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Originally Posted by epiphone3
I do know how diffs work. I am a mechanical engineer and I made a LSD final drive system for my design project in University... thanks for the link though.
So the definition of EDL, by BMW, is:
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL).
The Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) applies brake force with the utmost precision to a rotating drive wheel up to a certain speed and then transfers the torque to the other wheel. An additional hydraulic pump is responsible for this transferral: if a pre-determined torque value for the wheels is exceeded, the pressure is rerouted via a magnetic valve to a faster-turning wheel, thereby braking it.
An open-diff works like this: if a wheel starts to slip (i.e. spin faster), the natural tendancy for the open-diff is to send more power to this wheel.
Moving forward, the EDL will slow that faster spinning wheel thus causing the open-diff to send more power to the wheel with grip.
An LSD will allow on wheel to slip a certain amount before transferring, typically up to 25% of the engine's torque, to the wheel with grip.
There is also the 100% M-differential found in the current M3. The M-differenatial is not a conventional LSD as it is essentially a clutch pack that can transfer power side-to-side. This one is so flexible that it can transfer up to 100% of the engine's torque to one wheel, unlike the typical LSD that can only transfer approx. 25%.
To me, the LSD that BMW would possibly put in the 335i, that is, a 25% LSD is basically six in one and a half dozen in the other when compared to the open-diff with EDL.
This is what I was trying to get at. While the open diff is technically open, all it does, really, is use a different method to transfer power than the complicated gear systems found in 25% LSDs. It seems simpler and, for the most part, as effective as a 25% LSD and cheaper (i.e. keep car cost down to allow lower price).
Correct me if I am wrong.
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So once again, if you scroll up a few posts to my last thread, the main question I have is would it be disadvantageous to switch out the stock diff to a performance open diff? I am interested in having the lower gearing.