Diff' identification? help needed please.
Discussion
I seem to be going around in circles at present. Can someone please help with identifying the diff' in my 2000 450 Chimaera?
It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
Hi,
if you have the manual I think you have, then all the references to the differentials is basically all to cock. Where the manual states BTR replace with GKN. Where the manual states Hydro track replace with BTR. Griffiths and Chimaeras up to 1996 (approx) were fitted with a GKN diff. After which they were fitted with a BTR diff, the hydratack was an option but still produced by BTR. I would use the oil as indicated on the lubricant tag 80w/140id.
ozstyle
if you have the manual I think you have, then all the references to the differentials is basically all to cock. Where the manual states BTR replace with GKN. Where the manual states Hydro track replace with BTR. Griffiths and Chimaeras up to 1996 (approx) were fitted with a GKN diff. After which they were fitted with a BTR diff, the hydratack was an option but still produced by BTR. I would use the oil as indicated on the lubricant tag 80w/140id.
ozstyle
Yep. Very few hydratraks were fitted to Griff/Chimaeras. They are the exception rather than the rule. Some earlier TVRs did come with a non slip diff but the Griffi and Chimpari all came with LSD as standard. As ozstyle said, GKN upto about 96 ish and then BTR from then on. You can identify the GKN/BTR from the fin pattern on the rear casing.
Easy way to spot mine's a BTR diff, is that it has BTR written on the base 
( easy if it's on a ramp)
Apparantly their is a difference between a Hydratrack and not, on the sprocketted wheel (used for the speedo transducer), but without comparing the two side by side, I don't know what it is. My Tuscan Hydratrack only has the sprocketted wheel on the passenger side, whereas my 2001 Chim diff has one on either side and the transducer on the drivers side. There is a metal label on the Chim diff ,but unable to read it..I guess its not a hydratrack. I think both casings say M80.
( easy if it's on a ramp)Apparantly their is a difference between a Hydratrack and not, on the sprocketted wheel (used for the speedo transducer), but without comparing the two side by side, I don't know what it is. My Tuscan Hydratrack only has the sprocketted wheel on the passenger side, whereas my 2001 Chim diff has one on either side and the transducer on the drivers side. There is a metal label on the Chim diff ,but unable to read it..I guess its not a hydratrack. I think both casings say M80.
When I was looking at buying my car, I agonised over the specification that I wanted. So, I phoned the TVR factory.
I asked what the difference was between a Hydro-Trac and the standard diff, was it worth hunting for one with a Hydro-Trac or not?
The person at the factory said that some other models had been fitted with Hydro-Trac. Since they had them in stock, it had been decided to offer them as an option on the Griff and Chimp.
However, it wasn’t worth my time trying to find one. The exact number of Griffs and Chimps that had been built with the optional Hydro-Trac was zero. It was the option nobody ever ordered.
Unless someone has retro-fitted a Hydro-Trac then you don’t have one.
I asked what the difference was between a Hydro-Trac and the standard diff, was it worth hunting for one with a Hydro-Trac or not?
The person at the factory said that some other models had been fitted with Hydro-Trac. Since they had them in stock, it had been decided to offer them as an option on the Griff and Chimp.
However, it wasn’t worth my time trying to find one. The exact number of Griffs and Chimps that had been built with the optional Hydro-Trac was zero. It was the option nobody ever ordered.
Unless someone has retro-fitted a Hydro-Trac then you don’t have one.
Uncle Fester said:
The exact number of Griffs and Chimps that had been built with the optional Hydro-Trac was zero. It was the option nobody ever ordered.
Unless someone has retro-fitted a Hydro-Trac then you don’t have one.
My dad had a 1995 Macau yellow Griff which he purchased in 1996, it had every option apart from aircon, including the Hydro-Trac diff. When speaking with Fernhurst when buying my Chim they said his Griff sounded unusual as it also had the ali dash which apparently wasn't an option at the time?Unless someone has retro-fitted a Hydro-Trac then you don’t have one.
the man said:
Hydratrack diffs have a shallow grove machined into the driveshaft flanges to identify them. (where the driveshaft bolts onto the diff)
Ahh, is it a single shallow groove on each? I seem to have something like. Is this the only way to tell? Surely there must be something more definate or all but the most knowledgeable of mechanics could put the wrong oil in. Actually just looked at 'gloworm's piccies [cheers bloke] and noticed under the crud that he has simliar grooves to mine. Are these the groove you speak of?
Edited by macdeb on Wednesday 4th February 20:19
Yup, same groove, same tag. Any good 'the man'? Am I correct then in assuming that the 'normal' LSD, BTR diff' has same casing as 'hydratrak' BTR diff' and the only way of telling is a groove on the drive shaft? Surely there must be something else or severe mistakes could be made when 12k service comes around.
Edited by macdeb on Friday 6th February 09:14
Where's "the man" when you want him????
Anyway I've just had it confirmed that the groove means its a HYDRATRACK... what a result and I didn't know I had a £400 extra...Apparantly it was common practice for TVR employees to fit an improvement if that was the only thing available... and the customer got an upgrade for free..... brilliant... Thanks "The Man" and Paul Forrest (X-Works)
Anyway I've just had it confirmed that the groove means its a HYDRATRACK... what a result and I didn't know I had a £400 extra...Apparantly it was common practice for TVR employees to fit an improvement if that was the only thing available... and the customer got an upgrade for free..... brilliant... Thanks "The Man" and Paul Forrest (X-Works)
macdeb said:
I seem to be going around in circles at present. Can someone please help with identifying the diff' in my 2000 450 Chimaera?
It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
If you email me I will put you in touch with the cog man from one of the brit teams who's family are the main importers of BTR he is also very acquainted with Quaife. He will answer your questions.It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
T450t said:
macdeb said:
I seem to be going around in circles at present. Can someone please help with identifying the diff' in my 2000 450 Chimaera?
It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
If you email me I will put you in touch with the cog man from one of the brit teams who's family are the main importers of BTR he is also very acquainted with Quaife. He will answer your questions.It has BTR automotive on rear casing, the drain plug is on rear casing, the filler plug is half way up on offside. On the plug is a metal tag and printed on it is; 'LSD High Performance use correct grade oil'. A service manual that I have suggests it may be a 'hydratrak'. I know this would be rare but it was an option. I have doubts so spoke to the guy who wrote the service manual and he's quite adamant that it is a hydratrak. But he also said that TVR's were not all fitted with a LSD anyway. hmmmmm? On the identification plate under bonnet it says use oil; 80W/140id of which in the manual says it's hydratrak [though spelt hydro trac]. I'm really confused, can someone help? ta.
Just read through some searches and found one that said there was a white sticker on the diff' that said it was 'Hydratrak'. Not sure if it was a wind up or not but would like a definative answer. Seems the more I read, the more confusing it gets.
Edited by macdeb on Sunday 8th February 12:39
A LSD shouldnt allow any of the rear(driven) wheels to freewheel easily (subject to setting in the diff).
If you jack one wheel up with the gearbox in neutral, (handbrake off so chock the front) without a lsd it should be possible to rotate the lifted wheel. If not and the brakes arent binding then the LSD may be fitted preventing the movement.
Jack both wheels up and if you rotate one the other should move in the same direction if its fitted with LSD, if its a free diff the other wheel may rotate the opposite way.
Its a long long long (over 10years) time since I played with a LSD diff in this way and I dont have one to hand to try so I may have incorrect faded memory.
If you jack one wheel up with the gearbox in neutral, (handbrake off so chock the front) without a lsd it should be possible to rotate the lifted wheel. If not and the brakes arent binding then the LSD may be fitted preventing the movement.
Jack both wheels up and if you rotate one the other should move in the same direction if its fitted with LSD, if its a free diff the other wheel may rotate the opposite way.
Its a long long long (over 10years) time since I played with a LSD diff in this way and I dont have one to hand to try so I may have incorrect faded memory.
macdeb said:
Just read through some searches and found one that said there was a white sticker on the diff' that said it was 'Hydratrak'. Not sure if it was a wind up or not but would like a definative answer. Seems the more I read, the more confusing it gets.
We definitely have HYDRATRACKs on our Chims... my Tuscan 2 has a Hydratrack diff aswell... that does have a white label, but I guess in time they drop off (or weren't put on in 2001). It's all in the GROOVE.Edited by macdeb on Sunday 8th February 12:39
Ahh, but, without deliberately trying to confuse the issue, I've just looked at S.Heaths 1st edition [bible] and on page 104 there is a picture of a GKN diff' and you can clearly see a groove on the drive shaft flange. [???] Think we need pictures of Diffs without grooves [are you still here 'the man']? PICTURES OF BOTH PURLEEEEZ?
PS; fredd1e, did that already and both wheels move same direction, cheers though, oh, and nice car bloke.
PS; fredd1e, did that already and both wheels move same direction, cheers though, oh, and nice car bloke.
Edited by macdeb on Sunday 8th February 18:02
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