So I bought a front center diff with a Starion LSD a couple of years ago (off this forum). I finally got around to installing it or should I say attempting to install it. I broke a hub and had a brake caliper freeze up. While I had the Monty in the shop for these repairs I decide to upgrade to the front LSD. The pumpkin looks identical to the one that came out. Side by side on the garage floor they look exactly the same. However, the axles must be different because I can't get the axles to work. I gave up and put the old open diff back in. Has anyone run into this problem before? Is there an easy solution for next time? My Monty is an 89 V6 2 door. Did the LSD diff come from a different Monty? Thanks!

There were two Starion LSDs, one each for 7.5" ring gear and for 8" ring gear.

A slight correction: If I remember right, there were three Starion LSD's. One was the early version ( small ring gear). There were also two large ring gear units. The later takes the larger V6 CV's. The early one (from an 87 Starion) works with the 4cyl CV's.

It sounds like you have the early large ring gear LSD. This was the combo Big Blue came up with and ran with his V6 chevy powered Montero.

It held up to a stick and a big V6 just fine.

It was later figured out that you could run the V6 axles if you had the 88-89 Starion LSD.

I'm pretty sure it's an 8" ring gear. Like I said in the earlier post it appears to be the same size as the current diff. That sucks it wont work with my axles.

Starion Differential For Sale LOL.

Get a half shaft from a 2.6. The drivers side should fit (sometimes they are tight and compressing the circlip is a PITA). There are two starion diffs that fit in the front of the v6. I think 88 and older used the same spline count as the v6 on both sides. I think later models used a different spline count on the passenger side. Not sure I have the years correct but the rest of it is accurate.

I had an LSD in mine for awhile. At first, I couldn't get the either side to fit. The drivers side was just a matter of being tight with the new clip and was solved with a single solid whack from a dead blow. The passenger side needed the half shaft from a 4 cyl.

Count your splines on both sides and then on your cv and shaft. The only difference might be the passenger side. If you can't find a shaft let me know, I might have one kicking around the shop.

Oh, if it is the 4 cyl shaft, be sure to change the oil deals at the diff. The 4 cyl shaft is slightly smaller diameter.

HTH

Thanks everyone! You were right it had a different spline count on the passenger side. Makes me wonder why the Starion needed it this way.

There was a HP bump in the 88-89 Starions so the factory fitted stronger axles. Part of that was an increase in diameter and spline count.

I remember going to a you pull it yard and tearing a manual shift V6 montero to measure the splines and realizing the I could use the larger V6 axles if I used the later Starion rear diff. That probably would have been around 2001 or so.

Also, the V6 with the manual transmission used the largest CV's (on Gen 1's). If I remember right, the V6 auto's used the same size CV as the 4 cly but had different splines to the diff.

The extension shaft had a different bolt pattern on the auto V6. Its been 15 or so years since the group of us worked this out, so my memory is a bit fuzzy.

A search under my name, Bigblue, Viclee and a few others might help.

Old Link

Axle info

The CVs are the same between the 2.6 and 3.0. The difference is the halfshaft. Bolt pattern is identical but the spline count and diameter are different. The seal you'll need to change is the differential seal. Otherwise it all bolts up easily.

Good luck!

On the half shaft there are two bolt patterns, one for the V6 manual trans the other is the V6 auto and the 4 cyl.

For the small spine diff, just use the 4 cyl half shaft and CV's.

Ahh, manual is different? Good to know!