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Z31 R200 LSD - What parts to pull from junkyard


D52E

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So I am at the local pull apart right now and found a 1988 z31 turbo with the LSD still in it. I will definitly take the LSD for my 510 but I was wondering if I should pull the axles. Is there any bennefit il pulling the axles for my 510?

 

Also there is a 1978 280Z here - i believe it may have an R200 in it I can pull the stub shafts from if I don't take the Z31 axles.

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i got a pretty sweet deal - the diff and axles were $140 (core charges and environmental charges included). Of course - not counnting an hour of my time under the car and fuel expense driving 35 minutes to and from the junkyard. I've been looking for one for a long time now but the couple of times I've seen a Z31 Turbo the diff is long gone. I suspect its one of the items that junkyard employees normally take before the cars are put out in the yard. Of course they know what items are worth money.

 

 

I did go ahead and get the CV axles but I didn't get the 4 bolt flanges on the hub side. Does anyone know if the CV shafts can be modefied for the 510?

 

 

Here is the engine compartment tag. I think the diff is supposed to be a 3.7:1 ratio but the tag may imply 3.54:1 (the car was automatic)

34E48E5F-CF1A-4DC3-A69D-463A1B597281-875-000001DF9B18B774.jpg

 

79DB83E7-E7F5-4638-8912-5D9C4BF33B4F-875-0000020F7B0E29B5.jpg

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OK - did some digging arround and found an old TSB. Apparently Nissan may have labeled the engine compartment tag incorrectly on some Z31 vehicles during this time. It should hopefully still be a 3.7:1 ratio.

 

DiffTSB.jpg

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Hmmmm my info shows all turbo applications standard or automatic as having a 3.70 ratio. This one says 3.545

 

Also there were only viscous LSDs after '87.

 

Have you verified this is LSD? You may have to hold on tight to one side while you turn the other. I had a 4.11 R200 and both sides would turn together unless you held on to one..

 

 

Ahhh I see you've addressed this.

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I need to pull the cover off and confirm it is an LSD and 3.7 ratio but it did come off an 88 Z31 turbo, both axles do turn together and it has the finned rear cover so it is promising.

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Looks like the diff is a 3.7:1 and I do believe it is an LSD:

334BB763-ACC2-4EAC-8969-BC58CB93CAFB-1425-0000031D65413391.jpg

A3C4B8BC-FEF4-4CA1-B90C-61C3C9BA2329-1425-0000031D73ADA7C6.jpg

FE0F7DBE-BEC1-4248-A967-230978C9246D-1425-0000031E0CECB294.jpg

 

 

Also, the drainplug magnet didn't look too bad for metal shavings and the fluid that came out was not burnt at all. The back cover gasket was stuck on there pretty good so it's possible it has not been taken apart before.

9452B440-DC83-4EAC-856C-A97CD22CAF61-1413-0000031B567164A6.jpg

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Nice find, looks good. I would sell it and get a subi lsd to bolt right in at half the price. r200 is overkill for most 510s, and that one sells for a pretty penny to z folk.

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I finally got around to getting this thing in the 510.  im almost done with it but it has taken a bit of work to get it in there. 

I had to change out the input flange so my stock driveshaft bolted up.  I ended up finding a 240Z at the junkyard with an R200 so I took the imput flange and the mustache bar.  It looks like the mustache bar was an R180 unit with hole pattern opened up for R200 studs.

 

While I was unde there I welded up some camber brackets and opened up the exhaust hole to just under 4".

AEFE53CC-F0C0-47DD-8732-E07C3FF068EE-284

1E2283CF-4832-48A0-8E76-0100AE33ACDD-284

I had to do a little bit of grinding on the differential case and crossmember so the diff would fully insert into the crossmember.

1E2283CF-4832-48A0-8E76-0100AE33ACDD-284

I also harvested some snap-in stub shafts from a 1981 280ZX (R200) so I could use my stock U-joint shafts for a while. 

052FE9EF-6347-41E8-9CDA-3579F586A6F9-809

To mount the back side of the diff I ended up cutting the 240Z mustache bar and welding it up.  Here is the comparison between 510 (bottom) and first cut of the 240Z (top)

078A2D91-CEF1-4F8B-BB59-A9BE997560DC-809581F2F47-6FC5-484C-BF7B-7589109443CA-809

261754CD-C7FA-49CA-821B-1C77CB12D500-809

00759FD2-9F8C-4C11-951F-DDE535365E60-809

D47794FB-7ABD-4E3C-8D71-D77EB56A6E67-809

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Welding the spring steel mustache bar is not a good idea. What process did you use for the welding? Did you re-heat treat the bar? What filler metal did you use?

 

What you did is similar to welding on a leaf spring for an axle...given the stresses it will see, I would not be suprised to see it crack or break shortly after you start driving the car on this. Have you driven the car since the diff got installed?

 

If you have, I'd crawl under there and start checking for cracks; especially if you drive it hard enough to use the LSD functions.

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I'm a bit embarrassed to admit but I just used a MIG to weld it up.  I have very few miles on it so far no issues.  Also, I am using polyurethane cross-member bushings so the movement should hopefully be small compared to the stock bushings.  I will have to keep an eye on it next time I have the car off the ground.

 

This may be the excuse I need to get a purpose built mount later.

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Looks like a Subie R160 to me. That gearing is fine for a 300HP SR20, in a light car...will help get the turbo spooled up by loading the engine more. You'll appreciate having the extra torque with that gearing.

 

Not sure if I can think of an application that got an R180 with a viscous center, all the R180's i know of either are open diffs, clutch-types, or the subaru Torsen or clutch-type LSDs.

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