Well, that was fun...

[Rocky]

Hi Mate, the remaining work was bumped back to next Thursday. Service person said the mechanic was getting the parts ready for the Service which was to be early this week and found that "one of the parts was cracked". No use asking which part as the Service person (new starter) wouldn't have a clue.
So rebooked for Thursday next week.
Then the Mazda 6 in for Major Service the following Monday (yeah, I know, Monday is a bad day to have any work done)
I will have most of the week to run the Mazda 6 around post-service before we take it to Brisbane on Friday, so hopefully any glitches will show up before the trip.

[93_Clubman]

Expensive month! Trip to Brissy will make a change & at least you'll have a car while down there.
Dad's Commodore auto transmission went last week at about 270k kms - $3.8k for removal of old transmission & refit of a just fully reconditioned transmission including ATF & coolant.

[Rocky]

I'm old enough to remember that when I was a teenager, the average working man couldn't afford the sort of bills we are talking about. You got a couple of mates around on the weekend, ran her up on the sleeper ramps over the inspection pit you'd dug behind the garage, and all cursed and barked your knuckles until your collective knowledge and skills somehow got it done. Of course, it didn't always run real well.
My Dad wasn't technical and had no tradie mates so the car had to go in to a garage. I did the easy stuff for him on the trusty family Wolseley.

[93_Clubman]

Yeah, it was also probably a bit more feasible to DIY back in the day as many cars were simpler than today.
As a teenager needing to retain as much pocket money as possible for fuel for dirt bike & paddock bomb meant learning to DIY maintenance, repairs & mods. Continued same approach for as much as could reasonably be done when later it came to road cars & bikes.

[greenMachine]

Likewise. Great learning with a Morrie Minor, a sliding windows Mini and a Bugeyes before I got my first new car, a rear-engined Italian sporting sedan - a Fiat 500 Bambino

[Rocky]

MX5 Timing Belt & Water Pump replacement bumped again. Genuine parts haven't arrived. I said "Maybe forget the OE parts - just go with the 'replacement' ones - I just want this finished.
Mazda 6 to go in on Monday - the Cam & Crank Sensors have seemingly arrived so unless there is something else that needs replacing we should be good for the trip to Brisbane on Friday.
Interestingly, the young Parts receptionist knew about the issue with the Sensors. Said that she had to replace these on her Commodore. I had never heard of the things until this Forum educated me when I described the stalling problem with BOTH mazdas.

[KevGoat]

Mazdas, to me, seem to be more prone to sensor issues than other brands. Don't know why, but I read a lot more about issues with them on Mazda forums than other forums. The other issue I read about a lot more with Mazdas than other brands is engine mounts requiring replacement a lot earlier. Irrespective, when replacing (as we are at the moment for my wife's car), I still find myself searching Mazda or Toyota cars more than any other brand.

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[bruce]

Probably the same sensor as the Commodore.

[Rocky]

Could well be, Bruce. I haven't had the "stalling" problem again with the Mazda 6 but would not drive to Brisbane unless the Sensors were replaced. The idea of a stall in Brisbane traffic makes my blood run cold.
The Mazda 6 is really due for a thorough service as it has a slightly low and lumpy idle and the sensation of surging at steady throttle openings. Still pulls strongly but probably needs new plugs also as I have not changed them since I acquired it at 39,000 Ks (6 yrs and 50,000 ks ago).
So fingers crossed that a Major service will fix all the issues.

[93_Clubman]

MX5 Timing Belt & Water Pump replacement bumped again. Genuine parts haven't arrived. I said "Maybe forget the OE parts - just go with the 'replacement' ones - I just want this finished.

Rocky, assume they are trying to obtain timing belt & water pump etc through Mazda - might be better to either supply them yourself buying from MX5 Mania or Amayama, or direct the Mazda dealer to obtain them through same. Conventional wisdom has usually been to opt for the OE or GMB water pump & Gates timing belt that MX5 Mania supply:
$402 for full 100k kms service kit: https://mx5mania.com.au/products/diy-10 ... etc-nb8b-c

Alternatively for Amayama you'll need the part numbers: https://www.amayama.com/en/catalogs/maz ... 2000-r-608

[bruce]

I think the Mania kit is the go.
Amayama is great but u have to wait.

[RS2000]

GMB is apparently one of the largest global manufacturers of OE water pumps. There is a good chance the Mazda one is made by GMB.

[93_Clubman]

-Yep simplest option is to go with the MX5 Mania NB8B 100000 km service kit, especially as you're up at Rocky, having to book into the Mazda dealer, so you only want to have to do this once.
-Yep my understand also that GMB probably supply the Mazda OE ones.

-If the above MX5 Mania kit isn't currently available then you can also buy the job specific parts for timing belt replacement & the job specific parts for water pump replacement from them, but believe you need to buy the Mazda OE water pump gaskets & O ring as the GMB gaskets & O ring supplied are not good. MX5 Mania have the Mazda OE water pump gaskets & O ring so they can supply the lot:
$120: https://mx5mania.com.au/collections/tim ... belt-na-nb
&
$210: https://mx5mania.com.au/collections/tim ... azda-na-nb

-If you're feeling adventurous then there are the following three timing belt & waterpump kits (Gates & Dayco) in Australia on ebay for between $170 & $250, but they don't appear to mention the water pump gaskets & O ring, so you'd need to buy Mazda OE ones:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/15492525078 ... R6ShnL3IYQ
&
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/13229156361 ... BMtIzQvMhh
&
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12360982663 ... R7iM0LzIYQ

[Red_Bullet]

An alternative to amayama is "Impex" also based in Japan. I've used Impex a couple of times.

[Rocky]

Thanks Guys. Appreciate all that information. I will have a chat with the Service person when I pick up the Mazda 6 (hopefully) this arvo. I will ask whether they wish to persevere with the Genuine items for the MX5 or are willing to cancel the order and either me or them supply aftermarket parts. Dealers are touchy about this stuff so I will have to play it be ear. I don't want to upset them - I have been there before and it wasn't to my advantage.
For the moment, I just want the Mazda 6 in tip-top shape for the Brisbane trip.