Is there something in the VIN?
Is there supposed to be a switch to turn it on or off?

I have a 97 SE AUTO.

Thanks!
FLO_BOY

 

No, there's no switch.

Find the model number on the top of your transmission. I forget which is which, but VLSD is different from non-VLSD.

 

Ok...obvious follow up Q --> where/how do I find the model number on top of my tranny?

thanks mzmtg!

FLO_BOY

 

Open your hood, look at the passenger side firewall, you will find a metal identification tag. Look down until you find transaxle. For automatics there are two possibilities RE4F04V, if its this number jump for joy you have VSLD, if its RE4F04A you have a one wheeler peeler.

Manual transmission are almost the same, RS5F50V for VSLD and RS5F50A for open diff.

 

I have the LSD!!! limited slip diff, that is!
FLO_BOY

 

whats the V stand for ?

im going to check tomorrow but if my 98 Se has the lsd, somethings wrong cuz i was all over the place last night taking off against a 1.8t or vr6, doesnt matter which because it still beat me. DOH! but the y pipe sure helps agianst those pesky little vw's

 

V stands for Viscous...becuase it uses fluid to function...

 

OK guys, this is where I must chime in with my own question...

If I have an "open" differential (I do, it's a fed spec 5sp), then does that mean only one wheel drives the car?

If the answer to that question is yes, then there are 2 more questions:
1. Which wheel pulls the car along?
2. Why is there an axle on the other wheel?

If the answer is no:
1. Why does only one wheel spin? Wouldn't both front wheels be turning at different speeds if that happened? If the drive shaft turns the flywheel/clutch/pressure plate, then this in turn spins the input to the differential, then how does one input to the differential generate 2 different output speeds? Argh!

I've looked up crap like this on the Internet before and never found a straight answer. I'm having a problem visualizing this.

Thanks.

 

I think if both tires have about the same grip, the power goes to both wheels. once one wheel loses traction due to ice/water/etc, all or most of the power will go to that wheel and it will spin. so basically there is a balancing act between your two tires. once one gives, you lose power.
this balancing act is not all bad though. It helps you turn when you are in parking lots. that why most other locked differentials (not including the vlsd) are made for off road use only. try to turn on a hard surface with a locked diff and you will be chirping and skipping because both tires try to travel the same distance on different radiuses(radii?).
Also, in some instances i think it may be better to lose traction than to have both tires turn. Some here believe that vlsd is better on ice. but if for instance you are driving on an icy road and the passenger side tire loses traction, the driver's side tire which still has grip may make you swerve to the right. If you do not have vlsd, the passenger tire will spin and the driver's side tire will not have power. you basically will slow down but will not swerve to the right or left. This is what i read somewhere...but I'm not an expert. we don't get a lot of icy roads in Hawaii. if anyone else has any realworld experience to the contrary i may change my opinion.

 

My experience on ice and snow with VLSD is that when one wheel loses traction it is transfered to the non spinning wheel which will give additional traction instead of just spinning the one wheel. However, if you continue to hold the throttle down, you are right the car will swerve because both wheels are spinning. Same applies to RWD only the back end will swerve. However, most people will let of the throttle when they start to lose traction in that case there is virtually no difference between LSD and an open diff. Where the LSD is better is in low speed situations in deep snow or very slippery ice, it can make the difference between making it up the hill or not.
Lets not kid ourselves though, most people on this forum are interested in what it does on dry pavement and thats where the VLSD shines. At the strip as soon as one wheel looses traction the other grips and if you have enough power then both wheels spin. It happens so fast though that you don't know what is happening and both wheels just spin at the same time or grip at the same time which translates into faster acceleration of you have traction problems (do I hear Maxima).
It would be interesting to compare 60' times for both differentials, I don't think you will ever get a really good 60' with an open diff as opposed to VLSD or a Quaife etc and that is why people buy them.
On Sunday I ran a 2.2 60' with no Mods, other than a Fuel Pump which is probably hindering me because the pressure is too high and I haven't put in the FPR yet and a leaking Flex Pipe. My 1/4 was 16 and the temp was near freezing here so traction was limited. Not sure how that equates to other auto trans cars but I don't think you could hit a 2.2 without VLSD or a lot more HP and a much faster 1/4 than 16 secs.