Lots of talk about the LSD.
One note- if all you are going to do is drive it every day, you don't NEED an LSD. I had a very basic '95 for 3 years, in the snow, and not once was it an issue. And even though my '99 has one, I've never really noticed it being there.
Autocrossing and track days are a different answer. (although, class choice does change what is and isn't allowed)
So make sure you ask yourself the right questions.
http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf
About LSDs.
SpeedTheory wrote: http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf About LSDs.
Holy cow, that's the chart I was looking for! Notice: Torsen optional on all base models, 96&97 Power Steering Package, 97 Touring Package, and 97 STO. The Power Antenna Theory doesn't work (the "A" Package cars and the "R" Package ones).
So we were both wrong on the NA's. Now, where's the NB chart... I know for sure that one of the packages those had didn't have it either.
Keith wrote: A few corrections. This one in particular I have to address directly.Javelin said: Next, the NB shock conversion is stupid easy. Use the NB mounts on the rear shocks. Done. FM's fancy ones are basically NB mounts.This is not true. If you simply slap NB mounts in place of NA ones and bodge around with some bushings to make it fit on the NA shocks, you'll find the car will drop about 1/2". If you only do this on the back, the back of the car will drop. The FM mounts are a custom-made piece with different geometry that will keep the same ride height as the NA mounts but add considerably more compression travel. Very different than a factory NB part.
My apologies Keith. I was trying to say that your mounts were a complete NB-style system that "solved" everything for the customer so they could just bolt in your setup and go. I did not state that very well.
I only know much about the OBD1 NAs. I knew that in '94-'95, any non-base manual car had them :P.
There are plenty of errata on Miatas going around. Hell, my '94 FSM says that they've all got 14x5.5 wheels :).
Javelin wrote:SpeedTheory wrote: http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf About LSDs.Holy cow, that's the chart I was looking for! Notice: Torsen optional on all base models, 96&97 Power Steering Package, 97 Touring Package, and 97 STO. The Power Antenna Theory doesn't work (the "A" Package cars and the "R" Package ones). So we were both wrong on the NA's. Now, where's the NB chart... I know for sure that one of the packages those had didn't have it either.
Read the chart again. It shows the viscous LSD available as an option on the 1990-93 models, but it's part of the packages from 1994-97 - ie, the Torsen. The Torsen was never a standalone option on the Miata according to any reliable source I've seen. It doesn't show up that way in any official Mazda publications. It was always clearly a part of a package. Note that the chart is not an official Mazda chart either, it's "enthusiast generated" but it still backs that up.
About the power antenna "theory" - note how I didn't say that every car with a Torsen has a power antenna. I said that every car with a power antenna (and a stick) has a Torsen. The A and R package cars have a Torsen but no power antenna, so you could come up with a false negative, but you're not going to get a false positive from that rule of thumb.
My way of checking for a Torsen is to use the "put one wheel on the grass" technique. Works for every type of LSD and it's fun to boot!
94 and later cars were not listed as A package B package C package any more, that stopped in 93.
Starting in 94 instead of the A package and B package you had the "popular equiptment package" I believe the C package became the touring or leather, but I'm not sure on that one. Any 94 or later NA with a non powered antenna, was either an R package or a Base car.
Chris Rummel
Javelin wrote: 2. The Torsen only came STANDARD on 4 models. The "R" Package 94, the "M Edition" in 94-97, the 97 "STO", and the Mazdaspeed.
The STO did not have a Torsen from the factory, not even as an option. I had an STO and it absolutely did not have an LSD. The STO was missing several things that normally came on leather-package cars, the Torsen and cruise were two items in particular. Many have said that STO stands for "stuff taken off".
alfadriver wrote: Lots of talk about the LSD. One note- if all you are going to do is drive it every day, you don't NEED an LSD. I had a very basic '95 for 3 years, in the snow, and not once was it an issue. And even though my '99 has one, I've never really noticed it being there. Autocrossing and track days are a different answer. (although, class choice does change what is and isn't allowed)
I might be showing my relative newbieism here but I'm wondering if there's a particular area of autocrossing where the difference between having and not having a Torsen will make itself readily apparent. I ran both this year (stiffly-sprung '90 with VSLD and stockish '99 Sport with Torsen (both on street tires)) and can't really say where a Torsen would have helped the '90.
I've autocrossed the same car with a Torsen, an open diff and an aftermarket clutch-pack. I also own a 1990 with a VLSD and have autocrossed it in the past. You could really feel the lack of the LSD coming off tight corners with the open diff. The difference between a Torsen and a VLSD is much less apparent.
Note that, unless you're allowed to mix and match across years, you don't get to choose between the VLSD and the Torsen. They use a different size ring gear and came associated with different size engines. A lot of Miata owners will often simply assume that any Miata with an LSD has a Torsen, as it's by far the most common.
Rumnhammer wrote: 94 and later cars were not listed as A package B package C package any more, that stopped in 93. Starting in 94 instead of the A package and B package you had the "popular equiptment package" I believe the C package became the touring or leather, but I'm not sure on that one. Any 94 or later NA with a non powered antenna, was either an R package or a Base car. Chris Rummel
You mean starting in '96.....
Guys,
This is the Miata I was talking about: http://www.miata.net/cgi-bin/isc/classifieds.cgi?action=detail&AdNumber=89555&CategoryID=106&SubID=1041&Position=2&TotalCount=5&Session=4d02873e180bb0b2&FirstPage=&LastPage=20&prevaction=show
If you follow the link in that add you will see that the car is replete with FM stuff. The thing is from talking to the owner (via email) they were all installed by the previous owner.
The car looks good on paper. My plan is for a dedicated fun car so it has all the go fast parts that I want. My hesitations are:
1. It's in Union, NJ and I am outside of DC so I can't go there just to take a look at it. I'd really really appreciate if anybody on this board can take a look at the car for me.
2. It has what the owner called a minor fender bender but it seems that it was a front end collision and hit the nose since he had to get a new radiator. Not knowing much about Miata I am not sure how this will affect the structural integrity of the car.
3. The FM parts are, by the owner estimate, about 40Kmiles old. Is it worth paying the premiums when the go fast parts are this old?
What do you guys think? I have the cash in hand, the wife's approval and ready to "pounce" if it's a solid fun car. The thing is since it's so far from me it's hard for me to check it in person. Should I get this one or wait for something closer to pop up? I am in no hurry since I have all winter long to find the right Miata.
In reply to SpeedTheory:
No, I mean starting in 94, when I bought my car a 94 leftover in spring of 95 all the packages were as I stated, no more A B or C packages.
I'm sure I still have the 94 brochure in the attic if you want it scanned and posted........
Javelin wrote: Holy cow! For a bunch of Miata owners/fans you guys have it ALL wrong!
IIIIIrony!
Most of the brochures are available in the Miata.net FAQ section. Very useful resource, actually.
As for the car in question - are the aftermarket parts still good after 40k? Exhaust, yes. Intake, yes. Sways, yes. Shock tower brace, yes. Flywheel, yes. Clutch - that's a wear item, hard to say for sure. Ditto brakes. Shocks, should be fine. Springs - normally, they'd be fine. But it depends on how old they are, as we did have a few batches that tended to sag which prompted a manufacturer change in 2006. Get me the name of the person who bought all the stuff and I can give a better idea of the age of the parts. The fact that there's an FM shock tower brace on the list means that he either just bought it or the suspension work was done some time ago, as that product went away for a few years.
A damaged radiator doesn't necessarily mean a damaged frame. They're pretty easy to take out.
My '94 is an A-Package.....
In 1995 The A,B and C package designations were dropped in favor of prefered equipment packages. Little change was made from the 1994 Model. The R model continues. Guess I was wrong about the year, but I was sure about '94s.
Keith wrote: The fact that there's an FM shock tower brace on the list means that he either just bought it or the suspension work was done some time ago, as that product went away for a few years.
Looking at the ownership history from Carfax the current owner bought the car in November 2007 so the previous owner must have had installed all the FM parts before then. Anywhere from December 2004 to November 2007. Does that sound about right? If so, would the parts need to be replaced by now?
Go back to my previous list of parts. Actual age has little to do with it, they don't expire. Some parts, no problem. Others, depends on use - brake pads, clutches and even brake rotors are consumables and it'll depend on the car was used. I'd want to know the ride height, that would tell me more about the springs.
Keith wrote: Get me the name of the person who bought all the stuff and I can give a better idea of the age of the parts.
Keith, if I give you the name of someone who bought the parts on our car can you give me everything he bought? I want to find out exactly what everything is. I'm pretty sure I know it all, but I would like confirmation as we don't have the receipt, only the box you shipped it in.
All this talk about Torsens reminds me that on any 1.8 Miata a clutch type limited slip is just a boneyard 1st or 2nd gen RX7 diff away. 
SpeedTheory wrote: http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf About LSDs.
How accurate is that guide? The VIN sticker on the Miata in my garage says it was manufactured 3/94 and colour code HU / British Racing Green. According to that guide BRG was only available in 1991. Now it is a Canadian car but I would find it odd that there would be differences in what colours were available.
Thanks, Thomas
Jensenman wrote: All this talk about Torsens reminds me that on any 1.8 Miata a clutch type limited slip is just a boneyard 1st or 2nd gen RX7 diff away.
wasnt the 1st gen RX a solid rear axle?
exST165 wrote:SpeedTheory wrote: http://www.miata.net/faq/Miata90-97A3.pdf About LSDs.How accurate is that guide? The VIN sticker on the Miata in my garage says it was manufactured 3/94 and colour code HU / British Racing Green. According to that guide BRG was only available in 1991. Now it is a Canadian car but I would find it odd that there would be differences in what colours were available. Thanks, Thomas
That's exactly what's going on. HU was a one-year-only deal in the US, but it was available from 1994-97 in Canada. There are other differences between Canadian and US market cars, subtle ones like the foglights on the 10AE, the availability of a 1994 without a passenger airbag, the rear spoiler on the 1993 black/red etc. The biggest difference is that the M and R editions didn't make it north of the border. For a lot of the 1994-97 model years, you had two basic trim choices in Canada: all or nothing.
Keith wrote: For a lot of the 1994-97 model years, you had two basic trim choices in Canada: all or nothing.
Now those are options that I'm familiar with! Thanks.
Thomas
Guys, the car in question had a fender bender and the current owner actually sent me a picture of when it was being repaired showing front right fender, right head light and front bumper off the car. Since the car is in NJ and I am in VA I can't look at the repair results in person so I was wondering if any Miata expert here would be willing to look at the picture and see based on the picture whether the accident would have affected the car's structural integrity. I understand that it's probably hard to do just based on a picture but that's all I have. If you don't mind you can email me your email address to eamirullah at hotmail dot com and I'll email you the picture (it's only one). Thanks in advance for your help.
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