i was just wondering how to tell if my 88 gxl has the posi rear end in it, someone told me all the gxl's had it and i'm pulling a rear end from an 86 gxl today from work and was just wondering if this is true or if theres a way to check on it short of going to a dealership and asking or something. hopefully i'll hear back before i leave this afternoon, thanx everyone.

 

All 86-88 GXl, unless theyve been changed, have LSD stock. 89-91 do not.

There should be a small metal tag hanging from the backside of the diff, on one of the fill/drain bolts that says something about LSD fluid. Also, if you jack up the back of the car and put the trans in N, rotating one wheel should make the other rotate the same way. IF it turns the opposite way, it is a standard open diffy. Rotating the driveshaft should make both wheels turn the same way also, on an LSD.

 

Please read the FAQ for FC at the top of this section, before posting as this question is covered there.

And as a note: Posi or Positraction is GMs name for a Limited Slip Differential (LSD). Calling a LSD a Posi, is like calling all refrigerators Kenmores.

 

Why would 86-88 have LSD and not the 89-91?
Sounds kind of stupied to me. I have a 1990 and always thought i had a LSD...Now im sad...

 

Because Mazda went cheap on the S5 cars trying to keep the cost down.

There are a lot of cost cutting short cuts on the S5 cars.

 

just to let u know both tires spun when taking off, i left about 20 ft of rubber in front of my parents house, could of left abit more if i tried!!

 

Dam im SOOOO sad now...

How does just a normal standard diff compare for just driving around town and stuff VS the LSD? Do you really even notice a difference?

 

Like calling tissues kleenex...damn i hate when people do that!

 

so what if you jack it up and only one wheel spins? prolly means the rear end is about to go huh.

 

wow, is that so?
What else did mazda go cheap on? I'm interested now.

 

If you're half as throttle-happy as I am, yes, an open differential is a little more annoying then an LSD equipped differential.

 

me too

 

start another thread... we don't need this one hijacked for that.

 

so what about the one wheel only spin? when i roast em- they both go up, but even my open diff probe does that.

 

You can't judge a true LSD by what tires lay marks or not. Jack up the car and turn them to see for sure.

 

well i did and only one wheel spins. so does that mean i have lsd or do i have an open diff that is about to blow?

 

If you have LSD, both wheels will spin in the same direction at all times, unless it is badly screwed up. This is a rule.

IF you have an open diff, behavior can vary. They can spin in opposite directions, or only one can spin. Most cars are equipped with open diffs unless they're an s4 GXL or a turbo...the 88 GTU and 89-91 GTU-s are exceptions, but these are pretty rare cars, and their owners are usually aware of their LSD-possessing status.

 

most 86-88 LSDs are probably worn out by now and don't work anyways.

 

I have only seen one or 2 out of, say, 100, that do not.