Positraction or Open Differential? Limited Slip Differential (LSD) options

I'm wondering what kind of differential is in my '99. Just to check it out the other day I went old school on it. I turned off the traction control and nailed it from a dead stop. It left two nice tire marks about 20' feet long. To me this indicates a posi(limited slip) but I heard FWD's don't have posi's unless you install them. I'm wondering if that is the way a FWD acts when there is tire slip by both tires but it will act like an open rear when one tire grabs. Anybody know what ours have or any other information? All you racers should know.

i do know that if one tire has more air than the other, ive heard its bad for the trans to spin 1 tire more than the other

I don't know what's in the the riv but I agree with u about how it acts like a posi with the trac off never tried it with it on.

It's not positive traction or LSD, but It acts like posi as long as the wheels are straight and the road surface is consistent. Things change when you shift the weight of the car in a turn, or hit the throttle with one wheel in the wet, sand, etc.

That makes sense as to why the tires spin equally. It just has to do with equal loading of the tires. I wouldn't think that normal driving affects the differential but doing burnouts at the drags with your tires in the water and one tire smoking and the other not moving would potentially cause problems.
I'm wondering if anybody has tried the Intense posi or any of the other units available and how are they working, especially in terms of any problems on the street(noise or anything like that).

Options for Limited Slip Differential units:

GM Racing Torsen T-2 differential:

http://www.3800pro.com/forum/sale/23937-real-torsen-differential.html

http://www.zzperformance.com/grand_prix/products1.php?id=926&catid=105

http://www.torsen.com/files/Torsen%20T-2%20Technical%20Sheet.pdf


Quaife QDF18B ATB Helical LSD Differential 4T65E FWD Automatic:

http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com/qdf18b.html

http://www.quaifelsd.com/applications.aspx ($1271)

I searched online for retailers selling those Quaife LSD's and there are a bunch that list it and don't stock it. I tried buying one from two different vendors not long ago and gave up after that. They don't have 'em. From the reply messages I got, I'm told there would have to be a group buy of at least 10 for any production request to be made.

Also, there's a few varieties of clutch LSD's out there. [Intense, C-Ya racing, Engineered Performance, Etc.] They work reasonably well for about 30,000mi with a pretty big variance, and after that basically turn into an open diff with sloppier side gears and leave some extra clutch material in your transmission fluid. Also to be noted those diff's are modified stock parts so it's not any stronger unless you get the improved pinion gear shaft and then it's almost worth it - addresses the weakest piece of the diff.

I have a refreshed intense 3rd gen LSD for sale if somebody is interested. I have always been concerned about the issues turtle mentioned above so never installed it. Make me a reasonable offer if you are interested.

Has anyone installed a LSD on their Riv?

Quote :

1997 turtle - poisonous
L26 bottom swap 9.4:1, INTENSE Stage3 cam&heads, Karma genVm90, WBS IC, XSP headers, 80lb injectors, E85, tuned N2O, stock '98 trans with GMR torsen LSD & shift kit

*cough*

Sweet. Nice eye! Codith is the only one? Glad to see it's been done!

If I had an extra $1500 laying around, and our stock diff weren't already indestructible, then for sure I'd have one.