Snowmotion's NB8a

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:08 pm

Fixed my heater settings this morning as I was always getting hot air through the vents.

I tried a few solutions and each made a small improvement but no solution till the third try. http://www.miata.net/garage/heater_cable.html
1) I added a 10mm round draft sealer into the center of the engine bay rubber seal on the back edge of the engine bay.
2) I adjusted the cable to that controls the flapping door for the heater but found there was no adjustment left.
3) Adjusted the threaded rod so it allowed the heater door to close a little more.
Problem now solved.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:26 pm

Took delivery of a Automotive Plus roll bar this week. Has been taken for satin black powder coating.
Also ordered a GV front lip

Did a repair on the repair on my soft top at the top of the rear window where the vinyl had cracked. Should not leak now.

Still thinking about what sort of cold air intake to put on the car. Seems pointless to have an intake on the same side as the exhaust.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 10:40 pm

Had a busy week with the car this week.

Removed the drivers seat and performed a foamectomy. It is a great improvement but may need a further nip to improve the progression from my ass to legs. (on the seat that is)

Installed the Roll bar today. With minimal help I managed to install it in about 4 hours. The real time was a little longer as i tried to clean up all the panels I removed from the years of accumulated dust. The install process for this roll bar is very straight forward and sit nicely in the car and has no limitation on seat travel. In my seating position (all the way back and fully reclined) the vinyl does rub on the cross bar and squeak a little. May stick some fabric on the seat over the vinyl to reduce the noise where it rubs.

Now just to fit the new lip.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:06 pm

Pictures of the roll bar installed.

Postby **Okibi** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:15 pm

They're such a beautifully engineered bar, I hadn't seen all the finer details until MCM did their install.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:21 pm

easy install also.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 11:58 am

After 10 days of separation anxiety I got home from OS last night and got to drive her today.. oh, the joy.
200km/h on an Autobahn does not beat the exhilaration of driving a MX5 with the top down.

So time to fit a new X-force muffler purchased 2nd hand from Black_Penguin (thank you) and replaceced the gasket. One more exhaust leak solved and one to go (header) as it seems all the joining gaskets were stuffed.
The tip of the X-force muffler is not small (not totally my taste) but it does look nice in polished stainless. It is an easy 30 minute job with the hardest part is removing the rubber hangers from the stock exhaust. That done the X-force fitted quickly it was time for a test drive.

It is a really nice sounding exhaust, a fraction louder but nothing you could consider obtrusive. Really happy.

Looking forward to fitting my crappy headers and at least fixing all the exhaust leaks. I can then assess if Empire headers are any good or if I need to look for some better quality. (or at least how soon I need to replace them).

Now, off to watch some racing at Homebush.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:11 pm

Was time to refresh the front brakes. The next part of the checking all parts of the car.

Ordered QFM A1RM pads and TRW GP600 fluid.
Took the rotors off this morning to get them machined but was adjised they were under minimum thickness, so plan B, new Rotors.
Settled on DBA 4000 series T3 slotted rotors. Will hopefully receive them tomorrow and looking forward to feeling the improvement.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:33 am

Failure yesterday at Plan A. (machining rotors). Rotors are too thin.
So
Plan B: New Rotor time. Bought RDA 4000 T3 rotors. Quick delivery from GSL rallysport saw them fitted to the car this morning. they look good.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:48 pm

Had a busy week getting the car ready to fit the Empire Headers.
I got a grinding bit and cleaned up the headers so they are a little smoother. Much happier now.

Managed to get access to a hoist today and whipped off the stock header and fitted the new Empire header. In this process I managed to find were the exhaust had been leaking, (at the join at the bottom of the stock header)

The install went mostly smoothly having made a blanking plate for the EGR and a bolt to block of the EGR tube on the header.
I did have a problem with the bracket at the join to the mid pipe. The holes in the the Empire header flange did not line up with the studs on the mid pipe. I had to cut out the end of the holes in the flange so they would fit the spacing of the studs.

There is a change in performance with the mid range slightly down but better pull as the revs increase. Certainly happy with the noise of the exhaust not droning and have a slightly stronger note.

So car is almost ready for my first track day.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:56 pm

Looking good mate! Those brakes look fantastic. Any pics of the exhaust setup?

Have you ever done a track day before (in any car)?

If not or even if you have you'll have a blast. Iv done a few now but my first couple were in a swift with breathing and handling mods which was very fun (especially with lift off oversteer lol) then my next 2 were in a stock corolla which was still a lot of fun then Iv now done 2 in my mx5 and its totally different on track. While the other 2 cars were fun the mx5 feels at home belting around a race track. Anyhoo that's enough rambling from me, car is looking great and have a blast when you get it out on track

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:02 pm

No pics of the exhaust fitted yet but will post some pics soon of the before and after ports. I will take a pic of the exhaust in the morning.

I have not done any track days in a car but I used to race go karts many years ago before kids.

So hoping this will give me the same fun as the karts.

Looking forward to the new years track time.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:11 pm

Some pics of Exhaust ports Before ....

Exhaust port after......

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 10:15 pm

A pic of the Empire headers installed.

Now to improve the CAI. After lots of reading I am going to work on a short intake for the cold side with a custom (home made) heat shield.

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 7:37 pm

I decided it was a New Year gift to my MX5 to give her a nose job.
So a few hours lying under her resulted in a GV lip fitted.
The fitting process is quite logical despite the instructions being in Japanese. Only issue I had was the bolts were too short and I could not get a nut on them. So a quick trip to the hardware and 5mm longer bolts and problem solved.

Now to work on some more Low....