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Hello There

I have just removed the dash and front carpet from my mariner blue NA with a view to transplanting to a recently acquired red NA. I will soon be removing the dash from the red car (would've had to have done this anyway to find / fix a rattle) and will also be lifting the carpet to see what it looks like under there. While she is in this state of semi disrobement I am wondering what else I should take the opportunity to do.

Apart from the rattle noted above, there is a speed-related whir-grind (it gets louder and faster as the car accelerates from standstill) which seems to be coming from behind the instrument cluster / right vent. Most noticeable first thing in the morning. I'm not sure whether it actually disappears or whether I just stop noticing it with the other cabin noise. From what I have read this is probably the speedo cable, so I will put this on the list. Even if it isn't the root cause of the problem it would probably be useful preventative maintenance.

Was also thinking of installing some dynamat or similar.

As my untrained eye looks at my denuded blue car there doesn't appear to be much else to consider. Having never done anything like this before I am actually quite surprised how basic and workable the whole thing is.

Anyway, if you were in my position are there other tasks you would suggest, be they maintenance or mod?

Cheers

Billy

The dash and carpet from the blue car...


The dash looks to be in pretty good nick, though a little surface rust on the metal substructure...



I have always liked the sense of beinig able to reach into the past. This one is for posterity..


The denuded blue. Doesn't look like there is much else you could do.


Bonus... ching ching... recovered from the handbrake carpet slot. Will fund speedo cable

Work on the dash and insides could be worth doing, like refreshing the climate control channels and perhaps refreshing the metal dash support as described here: http://revlimiter.net/blog/2011/08/miat ... n-project/

Pull out the eyeball vents and give them all a clean too.

Clean the ground contacts.

You'll love the non squeaky dash when you've done up all those screws and bolts again... for the few weeks they stay that tight!

I haven't used dynamat before so can't give any hints about that. When I last did a dash and carpet swap I removed all the stock sound insulation and went with just the carpet... it is a noisy environment anyway, I don't think the stock stuff does much, but dynamat is probably more noticeable. Consider though that it is heavy stuff, and we're all weight weenies generally when it comes to that!

What Slug said.
Try and clean out the vents in the dash and the heater core thing. I just gave mine a vacuum out and Glen 20-ed the crap out of it. I actually stripped the dash and washed the pipework attached to the dash in the sink to get rid of 20 years of dust. I wish I did the same for the heater core thing.
Maybe consider pressure washing your carpet if you're reusing it?

slug_dub wrote:...refreshing the climate control channels and perhaps refreshing the metal dash support as described here: http://revlimiter.net/blog/2011/08/miat ... n-project/

Thanks. Inspired am I. Will have a go.

slug_dub wrote:Pull out the eyeball vents and give them all a clean too.

Doneski

slug_dub wrote:Clean the ground contacts.

What you talkin' about, Willis?

slug_dub wrote:...(dynamat) is heavy stuff, and we're all weight weenies

I will lose five kilos to compensate.

Thanks for the advice.

On one side (or is it both sides?) of the dash there is a ground strap contact point (you'd have undone them to get the dash out). Just suggesting to give them a little scuffing to keep the contact good when you put it back together.

smy0003 wrote:... (clean) the heater core thing... consider pressure washing your carpet if you're reusing it?

The heater core is the white box at the top of the transmission tunnel, right (as per above pic of blue car)? It looks as if it would be difficult to get out. Yes, I will be cleaning and transplanting the blue carpet into the red.

May as well vacuum out any trapped leaves in the fan blower unit too. Maybe try water resisting the ECU somehow, gasket silicone on the cover plate?

Depending if your heater core is original or if it has been replaced at some stage I would replace the rubber hoses (if any) to it on the cabin side of the fire wall.

Also consider replacing all of the foam on the flaps inside the heater case. It will noticbly reduce footwell temps.

Check the accelerator pedal bracket for cracks and get it welded / reinforced.
http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=38284

Thanks, Rolley. Will do.

BlackLeaf wrote:(would've had to have done this anyway to find / fix a rattle)

Re dash rattle, lots of good info in following:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=26420

93_Clubman wrote:Re dash rattle, lots of good info in following: http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=26420

Thanks, will have a look, after I sit down and have a beer and tell myself that I haven't just gone and dug a hole I can't get out of!

If worse comes to worse I can probably adapt the metal frame as a set of handle bars for my pushie. BTW, found the ground contacts previously referred to. Couldn't get the buggers off and was starting to ruin the screw heads. Will have to work around that. Upside is I can't stuff up which way the loom goes back on.

Since you have shovel in hand why not dig deeper and remove a pillar trim and check for rust tracking down a pillars. A shot of fish oil or sw2 or the like in and around the firewall/a pillar area could help.

having easy access to the carpet I would take the opportunity to refurbish it. It can be sprayed with carpet die. That job would be very hard in the car. If the dash needs re spraying thats also possible. You can get info on doing it. You can spray on sound deadener if that is a priority.

Regarding the Dynamat:

As said earlier, Dynamat is quite heavy.

To make it 50% lighter, halve your cost, and make it easier to install, cut it into small squares and apply it in a checkerboard pattern (ie. alternate between bare metal and a Dynamat square). This has the same effect as applying a full layer of Dynamat.

If it is the original heater core, or it might be the original, replace it. These can and do fail, and replacing it now may save time, money and a whole truckload of inconvenience down the track.