Does your E30 have a Limited Slip Differential? (LSD)

[Mr. Burns]

stolen from another forum...but thought it as to be a good reference for some.
*mods move to appropriate sub forum if required


U.S. E30s:

318i/is

1984-1985 - 3.64 (84 open for Auto)
1991 - 4.10 (Manual)



318ic

1991-1992 - 4.27 (Manual w/ LSD option)


325

1988 - 2.93


325e/es

1984 - 1985 - 2.79 w/ LSD option
1986 - 1987 - 2.93 (es = LSD)


325i/is/ic

1987 - 1988 - 3.73 (is = LSD)
1988 - 3.73 (Automatic; iS = LSD)
1989 - 1993 - 3.73 (Manual; is = LSD)
1989 - 1992 - 4.10 (Automatic; is = LSD)


325iX

1988 - 3.91
1989 - 1991 - 3.91 (Manual)
1989 - 1991 - 4.10 (Automatic)



M3

1988 - 1991 - 4.10
1988 - 1991 - 4.45 (rare)


325i Touring

3.91 (LSD = option)

[JasonC]

Moved and also I got to question this. I have a 92 325ic with an automatic and 4.10 gears. Its not a posi and it never came with a posi like this here is saying.

[Mr. Burns]

Does your E30 have a Limited Slip Differential? (LSD)

I was wondering myself whether I had a LSD myself and chose to apply some real world schooling....


Yes I do.
325ic vert.

[Mr. Burns]

Moved and also I got to question this. I have a 92 325ic with an automatic and 4.10 gears. Its not a posi and it never came with a posi like this here is saying.

I got info from e30tech admin. Figured it's fairly accurate, but I'm sure there is plenty of room for discussion...

[Sea Aych]

When i bought mine before the manual swap, it was an auto '89 325i, but had the 4.10LSD in the back. Granted, it was very tired, but still had the "S" tag.
Was this a factory option with some sort of package (for the non-is cars) or was it done by a PO?

[Coupelx]

My 86 e has LSD. Its a pretty basic model and I don't believe the diff has ever been replaced.

[Wschnitz]

LSD's in E30s are weird, My 89 325i had an open 3.73, my 87 vert had a 3.73 LSD.

[TurboJake]

They were an individual option for all of them. Every single E30 could be ordered with one (if ordering from the factory, of course). I have a 3.64LSD from an '83 316i on mine. But if you have an eS/iS/M3. They were part of the package.

*shrug*

[Mr. Burns]

Is there way to tell from the vin alone?

Verts really seem to be hit and miss. Friends vert has open diff on his 325ic, whereas mine came LSD.
Out of the box open? LSD optional?

[Swanny]

Vin decoder perhaps? http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html

[TurboJake]

Is there way to tell from the vin alone?

Verts really seem to be hit and miss. Friends vert has open diff on his 325ic, whereas mine came LSD.
Out of the box open? LSD optional?

It isn't in the VIN itself, but as long as the lookup retrieves the dealer records, yep. The link Swanny gave does. Just looked myself.

The 25% lockup LSD is code S209A

[AwakenNoMore]

I have dumpy 4.10 LSD. It's really worn out though. Not looking to running 4.10 with a manual for daily driving lol.

[AndrewBird]

My 91 318iS had an open 4.10. So just because it is an iS, doesn't mean it has an LSD, they were still an option.

[spdracrm3]

also the IX Diff's are not true LSD ,they are a viscous coupling lock-up diff (ie the amount of lock depends on the amount of slip) due to the affect of the VC fluid dynamics

[TurboJake]

My 91 318iS had an open 4.10. So just because it is an iS, doesn't mean it has an LSD, they were still an option.

The 318is was the only one it was an option on the sport package cars. If its a 325es/is, it was standard.

I always forget about the 318is.