mx5cartalk.com

After I have owned my last 2 MX5, I am back this year with a black SP. (My previous Garage Chat Tico the SE http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=61306)

No crazy mod this time. My plan in coming up weeks will be to learn more about DIY this time round and restore her to the orginal condition as much as I could. Maybe some extra power with Electronic boost control and ChipTorque won't hurt. Lachlan promised me more power than my last modded SE on this car with 9 PSI.

Here is the car when I saw her first time in Sydney.



The good
- Very clean
- Original hardtop bought with the car when new
- Same 1 owner since new
- Very cheap price for an SP
- Factory OEM body kits

The bad
- I hate chrome aftermarket style rims. Must go
- High milage at 190,000km.
- Missing undertray
- Not driving as great as it should. Trying to find out more about this later.

Saw you driving down Lyndale St yesterday - looked good!

I was fairly unlucky. I used Umbrella towing to transport the car back from Sydney from NSW.
After many drama, the car finally here dropped off at MX5 Plus, as it is due for its timing belt and water pump. I think I might as well get it checked there and relocate the brake line, which I am not able to do myself.



As it turned out, a lot more went wrong with this car. We think the transport car is a bit funny, as he probably drag the car onto his trailer with hooked on the tie rod!!!!!!

After some investigation, the whole steering rack had to be replaced. Called the guy for insurance claim, never a response back again. Just a word of warning if anybody thinks of using Umbrella towing by Victa, Don't. No tax invoice and real crap services, when all were promised.

Pete from the forum had then picked up my old wheels and chrome style bar cheaply.
I bought some stock rims from Josh and installed SE shocks with lower pedders springs from another member here. And of course the roll bar, given my previous roll over experience. But now with a more conservative looking twin hoops.

The shocks, only travelled 70km.


With some good alignment set up and some camber, the car felt now great. Really turn in. I had so much fun which was greatly missed after I sold my last SE.

The car looks good. Although I would like my rear to be higher, not too much to complain since the shocks were cheap and they were not height adjustable. The springs felt harder than my last BC also, strangely, when they should not.

The more time I spent with the car, the more faults I have found.

- The fuel cap not popping up. Seeking advice to fix this. Found this out at a panic, when fuel is next to empty, but the lid just would not open.
I had to ask another person to pull the lever inside and then I used a credit card to open the back. For now, a foam will do to solve the issue temporarily, so it is no longer a 2 people job. Do you guys open the fuel lid at a car inspection???? I now know.



- The lights are not working for the air con control panel and the dash lights are dying. When didn't I test drive at night??? Lol.
With the bulbs out, I just have to keep revving above 3000 rpm if I want to see my needle.




- A lot of rattling from the hardtop. I checked the rubber plate at back. Probably time for new ones too.



The above are still livable. The biggest issue of all is my car's idle deep at cold start first time of the day.
The engine will start and fire to 1500 rpm. Then drop to like 400 and fluctuates to 600 and then stall.
Second time, the engine will always start no problem and for the rest of the day. But does same thing again next day. Don't know why.

I spent quite some time doing some engine bay TLC work and dress up work to the car.

- I always wanted an oil catch can, even if just a small one. So here it comes. A nice small neat installation I think. The bracket was included in the catch can and mounted easily there with an existing bolt.


- I found a lot of gunk and sticky fungus looking thing inside my washer and radiator reservoir can.
So time to take them out for a good clean. Did it with a bottle brush.
Before and after photos here:



- Next I wanted to tackle the possible cause of my cold start issue, by cleaning the MAF mass air flow meter.
A trip to Autobarn and can of CRC cleaner is not cheeap. $30 a bottle of spray can !!!! On the instructions, it say to use it literately. I think I might went overdose and 1/3 can already after use.





In the process, I had to open up my special carbon air box, which involves unbolt the MAP sensor from the pipe. Surprisingly I did NOT find the SP number everybody talks about. There is NOTHING printed inside.


I did found a lot of oil inside the box. Maybe from previous use of K&N oiled filter. According to Mighty car mods, better to go with paper ones. So out the old and in the Ryco.


I put in a new Turbo smart metal BOV also to replace the old looking plastic Bosch. I played with the spring and settled at the 2nd hardest setting. I found the harder the spring, the less turbo Chu-chu sound. Notice the funny intercooler pipe routing of the SP. Rather than going in from one end and going out from another, both pipes enter the intercooler from the left hand side.


Finally with a replacement SE radiator to replace the old yellow unit and a cooling panel, here is the engine bay. The red Mazda speed cap is matching the red HKS radiator cap. Only thing now is the missing under tray and a new oil dip stick, as it is missing the handle.

I always wanted leather looking seat in my mx5. So I settled with a set of Defi seat cover from Defi.
To fit, I have to take seats out of car.

Before:


After:





Looks just like an OEM leather seat, but new. The seat cover is really well designed and thought. However, installation time does take a while and tedious.

More goodies arrived for next week work.


I got the door block too to add stiffness. But this thing looks and feels really hard. I am a bit hesitant to put it in the place of factory soft rubber. What do you guys think??

Nice progress Tom. I recently bought an SE from interstate and had it shipped and can understand the anxiety of the entire process. Fortunately I had a good experience with CEVA - if you ever do it again, I'd recommend them.

Where'd you get the seat covers from? I was thinking of getting the same set in red for mine.

Keep documenting your progress, it makes for an interesting read.


Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Delrin door blocks are great if your car rubber one has sagged. Plenty of positive reviews about the garagestar ones.

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luzinit wrote:Nice progress Tom. I recently bought an SE from interstate and had it shipped and can understand the anxiety of the entire process. Fortunately I had a good experience with CEVA - if you ever do it again, I'd recommend them.

Where'd you get the seat covers from? I was thinking of getting the same set in red for mine.

Keep documenting your progress, it makes for an interesting read.


Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Got mine from REV9, under interior category. Would like red wine quilt looking ones too. But defi is on special for half price and in stock, so I bought them. Each seat has 2 pieces and seals itself around original seat. Much better fit than I expected.

luzinit wrote:Delrin door blocks are great if your car rubber one has sagged. Plenty of positive reviews about the garagestar ones.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

I did not buy the Delrin, because the bushing is very full and some reported on difficulties on closing the door at sloped hills. Also I have read that Delrin from Garage stars need the stock screws, which can round head easily if torqued too hard. Otherwise, they can come loose.

I opted for Ken Auto ones here due to its half cut shape to guide the door into position and also really good hardware supplied, such as washers and hex bolts. They were made to specific model, too. i.e. no slot, no playing around to find ideal position, just simply bolt in and that's it.

I installed them today. It was easy. Some locktite adds further security. See the last photo of the tightly pushed in washer fitment, you get an idea how stiff the thing is. There is NO sliding between the bolts and the bushing in any directions. So far, it works well on my hardtop so far, which caused a lot of extra sound when mounted. I can not comment on soft top, as I did not have any rattle issues with my soft top on.

For those of you really want to dig how this works, here is a detailed video by Ken himself. The last minute shows the comparison in slow motion before and after install. Pretty cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVMbpAzGkCs

A detailed review here: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=580463

Old


Comparison, really like the 5mm Hex key hardware for extra torque


Tight washer fitment, really have to push it in


Loctite helps


Finished product


The door does need more effort closing, but with a deeper sound. When opened, it makes a "pop' type of sound also.
Bought from REV9 here, the forum sponsor.

The problem did not go away, after I clean the MAF.
PLEASE HELP!!!!

I recorded the issue here. Happens 1st time start in every day when cold. Then it works for rest of the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNig5Sgo2yM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ZkGxbOqDI

I saw a black SP this morning on Ipswich Road near Centenary Highway, was this you or a different black SP?

timk wrote:I saw a black SP this morning on Ipswich Road near Centenary Highway, was this you or a different black SP?

Hi, no, it must be another SP. I did go there last Wed not this week. A few around in Brissie then. It is sad that u sold your car. I would have bought it if it took place before my SP. Just missed by 2 weeks. U getting another mx5?