I just bought a tranny and was told that it was VLSD. I've been reading a few posts of people getting shipped a "VLSD" tranny only to find out it had an open differential.

I've read several ways to identify a real-deal VLSD...which ones are right?

1) Driver's side axle hole is bigger...much bigger...on the VLSD
2) You can see through the differential housing (from one axle hole out the other) in the open differential...but not in the VLSD.
3) Jack up car, spin 1 tire and the other should spin in the same direction in a VLSD, opposite direction in an open-diff.

I'm probably just being paranoid, but I'd like to ID this tranny as a VLSD before I take the time putting it in.

 

So the tranny is just sitting in your garage right now? Look through the hole where the axles will input. Can you see all the way through, or is there an obstruction in the way? Also, is there an identification label anywhere on the tranny?

 

Yep...it's sitting on a palette in my garage. When I look through, I can see out the other side, but there is an obstruction...there's a bar going through the hole....vertically. Hard to describe.

I have the VIN that the tranny "came out of"...but I'm not 100% sure this is accurate. Where on the tranny are the markings? I don't want to pull the wrapping all apart if I'm gonna be shipping it back on Monday.

 

Go ahead and post the VIN. I know how to tell on a 3rd gen VIN, maybe the same rules apply

I was just trying to identify a LSD tranny the other week which didn't have any identification of any kind. I was told to look through the shaft and see if there was anything in there. There was, so I figure that I have a non-LSD sitting in the garage, while the one in my car is LSD.

 

The VIN: JN1CA21D8VT219823

Did you say that if you see something in there, then it's a non-lsd?

 

I called a local transmission shop to ask if there was any way to visually identify an lsd tranny. He said "Not unless you open it up".

I guess I'll have to crack it open...anyone know how to tell the country of origin from the VIN? IIRC, only Canadian Maximas had VLSD...

 

So its from a 97. And that second letter in the VIN indicates its a Canadian model.

 

This is wrong. With an open diff you can spin one tire without the other side moving. With an LSD, you spin one and the other one moves in the opposite direction.

 

pezking4: Thank you! (are you sure? ) Am I correct when I say that the 'V' in the VIN indicates that it's an ES model? If so, do all Canadian ES 5spds come with VLSD?

formz: Thanks...

So...you can tell by jacking it up and spinning a tire...good to know.

 

Well thats how a viscous coupler LSD works. I'm not sure how the some of the others work.

 

formz, if this is true the i have a VLSD tranny!!!

 

Buy a Drivers side Axle Seal and see if it fits...the drivers side axle is the only side thats bigger on the LSD trans's....Alot Bigger...the pass side is the same size...you will need to purchase a drivers side axle to run an LSD trans...buy that and see if it fits...many ways to find out

-matt

 

thats cool. I know because when I had my DSM it had an LSD in the rear, and that's what would happen, you spin one, and the other spins the other way.

 

than guess I got VLSD, would anything in the VIN confirm this

 

There is nothing in the VIN of a 4th Gen that will identify LSD or open trans. period.

 

i just looked at the FAQ, so yup, nothing in the VIN will tell you, anything else I can look at to see if I have VLSD

 

The number below the VIN ie the one that starts with BLHULVAA32ENxxxx will tell you if you have the right model. This one is from my Canadian SE which is VLSD and you can tell that by.

B=4-door sedan
LH= VQ30DE Engine
U= 2-wheel drive
L=Left hand drive
V=SE
A=4 speed auto F=5 speed
A32=Model
E=Multiport Fuel Injection
N=Canada V is California and U is non California

So this is a canadian automatic SE. All SE's made in Canada are VLSD. So yes you can tell by that number.

You can also tell by the orange circled number if it ends in V its VLSD if it ends in A its an open diff.

If you only have the trans though I am not sure if these numbers are located on it or just on the firewall.

 

Awesome! Now we can verify that a tranny has a locking diff from the VIN...Canadian SE (ES?) models...

As for the VIN, it's stamped on my tranny.

 

Thats not really the VIN, the VIN begins with JN1Cxxxxx.

It is described in the FSM as the Model#

 

Damn...read that one wrong. Back to square one. Maybe I'll open her up and see what she's made of.

Is there a repository anywhere that I could look this information up (VIN -> Country of origin)?

 

According the the FSM the Manual Transaxle Number is on the top front of the transmission. Now it doesn't specify what number that is but if your lucky it will be the transaxle # as shown on the above plate circled orange. If so then its just a matter of seeing if it ends in a V or an A. Hopefully it will be a V indicating VLSD.

If its a manual it will be RS5F50V for LSD or RS5F50A for open diff.

I am off the Cuba this morning for a week of sun, see you guys in a week.

 

well, i looked at the codes on the firewall and it is a US model maxima with open, which makes me beleive that this is not the original tranny, when I spin one wheel the other goes the opposite direction

 

if its the VLSD trans, when you spin 1 tire, the other spins in the SAME direction......

open diff spins in opposite direction.

 

Well...I have my driveaxles from my regular (non-VLSD) tranny...now, the driver's side shouldn't fit in the new VLSD tranny, right?

My old (non-lsd) axle should be too small in diameter, right? How much smaller in diameter is the non-lsd driveaxle from the lsd driveaxle?

 

the NON LSD trans axle seal is like 1.5-2" diameter. the LSD trans axle seal is like 3-4" diameter.

 

are you 100% sure of that? I seem to remember my rear LSD in my DSM spinning the opposite direction. With an open diff the two wheels aren't interlocked in any way, so the other wouldn't even spin.... alteast that's what my horrible memory is telling me.

 

The wheels on an open diff are interlocked...that's why you can get either tire to spin.

I threw my drive axle into the "VLSD" tranny and it fit pretty snug. I'd imagine that it is an open-diff.

I also turned it while it was in there, and looked through the passenger's side axle hole...it spun the opposite way.

I guess I got a non-VLSD tranny...damn!

Now what?

Give it back and:
a) continue my search for a VLSD tranny (wait for them to find one)
b) Buy a new one with VLSD? (expensive! ~$2200)

OR Keep it and:
a) Ride around with an open-diff (heartbreaking!)
b) Buy a Quaife? (expensive as well...$2200 all said and done)
c) Buy another diff...Phantom-Grip? (anything besides the Quaife good?)
d) Buy a Nissan differential? (how much are these?)

If I decide to go with an aftermarket differential, would I need new drive axles? (I have the open-diff drive axles now)

 

That's very odd, I could have sworn they turn the other way with an LSD. I guess I need to go jack up a DSM and turn a wheel to refresh my memory.

 

Ok...here's the news:

I got a call back from the junk-yard to confirm that the tranny is not VLSD. They have another one that they think is. I told him to verify this and call me back.

The one that I got is from a '97 w/108k on it. The one they're sending me (for an additional $150) is a '98 w/73k. Hopefully it'll end up being a real VLSD.

Spinning the drive axles/tires on a non-VLSD unit will cause the other one to spin in the opposite way. Hopefully, I can let you all know what a VLSD tranny does in a few days.

Speaking of which, if I do get this VLSD tranny, I'm gonna make a new thread answering the question in the subject.

 

Formz, you are very wrong, the maxima case anyway. And I think your memory is playing tricks on you for your DSM.

 

Um.. that's what I said...