Mrp Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 #474 3,600 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 #475 Neil, yes, the diff seems to work reasonably well in the less powerful models; I may be wrong but most of the low mileage failures have been with 420s and if they're the 220bhp version with a 6 speed box a tank of fuel seems to have better longevity than the Titan......I understand that the RRT oil has a high level of friction modifiers to allow the sintered plates to slip quietly when they need to. It's no 'thicker' than CC have ever recommended and is considerably 'thinner' than their current recommendation, 75/140. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 #475 Neil, yes, the diff seems to work reasonably well in the less powerful models; I may be wrong but most of the low mileage failures have been with 420s and if they're the 220bhp version with a 6 speed box a tank of fuel seems to have better longevity than the Titan......I understand that the RRT oil has a high level of friction modifiers to allow the sintered plates to slip quietly when they need to. It's no 'thicker' than CC have ever recommended and is considerably 'thinner' than their current recommendation, 75/140. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 So for reference, my 420R, is now one year old, sintered plates, has lost no preload in 2000 miles (not as many as I had hoped) and one Trackday (also not as many as I had hoped). It's quite now my gearbox is no longer hitting the chassis, and I have RRT oil. The only noise I get from my diff is when the RPM drops below 1500 and you start to get driveline shunt, which I suspect is more to do with mapping that the diff. Personally happy with my sintered plated BMW Titan diff. I am planning no further diff changes apart from a magnetic titanium BMW specific diff fill plug to be delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 Good for you Chris. All I would add is, as someone once famously said "Don't think it won't happen just because it hasn't happened yet....." I don't think anyone's yet had a problem at only 2000 miles in any case, but who knows, maybe the newer ones were built properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GulfSeven Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 So why isnt this RRT oil used from new? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 The guy posting in the Caterham section of Pistonheads has fitted the aluminium gearbox spacer to his '18 420 but it hasn't stopped the 'banging and clattering' (his words). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 I can't help other cars, only the noise I was diagnosing on my car. For reference this is my cars noise that was resolved with the spacer, and was diagnosed in PDC as TADS diff noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Hi AllI would like some first hand experience.I have a 420R, 6 speed, LSD (BMW, Titan). I am thoroughly fed up with the racket the diff makes. With the windscreen in place rather than aero, it is a dominant noise in the car and does ruin the drive. Whining, banging and the overrun noise is shocking.I had an SLR with LSD before the 420R and it was silent... No diff issues at all in 30K miles. I used to track and Sprint that car.So, I am interested in some first hand feedback from anyone who has changed to Tracsport Ultra Sierra 7'' LSD. Is it any good? Quiet? Have a reasonable life span? If not the Tracsport, then maybe another alternative. But I need to get this upgraded ASAP. The Tracsport does seem good value if it does what it says on the tin.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john hooper Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I have now done about 500 miles on my new Tracksport Diff installed in a new BMW open Dif.It is performing well so far with no banging in 620s with 347bhp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 #484 I think I was the first to have the Tracsport LSD in a BMW housing just 12 months ago. Since then SPC have sold all they can build. It's early days to talk of reliability but after about 1500 miles I'm pleased with mine. Silent, no clunking or banging and great drive out of all kinds of corner. The only noise I now have is the light chatter of the CWP on transition from power on to overrun and the usual 6 speed gear noise on overrun, neither of which are particularly intrusive.I am aware of others who have done similar mileages with the same results. I don't know of anyone who isn't happy or regrets the change.In terms of reliability, whilst it's early days the Sierra version has been out for many years with very good results. The BMW version is the same design, just slightly different in size and made to fit the BMW CWP of course. As an aside how old was your SLR? Which LSD assembly did it have, how much power? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I had my SLR from new, about 1998 I think. I really couldn't tell you the diff components. With Emerald, it was about 205 BHP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 So it wouldn't have had the BMW assembly for sure nor a Titan LSD, so perhaps there's a clue as to why it was better than your 420. You could try the RRT oil first, it might help being super slippery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon.Rogers Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 It would have been the Ford diff and it would have had the ZF LSD.I have had that spec LSD. Gripper and since 2017 the Tracsport. I have driven Titan cars also.It is by far the quietest and easiest to drive with greater torque capacity.We are in the middle of offering an exchange service. where owners can buy a completed unit to drop into their car at the same point as removal. Then send the old diff back to us ready to build up for the next customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Thanks for the clarification Simon. I see from posts elsewhere that at least one club member now has about 5k miles on his SPC BMW, in a 420, no issues or loss of preload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant_7 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I will second ScottR400D's post (#486) as that completely replicates my experience.420R with 6 speed, Titan LSD -> Tracsport Lsd. @ScottR400D - your mention of 6 speed noise matches exactly mine; a whining on overrun or light throttle in 6th and 6th only. Replicate in other gears and it's silent. I assume this is a 6th gear thing, what with 6th being the 1:1 ratio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Grant, I guess you're right though I thought 1:1 was usually the quietest ratio. But certainly on overrun there's some gear/transmission whine only noticeable in 6th. It's not too bad though and easily avoided, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GulfSeven Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Are we saying that overrun noise isn't LSD?My 2020 310R whines on overrun quite a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 There was a lot of overrun noise from the Titan I had for a short time with sintered plates. A pretty unpleasant grating/whine. It also made other nasty noises when cornering slowly. I did have a sound file of it, I'll try to find it. The noise from the gearbox isn't significant, in comparison. It's just that it can be heard more in 6th than other gears. Nothing I wouldn't expect really. A new 310 will have a 5 speed Mazda box, so it's fairly certain that any unacceptable overrun transmission noise is diff based unless you count the box banging on the chassis! The SPC diff assembly doesn't make any undue noise under any conditions that I'm aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 https://www.dropbox.com/s/k7cgjiv2rlj0z3k/34%20Market%20Place.m4a?dl=0 Try this, might need to be copied and pasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel B Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 #490 I think Peter might be referring to a recent post of mine.It prompted me to look back at invoices & MOTs. I didn't make a note of the exact mileage when I fitted the Tracsport last year, but going from an invoice from a fortnight before, when I had the front tracking adjusted, I've covered 4,577 miles since then & the Tracsport is no noisier than when it was first fitted.I'm very pleased I made the decision to fit one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I was indeed Nigel, but don't like to name people unless I'm sure it's OK. I saw your post on PH. My cars still with son, he's making noises about bringing it back in August, hasn't been able to get out much because of the weather! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel B Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 No problem Peter!Thinking about it, the mileage I've covered with the Tracsport means the car has covered more miles with the Tracsport than it had when I first realised the Titan had zero pre load. The noise from the Titan dominated the experience of driving the car, completely drowning out the engine & exhaust sounds at times, whereas the Tracsport sounds about as close to silent as any diff I've experienced in a Caterham. I hope your son is enjoying your car (when the weather permits!) & it's not TOO long until you get it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I'm going over there in a couple of weeks, Nigel. He's promised to treat me to breakfast at 'Caffeine and Machine', which is the least he could offer I think!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel B Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 That sounds like a great offer! I quite fancy popping in there myself some time. It's a bit of a jaunt from Edinburgh, but I do sometimes find myself on the M40 on trips to visit my mother in law, so you never know! Enjoy the visit, they always seem to have an interesting selection of machinery parked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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