When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks. I have other problem. My GS 450h is from the USA. I need to buy a new diff, because mine is making noise. I live in Europe and in my market only differentials from European versions are available.
GWS191L-BEXQHA 02/2006-08/2007 GWS191 USA
41110-50230 *FGR=49:13=3.769
Wow I never knew there was a 3.266 diff for the 3rd gen. On the other hand I might think of trying to get a 3.266 and equip it with a cusco lsd for my gs460. Its not a huge change like going for a 3.769 from the 2.94. This seems like the ideal ratio in my opinion.
I know, old thread. The NA Market GSh has a 3.769 diff. The European Market has the 3.266 (same as the old GS400/GS430).
I have actually wanted to experiment with the 3.27's in my GSh just to see if mpg improves any. I do mostly only highway commuting and I have averaged 26.2 mpg since the day I got the car right about 30k miles ago, 100% fuel used in the car has been accurately tracked. No complaints on mpg for sure.
Originally Posted by petershen
This is something I may try at some point. I believe our GS450h has the 3.266 final drive. An option is to try the GS350's 3.769. I'll update again if I can get it to work.
I know, old thread. The NA Market GSh has a 3.769 diff. The European Market has the 3.266 (same as the old GS400/GS430).
I have actually wanted to experiment with the 3.27's in my GSh just to see if mpg improves any. I do mostly only highway commuting and I have averaged 26.2 mpg since the day I got the car right about 30k miles ago, 100% fuel used in the car has been accurately tracked. No complaints on mpg for sure.
Well I must say now that I've put in the 3.769, I really enjoy it so much better than the 3.266... I think the fuel economy is actually better with 3.769, since MG1 and MG2 spin slightly faster, and I'm able to maintain pure electric mode slightly longer, e.g. the long stretch of school zone near my daughter's school. With the 3.266 the engine would kick in sooner. Overall the car just feels like it was designed for 3.769. The battery seems to charge faster as well.
Downsides? Well.. what I think you will trade off is top speed/very high speed cruising above 100mph, which may be important to our GS450h friends in Europe who have unrestricted roads.
Unrestricted roads are practically present only in Germany, not everywhere and... it only hurts top speed runs - maybe 240/250kph instead of ~275-ish. Everything else should be improved, other than the engine being forced on at lower speeds - potentially hurting economy there, but it'll have to be tested. Shouldn't be much different in my use case. Best solution would be getting an LS/LC500h drivetrain without all those restrictions, but alas...
Assuming 267kph with 3.266:
3.266/3.769 = ~0.8665
*267 = ~231kph
If that's not enough, then stay with the 3.266, I guess. I just did this mod and... holy **** why are they not putting the 3.769 everywhere
Following numbers are according to the cluster speedo:
Upshift happens at around 80kph (when not at full throttle).
Downshift happens at ~45kph (when not in S-mode).
No perceptible throttling going uphill from ~50kph with MG2 in "high" gear in ~15deg. celsius weather - the inverter temperatures do go to around ~125C, but it is way, WAY better than the sustained 130+ and throttling with the 3.266. Still looking into plugging in the ls600h inverter down the line for added peace of mind but this seriously improves things
Maximum EV speed (i.e. engine off speed) is 60kph (~56kph effective according to GPS, stock wheels & tyre size). This is probably the biggest disadvantage if you drive a lot in the 60-70kph region.
Anyways, I now have a spare 3.266 diff to take apart and measure for potential torsen applications... veeeery sooon
If you're getting a Torsen from a breaker, good on you. Don't buy one from Lexus. They want way too much money for them. If it were me, I'd drop the coin on an OS Giken TCD - I have this in my IS F and it made me want to buy one for my Supra (which has a Torsen) because it's so unbelievably good.
What is the code for the differential on the VIN sticker behind the driver's door? That will help immensely in finding a suitable Torsen.
Last edited by lobuxracer; Nov 8, 2021 at 03:44 PM.
The only way I'm getting a Toyota torsen is if I find an OEM jza80/vertex/etc unit, along with modified axles (removing the ABS ring). I think I'd read of a way to swap in an MA70 unit in, but I haven't read through that completely.
Re: the diff - it's the same diff "chassis" as the IS350/GS430/etc. AFAIK no OEM torsens are available for these diffs - it's either the Giken, other clutch packs which I dare not touch, or potentially the Quaife qdf26e according to some reports here. The thing about the quaife is that the dimensions are available.
Re: whether OEM torsens will fit - yes. Option one - as mentioned,the old-style diffs (JZA80/etc - with bolt-on driveshafts) do fit. Option two - IS/GS/RC-F, LS460, newer GS350/etc diffs which top out around... 3.133, I believe. Option three - swap out the subframe for a GS300 one, put in an IS250/GT86/BRZ torsen (the prop shaft coupling can be swapped to accept the "big" prop shaft type that Toyota uses on anything bigger than a 2JZ-GTE or a 1UZ-FE - all V8s, all 2GRs).
You realize there are significant differences in the JZA80 differentials? Only the GTE manual had the big spool/gearset. The rest all had the smaller diameter spool, and many of these were open diffs. Certainly in all the automatics coming to the US this was true and lamented extensively back in the days when they were available new. That's why I asked about the code on the VIN sticker. You can figure out exactly what you have from it. There are larger and smaller spools, open/limited slip, and various ratios. It's possible to sort through this with EPC, but it will take a stupid long time. With the diff code, you can figure out really quickly which model has a spool you can use. And, yes, there were 2IS from the factory with a Torsen spool beside the 2010 and later IS F.
See example below - B06A is the code for the differential, A760E is the transmission. No, this is not my car - anymore.
Last edited by lobuxracer; Nov 8, 2021 at 05:46 PM.
Axle code is B02A. The IS300's axle code is also B02A, but it has the "small diff".
My old (stock EU) differential is #41110-30A90, the diff "code" is F21SF. Ring gear size - 205mm. Only used in the JDM-only Crown Hybrid GWS204, EU/World-spec GS450h, IS220d (a.k.a. avensis t25 rwd-spec). The EU-spec GS430 is also an F21SF, but the ring gear size is 208mm. @petershen Funnily enough, the case is finned - looks just like an IS-F/etc diff on the outside, as far as I can tell.
The carrier assy (the "spool", both in my old and new diffs) is #41301-50030 (substitute 41301-50031) - the same across basically all 2GR/3UZ-equipped models that have a 6-speed auto - i.e. excluding the ones with bolt-on driveshafts (early LS430, for example), and newer 8spd IS/GS350s... and the AWD version of the 500h (only the hybrid). Funnily enough, also used on the ls600h(l), v12 (& hybrid v8/ls600h) century and the 2nd gen GS 2JZ (& aristo - GTE) models. Torsens for 2GR applications (at the rear diff, not in the transfer case) only started appearing on F-Sport cars post 2015, to my knowledge. None of the assemblies are as "short" as 3.769, to my knowledge.
Also, the rear subframe from the 2IS applies to all models in all markets along with a range of other Toyota/Lexus options. This means the diff from any of these models will bolt into the subframe on any of these models. There might be axle problems (or not) and there might be driveshaft problems (or not), but fitting the differential case is guaranteed.
In the IS F forums, we've had owners install RC F differentials with the Torsen option as well. So, this isn't even a comprehensive list, just an unquestionably guaranteed fit list.
