mx5cartalk.com

i think you are referring to the \"short nose crank\" problem.. i personally dont know much about it but see here

http://www.miata.net/garage/crankshaft.html

i think the problem was corrected mid 91 as i have a December 91 and i dont have the short nose crank

Cheers
Ajay

I bought my car as in import and the problem occured to me. My car is a 90 model.

If it is a \"short nose crank\" it is possible the problem will occur. It only happens if you stuff up the reassembly when changing the front main seal.

Easy way to tell a short nose from a long nose (which is different to a big nose) is to count the numbers of holes on the pulley (the crank pulley: central and down the bottom). If it has 4 holes (89-mid 91) you have the short nose. If it has 8 holes (mid 91-late 93) you have a long nose. The later model 1.6L engines (which never came out here in Aus) had big nose cranks IIRC.

Boags

Meh...just get the 1.8 NA sold from late 93 through to 97!

Problem solved!

Craig wrote:Meh...just get the 1.8 NA sold from late 93 through to 97!

Problem solved!

Big nose 1.6s and even 1.8s have had crank keyway failures. Much rarer than the small nose 1.6s though.

(mine broke)

My car has 260,000km on it now and I just replaced the front main oil seal. As part of this I bought a new bolt and woodruff key, then used some Loctite and torqued it properly. The keyway looked as good as new, so I think it is only if someone touches that bolt that you have to worry. I think the yanks make the problem out to be much bigger than it really is (or they have more dodgy mechanics over there).

I have a short nose crank and mine is fine. I get the feeling that more people have no issues rather than have problems.

Ben

I get the feeling that more people have no issues rather than have problems.

x2