For a week or so I've noticed that the car *sometimes* feels like it's got a welded diff during slow, typically tight turns. I just put Tein S springs on the car and thought something up frong was rubbing...

Yesterday it did it again as I was turning left into a parking spot but this time I had passengers. They hopped out and noted that the rear left tire was trying to rotate faster. Seems to me that the rear diff may be locking up but another friend assures me he saw a car act similarly when it had issues with the center diff. Does this make sense?

18k miles on the stock original clutch. I obviously don't baby the car, but how friggin' hard could I possibly be on it? I'm not terribly happy.

 

That is weird. Its very rare a rear diff goes out on the Evo. Jack up the rear of the car and rotate on tire, the other one should go the opposite way. If you get any noises or it doesnt rotate smoothly, then most likely the rear diff may be broken.Have u changed the rear diff fluids? I see u have 18k and if you havent i recomend u change it asap! Do the same to the front tires , to see if it may be your front diff. While you are at it, change the tc and all the fluids, use diaqueen for the tc and rear diff

 

Does sound like a rear diff though, right? I'm going to tinker with it some tonight, just didn't have the time last night.

Actually no, I haven't changed the drivetrain fluids as I was hoping to around 15k but didn't actually expect any issues. I thought I'd be over maintaining the car... I'm finding posts where frequent fluid changes are recommended, what gives?

 

it isnt that unheard of with the mr's, they had a slight prob with not have the correct fluid in it, mitsu's quick fix was adding a friction modifier to the fluid AFTER changing it. but if it persisted, they replaced the diff. but on a 04 gsr it is kinda weird to have it going out so soon. keep us posted if you find the prob

 

mine does the same thing and has been doing it for a while. It makes like a grumbling metal noise turning left slowly

 

Change all the fluids first to see if it helps, then we'll go from there

 

Looks like the center diff is shot. We lifted the front and could turn the tires individually while the opposing tire spun opposite, but we could not break the resistance and rotate them in unison. Jon at TRE assured me that it's likely a fluke, luck (the bad kind) of the draw so maybe I'll stop thinking of unloading the car... Just makes the Supra that much more appealing.

 

did you lift all four wheels? and did you put into gear and spin it?

 

No, but I had Jon Ripple on the phone and did just as he suggested. With the rear tires on the ground and the vehicle in neutral it's my understanding that you can rotate both front tires in the same direction although there will be resistance... With me and someone else holding a spoke on opposing rims and pulling with all we had we couldn't budge it.

 

with awd drive, it has been my understanding that you should only try to spin the wheel like that only if all four are off the ground, goes into the same principle as towing and awd, you dont tow with just two wheels off the ground, you will trash the diffs. but hey i could be wrong in that. my 2 cents worth

 

I might have caused further damage had I spun the tires for miles at highway speeds by hand but according to a guy that builds and modifies DSM and EVO trannies ( http://www.teamrip.com ) this is how you diagnose the center diff is the issue -

"[Jon Ripple]

Does your car have the ACD? If not check the differentials.

Check front diff by jacking up only the front of the car. Rotate the left front wheel. The right front should do everything the same (in the opposite direction) without binding or locking up.

Check center diff by grabbing both front tires and forcing them to rotate the same direction while the car is in neutral and the rear tires are on the ground.

Check the rear by jacking up only the rear of the car. Rotate the left rear wheel. The right rear should do everything the same (in the opposite direction) without binding or locking up."

 

When I picked up my car brand new it had a faulty rear diff. Whenever I made a turn, (more turn, the worse it was) the car woudl jolt and try to come to a stop. I took it back to Mitsu and they replaced the entire thing and everything has been fine since!

BTW, outside wheel SHOULD be turning faster, inside slower. The outside wheel is going around a larger diameter turn than the inside. If they both went the same speed it would do what my car did which was incorrect.