gear, the wheels rotated in opposing directions.

 

we need to contact nissan, this seems to be running us in circles.