TICO the SE

[tomli123001]

Just a comment of the last post I made in the manual photos.

Note #3 of the 1st page in manual.
It discourages warming up the car by idling, and it actually encourages higher Reving. (low engine speed bad?? and service more frequently)

Why??? Thought is good to not drive too hard and preserve longetivity.

So what is the best rev in daily drive to not drive too hard and at the same time keep Mazda's manual's rev suggestion happy??

[tomli123001]

The current tyres are about 3 years old and feels not gripping enough in dry. So today I went and bought a set of new KU36 semi slick tyres.
What a difference it makes.

I read a lot of reviews online about different semi slicks and the KU36 got consistantly good reviews about its grip and longativity.
I think I got good deals from Tyrepower from Slacks Creek here in South East Brisbane at $175 each fitted and balanced and $50 for 4 wheel alignment.
Cheaper than a lot of Ebay offering I found and no shipping charge, no extra fitting charge and no waiting around, best of all, I love to support local shops.

Here is the new shoes:




I got my 949 valve stems installed also, which look a lot better than rubber ones.
I have question about them also here for you guys, do I need to replace the rubber bit below every time i change tyres? Because I know the normal rubber ones got thrown out every time due aging. How about these? Maybe they never die or replacements are available.

[Jeo]

By the way. Just wondering how does everybody jack their lower car up? My jack could not even pass the door sill bit, let alone reaching my frame rail, which would really really nice with the stainless steel frame rail installed.

I had to use the factory mechanical jack from the boot to raise the car high enough and then the jack can go under and reach the frame rail. Then I can place my axle stands underneath the frame rail. I know I can do it from the diff housing, but I have a Beetrush triangle brace there already, so I can not really use that point anymore. Any other good advice how to jack the car up easily without using the factory mechanical jack?

Don't jack from the frame rails; they're not designed for it and will bend. Use the factory jacking points on either side, or the diff, or the front engine cross member.

If your jack doesn't fit...
A - Buy a lower jack
B - Drive up on to some blocks so that your current jack does fit
C - Use the factory jack to get it a little higher, then use your floor jack under a different jacking point (still not the frame rails though)

[tomli123001]

By the way. Just wondering how does everybody jack their lower car up? My jack could not even pass the door sill bit, let alone reaching my frame rail, which would really really nice with the stainless steel frame rail installed.

I had to use the factory mechanical jack from the boot to raise the car high enough and then the jack can go under and reach the frame rail. Then I can place my axle stands underneath the frame rail. I know I can do it from the diff housing, but I have a Beetrush triangle brace there already, so I can not really use that point anymore. Any other good advice how to jack the car up easily without using the factory mechanical jack?

Don't jack from the frame rails; they're not designed for it and will bend. Use the factory jacking points on either side, or the diff, or the front engine cross member.

If your jack doesn't fit...
A - Buy a lower jack
B - Drive up on to some blocks so that your current jack does fit
C - Use the factory jack to get it a little higher, then use your floor jack under a different jacking point (still not the frame rails though)

Hi Jeo,

Thanks for your feedback. I have the FM stainless frame rails installed already and hence using them as jacking point.
I think use some blocks to drive on is perfect solution.

[Jeo]

Even then, I'm not sure why you would when you've got the perfectly good, factory designed jacking points right there, but sure.

[tomli123001]

Even then, I'm not sure why you would when you've got the perfectly good, factory designed jacking points right there, but sure.

I will try that tomorrow.
When you jack up or put axle stand under the sub frames, do you scratch the black paint on them and make them prone to rust?

Sorry for the dumb questions. So far, I have only used the stainless steel frame rail and the 4 common points on the side to jack up the car.

[sailaholic]

Even then, I'm not sure why you would when you've got the perfectly good, factory designed jacking points right there, but sure.

Because they are strong and you can lift the side of the car rather then a corner. My car is too low even with a low profile jack to get the front subframe. It also leave the jacking points free for jack stands.

After market jacks also have a greater chance of mangling the sill panels I find as the cup shape is very different to the stock jack which fits the sills very neatly.


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[tomli123001]

Even then, I'm not sure why you would when you've got the perfectly good, factory designed jacking points right there, but sure.

Because they are strong and you can lift the side of the car rather then a corner. My car is too low even with a low profile jack to get the front subframe. It also leave the jacking points free for jack stands.

After market jacks also have a greater chance of mangling the sill panels I find as the cup shape is very different to the stock jack which fits the sills very neatly.


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That is what I think also. I actually have scratched one of the sill points badly with the cup type jack.

[Lokiel]

I use the scissor jack on a pinch weld jack-point first to jack up the car high enough to get my trolley jack under the car. My trolley jack is very low.

I ALWAYS use a block of hardwood on the trolley jack which protects the front cross-member or rear diff. When Dann had my car he asked me if I'd ever jacked the car up on the rear diff since it didn't look like it - that's pretty good evidence about how well the hardwood block protection works since I've jacked my car up on the rear diff many times.

The block of hardwood does require me to jack the car up a bit higher than normal but it's worth it.

Before lowering the car I put two blocks of hardwood under the tyres, offcuts from the same block I I use on the trolley jack, lower the car onto these, then roll out the trolley jack. I then roll the car off the hardwood blocks under the tyres. I plan on buying some low ramps instead for this purpose.

I have the Beatrush PPF brace too which makes it a little tricky to jack up the rear since the hardwood block must be positioned so that it has as much contact with the rear diff housing as possible (the triangular Beatrush PPF brace cuts across the rear diff housing).

[tomli123001]

I took Tico the SE for a mountain drive in Maleny not far from Australian Zoo a couple of days ago. It was beautiful up there. I kinda missed my soft top and open air a lot. Oh, well, too lazy to remove the hardtop and risk rain without a softtop. Had good food and good view. The BIG TRACK go carting was great fun also afterwards.








A NC has been going around my area recently. Quite keen to test drive this weekend to see the difference.
Found an old photo here, of my SE next to a NC. Is the NC really is and feel larger by much? This photo may a bit biased in this angle for the size comparison.


By the way, I have become a forum sponsor recently and started distributing CarbonMiata.com products here and stocks coming soon in Brisbane.

I can pass the bulk shipping's saving onto fellow members here and my prices will be cheaper than the website shipped price. Feel free to drop me a PM and ask about the products and pricing. Some group buys will come up in forum sponsor sections. I will advertise more on forums, once my first pallets of shipment came. That includes a hardtop also.

[tomli123001]

Well, I did the engine build once and why not a 2nd time.
Slowly gathering parts and bits.

This arrived today, a Garrett Disco Potato GT2860RS
Actually it is the 1st time I saw a turbo on hands. It looked very industrial unlike other car parts with flashier finish. It is a 2nd for just $500, so can not complain. The guy used it for 2 dyno runs on his 180sx and decided he wanted something bigger.




I have been looking around for good T28/25 exhaust manifold. I know there are tuned type made by a few of the forum sponsors here. But I always wanted something stronger and off the self, not fabricated on the spot and every unit is different. The SMB log type cast manifold is perfect for me. At $500 brand new shipped to my door, I think it is a good deal compared to others.

I always liked SMB, as they used to develop SP exhaust, been to SEMA and actually dyno test all their products. They always had their own insight into MX5 such as their hybrid oem/aftermarket header, http://www.smb.net.au/mx5zone.htm. This product seems more convincing to me.


Today I happened to spot this really really mean looking 2.5L conversion NC. It totally blew my mind on how a NC looked. It was started at the time and sounded even meaner. It's got HUGE 255 Tyres on the 17" rim. Wonder if that size will ever fit under my SE
I really started wanting a NC now deep inside me. haha...

[Regie]

wow, that NC has changed a fair bit since I last saw it

no any NC carbon parts being made??

[Lokiel]

+1 on John Toomer's NC, it's the only NC I've ever liked the look of.

[speed freak]

+1 on John Toomer's NC, it's the only NC I've ever liked the look of.

I dunno Regies's NC looks good.

Anyone know where the 2.5l came from? Was there a limited number built or the 2.5 from another car?

Looks great though, seen it at Lakeside a couple of times.

[Regie]

+1 on John Toomer's NC, it's the only NC I've ever liked the look of.

I dunno Regies's NC looks good.

Anyone know where the 2.5l came from? Was there a limited number built or the 2.5 from another car?

Looks great though, seen it at Lakeside a couple of times.

you can get the 2.5 from the Mazda 6, 3SP25, put the 2l head on it and it fits in

oh thanks for the complement