Re: LS Differential ID (archive)

is it possible to tell from a marking on the differential whether it has been replaced with a proper ltd. slip unit?

Get down & look underneath the car at the differential unit. On the upper right side of the unit you will see a metal tag. (Chances are you'll need to clean the dirt off of it because it'll be hard to read). It will be a LS unit if the reading on the tag starts out w/ an "S", as in "S 3.73". I'm almost positive the 89 "iS"s came w/ "S 3.73" stock. Maybe by some LUCKY chance she "upgraded" to a S 4.10 unit :). The differential housing will also have a BIG white "S" painted on the top of it, but the unit has to be out to see that....

HtH-
CVM
85 325e

Trouble is that it's possible whomever swapped the
diff could have installed a non-LSD but re-used
the LSD's ID Tag. Jack one of the rear tires off
the ground and put the car in neutral, then turn
the wheel by hand. If it has an LSD it will be
fairly hard to turn the wheel. Another way is to
raise both rear tires off the ground (car in
neutral) and turn one wheel - if the opposite
wheel turns the same direction then it's an LSD,
if it turns the opposite direction then it's not
an LSD. Yet another way to tell is to make a
tight turn at very low speed and goose the gas
pedal. If you hear/feel the inside rear tire
chattering/skipping on the pavement then you
have an LSD.

Randy
88 325is
89 325is RIP

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