Car developed rattle. After 2 weeks of removing parts, tightening parts, and rotating parts, rattle was still there. Turns out after talking to Josh Coote that a handful of the early MCA Blues developed a hydraulic knock when one shim relaxes. Doesn't affect safety or operation, just makes an annoying rattle. He said he could pull the shock out and revalve it to fix it, I just need to get back to Landsborough. Will get there sometime.
Today was the club day at Lakeside. Unfortunately the rain came at 12:30, just in time to ruin any chance of quick laps. Rained on and off all afternoon. I only ran sessions 1 and 3, should have done number 4 as there was a dry line being carved around the track, others in the group gained 1-2 seconds in this session alone. Nonetheless, I ended up 6th of 35 entrants. The NT01s handled the weather surprisingly well, even though they never got anywhere near optimal temperature. Didn't have to deal with any standing water anywhere, which is apparently their weakest point.
Turns out taking karussel with only one hand on the wheel, while the other turns the demister off and opens the window a bit, costs around a second when compared to the optimal line.
Been 9 months since I drove Lakeside, shame it had to be wet but what can you do? My day ended well compared to one of the new drivers, who ended up putting his new-to-him NB into the tyre wall onto the straight. I hear he's in good spirits about it and said he will be back again though.
QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
Trackphotos wrote:Front brake pads were rooted after that track day. Got some QFM A1RMs, fronts are in and good but the rears were all cut pretty badly where the retaining clips should fit. Trying to file the excess pad material out to make them fit, otherwise will just take them back tomorrow and get another set.
This is exactly how my rear A1RM's came. I just took the spring off and filed the shitty casting away. I needed to take about 1mm of the small ear but pretty easy to file the cast steel. I used the spring as a gauge and just gave it about .25mm of clearance on that. Popped it straight in and even with no backing shims They don't seem to squeal yet anyway. I call Greg at Brakes Direct and said where are the backing shims and he told me "race pads don't have shims" I will update if they get squealy.
Scooby - Silver SP - Build # 53 Snowie - White NB project car. Engineered and registered Vader - Hilux & Gretel the black German Bitch
I haven't put any shims in with mine, or antisqueal compound either. They have a very slight squeal on first cold application, then it's pretty much gone. I was suspicious of the pads fitting in the retaining clips properly being the cause of the rattle that appeared a week later, but evidently it's inside the shock tube. It doesn't really bother me if they get a bit noisy, it's only dríven for fun occasionally
QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
If the A1RM pad shape is not correct for the MX5 I would write to QFM directly and advise them. I have a set but not tried to put them in yet. When I got a set of fronts last year, they were under sized. I wrote to them from their web page and they were very quick with a response and advised that they had never had any feed back to advise of the error. They offered to correct the design and remake the pads in the correct size and supplied a set free of charge. A polite question can go a long way.
In this case you can see the score lines where they were supposed to cut the slots out, there was just a bit of excess material around the edges. It's soft enough to gouge out with a screwdriver, but a file is easier. The photo is of the worst one.
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QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
If you just file to those lines it will fit the caliper fine but the clips wont fit. It needed another 1mm off the ear to be able to fit them with the clip. If only used for racing then you wouldn't use the clip so it will be fine as a race pad. I drive it as a road car most of the time so I wanted the clips to stop the rattle.
Scooby - Silver SP - Build # 53 Snowie - White NB project car. Engineered and registered Vader - Hilux & Gretel the black German Bitch
Reinstalled my warranty-repaired MSPnP tonight. Immediately on power on, the radiator fans turned on. Flexing the ECU harness to put pressure on the sockets, makes the fans flicker on and off. Exactly as it did before I sent it to them for repair. So the $73 in insured postage to get the ECU back to them (not reimbursed) for repair was wasted, since they've failed to fix it. Emailed them tonight, will have to wait and see what they suggest, but at this point I think I'm pretty set on returning the thing and demanding a refund, since it's never worked since it was first installed, it's dragged on for months, their repair centre failed to fix the defect, and I paid extra (to post back under warranty) for the privilege of getting a faulty part.
QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
Maybe Haltec. Considering how much effort it took to get the bastards to even take the MSPNP back for repairs, I don't think they're going to be immediately willing to give me a refund.
QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
Diyautotune have reproduced the fault on their test rig and are giving me a full refund. This translates into a 350mm velo flat steering wheel, boss and quick release which are on their way to me but won't be here in time for the club day on Monday. It also translates into a miata Roadster short shift kit order, which will turn up sometime in July.
Goodies acomin'.
QR Clubman: 1:03.9 | QR Sprint: 1:01.4 | QR National: 1:29.4 | LS: 1:01.5 | Mt Cotton: 51.6
Atleast they are giving you a full refund, thats good. You will love the short shifter. I had a drive in an SE last weekend with the short shifter and they really do live up to all the hype. Like they say, you dont know how good they really are until you try one, this was with a 6 speed obviously but yea totally transforms the gear change.
