What did you do to your NB today? [Archive]

MX-5 Miata Forum > NA/NB (1990-2005) Miata > NB (1999-2005) General discussion > What did you do to your NB today?

PDA

View Full Version : What did you do to your NB today?

Pages :123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108[109]110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152

Terminator03

2nd August 2017, 07:26

Beautiful! Can you post a couple more pics at different angles?

I agree, that is a beautiful setup! I'd also like to see more/better pics! Also some details/links on where the stuff was bought too!

Philpug

2nd August 2017, 07:38

Yeah they are! Such a good deal!

I was bidding on the caps. Congrats. :thumbs:

Good for you.

jbyron

2nd August 2017, 10:10

I agree, that is a beautiful setup! I'd also like to see more/better pics! Also some details/links on where the stuff was bought too!

Thanks! I got it on ebay 2nd hand. Here's a pic before install.

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/9062/a5Yls8.jpg

I was bidding on the caps. Congrats. :thumbs:

Good for you.

:thumbs:

RPA

2nd August 2017, 12:43

Just in time for MATG replaced the trashed out plastic skid plate with a LRB Speed unit. Guessing at least 2.674 hp gain! [emoji16]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170802/7f87775ec322103b65b47d2c90534118.jpg

SquarePeg

2nd August 2017, 13:15

I like that. No more messing with the upper bolts. It's all on the bottom. Neat.

JimA

2nd August 2017, 13:20

Just in time for MATG replaced the trashed out plastic skid plate with a LRB Speed unit. Guessing at least 2.674 hp gain! [emoji16]

I'm new to all of this so please forgive my ignorant question. How does it increase horsepower?

shoult

2nd August 2017, 13:27

I'm new to all of this so please forgive my ignorant question. How does it increase horsepower?

The same way each sticker you put on your car adds 5hp.

JimA

2nd August 2017, 13:29

The same way each sticker you put on your car adds 5hp.

Whew. Thought there was some new technology I was unaware of...

SquarePeg

2nd August 2017, 13:29

It scavenges as much "S" as possible from the sarcasm, that usually gives out the exhaust.

JimA

2nd August 2017, 13:32

At any rate, it does look cool. Mine is shredded. If it's not too expensive, I may take a look at it.

SquarePeg

2nd August 2017, 13:42

LRB Speed. I think that item is about $160.

b206

2nd August 2017, 15:53

My 2001 Miata I bought in June. Needed some TLC. No rust but in need of
mechanical go over. Brakes all the way around, engine, trans and diff oil changed. Timing belt, water pump, thermostat, cam seals and crank seal,
valve cover gasket, plugs and wires, air and fuel filters. Upper and lower Rad. hoses. Crank case vent valve. Acces. belts. Fixed fog lights.
And today four tires that match, had 4 different tires on it. Still needs some minor items looked at.
It did co271154

271155

271156me with good soft top and a hard top.

chiefmg

2nd August 2017, 21:45

Drove her down for MATG. Broke my Dragon cherry, as a bonus I had Mom & Pop on their Harley come around a corner partially in my lane.

shoult

2nd August 2017, 22:12

Drove her down for MATG. Broke my Dragon cherry, as a bonus I had Mom & Pop on their Harley come around a corner partially in my lane.

Yep, that's the Dragon for ya. I was hoping to get the MATG this year but my car had other ideas. However, if EVERYTHING goes right (parts all arrive in time, nothing else goes wrong) I MAY be able to make it up there for some of Saturday with the BRG. Spent several more hours today tearing it down. I actually was able to install some of the new parts from the TB/WP job. It was only the Cam seals, but still.

After removing most of the parts my best guess is that the PO changed the timing belt fairly recently. It wasn't the OEM belt. The accessory belts had also been changed. But the cam and crank seals were leaking so I'm pretty sure they weren't changed and the water pump was old as well.

One heater hose and the upper radiator hose had been changed. The rest of the hoses were original including the one heater hose that burst.

The one parts package that I don't think will make it in time is the VVT valve rebuild kit (Miata Roadsters). I think I may have ordered it too late.

Well, like Detroit Lions fans have said for the last 60 years, "There's always next year!".

azjiujitsu89

3rd August 2017, 01:48

A very much needed oil change. This weekend will be pads and rotors.

Mitch S

3rd August 2017, 03:02

5X Racing Shifter rebuild kit, with brass bushing.

A little hard to get it in to first gear now?? Could it be the new rubber boots perhaps??

tia,

doane2u

3rd August 2017, 10:35

271155

271156me with good soft top and a hard top.

Welcome and congratulations :thumbs:

MarkEt

3rd August 2017, 18:04

Drove it through a hail storm. Took too long to find a place to hide. The aluminum bonnet took all the damage. 10 to 20 bumps I guess.

Miotta

3rd August 2017, 18:08

Put some new covers on my tired leather seats. What a difference!

SquarePeg

3rd August 2017, 19:00

Drove it through a hail storm. Took too long to find a place to hide. The aluminum bonnet took all the damage. 10 to 20 bumps I guess.

The paintless dent repair guys here in the states work wonders. I don't know how much of that happens on your side of the pond.

MarkEt

3rd August 2017, 19:01

Seems that theyre good too. We will see.

JimA

3rd August 2017, 19:35

Installed the trunk lift kit from Moss Miata. They had the best price and a very fast delivery. Lovin' the lift!

Marksnb

4th August 2017, 12:25

I like that. No more messing with the upper bolts. It's all on the bottom. Neat.

I think you're mistaken. You still have to mess with the upper bolts.....

SquarePeg

4th August 2017, 12:49

From the pic, the LRB item is three pieces. Once you install the two upper wings, it looks like the belly pan bolts to the flats on the bottom of the upper wings.....no?

josolanes

4th August 2017, 13:20

I'm itching to pick up a few things from Moss, especially with the free shipping, but am refraining (at least currently)

I have a small shopping list that I've pieced together a few times over the last week. One of these times I'll go through the checkout process I'm sure, just trying to show some restraint :D

--------------------

Otherwise took the car to the grocery store to pick up a single item, just for the sake of driving it :)

As I was pulling out of the driveway, a neighbor stopped me to compliment me on the car. I'm amazed by how often this happens. We've owned the car for about 2 weeks now and have driven it a handful of times and not once have we taken a drive without a compliment from someone. One time it was an older gentlemen in a new Corvette that was stopped at a light beside my wife and I (my wife was driving :cool: )

EDIT: just a bone stock 2001 LS :). Slowly working on changing that, but planning on things that enhance the stock feel of it as I've been really happy with it so far. This may well change, but so far this is the plan :)

Also, I like smileys ;)

Duncanator24

4th August 2017, 13:20

Wish I could make it back to MATG again, it was so much fun last year! But alas, life gets in the way.
Today I did an oil change. Of course the drain plug was stripped so I had to hammer on a smaller socket and air gun it off. I will try to be more careful with the new plug.
Next on the list is brake rotors + pads (still trying to figure out what pads to upgrade to) and shifter rebuild (MiataRoadster short shifter) and then I should be ready for my cross country move next month!

shoult

4th August 2017, 21:40

Spent he day working on the car in between rain drops. And if the guy who worked on 02 SE #985 is here, let me tell you to put your tools back in the box you got them in and try to get your money back. All the gaskets have a ton of what appears to be 2 part epoxy on them. They repaired ONLY what was broken. The timing belt had been replaced (car has 118K on it), but water pump was near it end. The cam and crank seals were leaking badly. They replaced one heater hose and the upper radiator hose but left all the other dried out, ready to bust hoses. The picture I showed earlier this week of the three zip ties holding a spark plug to nothing didn't show a 4th zip tie down in the spark plug well.

What should have taken a day at most has turned into several days repairing this other guys repairs.

WRX4ME

4th August 2017, 22:07

New BFG G-Force Sport Comp 2's and a 4-wheel alignment.

SGMiata

4th August 2017, 22:11

It's the 3rd cylinder right? How else are you going to know? Makes perfect sense to me.

Exactly! :rolleyes: ;)

shoult

4th August 2017, 23:16

It's the 3rd cylinder right? How else are you going to know? Makes perfect sense to me.

Exactly! :rolleyes: ;)

That doesn't explain the extra zip tie down in the spark plug well.

SGMiata

5th August 2017, 09:34

That doesn't explain the extra zip tie down in the spark plug well.

That also must have had a special meaning to the expert who worked on it. :eek: At least it's in good hands now.:thumbs:

apexanimal

5th August 2017, 10:11

5X Racing Shifter rebuild kit, with brass bushing.

A little hard to get it in to first gear now?? Could it be the new rubber boots perhaps??

tia,

the brass bushing does seem to make things more "precise"... aka it can be more difficult to find certain gears - especially when cold.

josolanes

5th August 2017, 10:20

Stuffed a couple of budget soft Target pillows in the pockets in front of the trunk

The trunk lining was nice and easy to take apart and the pillows were $3 each

We're planning on a long trip to TN in the Miata in the coming months near Deals Gap and I've heard this helps a bunch with highway road noise especially

Other maintenance to do before I feel very confident in the car: coolant flush, transmission fluid, differential fluid, brake fluid (and refinish rotors - a bit of a pedal shake), and clutch fluid. Partly to learn this car a bit and also so I know all the fluids are fresh and topped off to limit the chance of issues

JimA

5th August 2017, 11:32

Changing spark plugs and look what I find Thank you PO for your judicious use of duct tape and splices to add 1" of wire. One of the "splices" was actually exposed wire. This will take a while to fix.

http://i.imgur.com/SZ9Fnl8.jpg

phio3

5th August 2017, 12:55

Nothing major but put on some NGK blues this morning (changed the plugs last month) and took a spin. Even though it wasn't awful before, I don't think it's my imagination that it's a little more responsive especially in slow..and smooth.

SquarePeg

5th August 2017, 13:07

Installed my Moroso catch can in the PCV line. Since I have the ABS and the FAB9 COP system that has the module on the firewall right where the Moroso instructions said to put the can, I had to fashion a plate to mount the can perpendicular to the fire wall. Looks like it grew there.

Chris GTO TT

5th August 2017, 18:17

Well I finally got off my ass and replaced both front wheel bearings. They really didn't seem that bad but you could see where the grease had burned and worked its way out.

Land Cruiser

5th August 2017, 21:38

Replaced right rear caliper which had developed a leak.
Lifted shock boot to check out condition of bump stop and crumbs fell out.

Gonna go spend some time in the suspension forum.

shoult

5th August 2017, 22:20

I'm close to finishing up my baselining of my new 01 BRG SE. Just a few things left to do. So far I've done the TB/WP job, rebuilt the VVT system (not including the Cam Gear) and replaced all the hoses (well almost). I seem to have misplaced the clamps for the heater hoses. After my work day was done I rooted around and found extras in my parts bins. But I found the big stopper twoards the end of the day. That was the fact that the PO has stripped the oil drain plug.I've got a temporary fix for that (an oversize plug) but 'll have to do something better (without pulling the engine or dropping the subframe to replace the oil pan).

Tomorrow I hope to finish up those small things and then rebuild the shifter and change the trans fluid using some Redline I had in stock. I'll also flush the brake and hydraulic fluidl Then I'll do a permanent V1 wire and windshield mount for my V1. Then on to a nice afternoon/evening cruise to nowhere.

yblegal

6th August 2017, 00:33

Well put the hard top on for the long haul. Really like the NB miata and my RPF 1's are a great rim choice. Now im looking for suspension.

tcazes

6th August 2017, 13:38

Installed my new mazdaspeed motor mounts. Took a hair over 2 hours. She's shifting nice and precise, idling better and just a dream to drive all over again!

spartantrap

6th August 2017, 19:34

Did the T6 5w-40 Rotella oil change today. I haven't noticed any "problems" with my VVT system before; so I didn't do this for that reason, it just happened to be an added benefit. I did it for the extra Zinc and to quiet down the lifters, so far it's working great. I'm curious to see how it's working after a few hundred miles

boomercarguy

6th August 2017, 20:15

I switched over from Mobil1 10W/30 High Mileage (a little extra ZDDP) motor oil last year to the Rotella T6 5W/40and I noticed an immediate difference in the sound because of the higher amount of ZDDP. The valves were quieter. Normally, I used a quart of oil during my 5K oil change interval (about 12 months of driving) and now I use about half that. My VVT never gave me a problem but I have a warm and fuzzy feeling about them being cleaner now. I plan to keep using it. :thumbs:

Chris GTO TT

6th August 2017, 20:31

Adjusted the ride height today, I forgot how big a pain in the neck that was. Car went up in the air like 5-6 times today :ohno:

I'm currently sitting at about 4 15/16" front and 5" rear at the pinch welds

spartantrap

6th August 2017, 20:32

It's an amazing difference in the sound and decibel level of the valve train

It's cool to know that a different oil helped slow your oil consumption down. I've slowly been making my oil leaks go away, it helped a lot when I put in new cam and crank seals and put rtv on that Exhaust cam angle sensor plug. I still need to change the rear main seal and see where that gets me on oil leaks. But I need to get rid of a parts car before I have enough space to take care of it

One of my coworkers told me that "that's too thick of oil for the engine". Sure... too thick... tell that to all the Miata drivers who use it and their engines last. Can't argue with results

tcazes

6th August 2017, 20:44

I'm very curious about using rotella t6. I use it in my bike and wife's Volkswagen but the previous owner was adamant about using Mobil 1....id love to switch to rotella for the miata too!

Kylini

6th August 2017, 21:05

http://kylini.com/grm/pox-kansas.jpg

Had some fun in Topeka this weekend testing out some major changes to the car. My new 949Racing crossflow radiator kept the car cool despite back-to-back-to-back first gear runs in the mud. With some tweaks to rebound settings, my codriver and I are also happy with our Flatout Suspension gravel coilovers.

We got some looks driving back to Iowa.

AnonymousD

7th August 2017, 05:30

I did something Ive been wanting to do for a while. Clay bar, wash, and wax. Its amazing how that brings the paint back to life. My Miata is Frost White, and after the cleaning, I can see why its got Frost in the name. Its like the paint is glowing now. Crazy what a good detailing will do.

https://i.imgur.com/qTCDnZW.jpg
Before this, my paint was super dull. My front bumper is damaged, and I was considering getting the whole car painted, but I can definitely get away with just the bumper now. I just need to touch up some spots. Anyone know the best place to order some touch up paint that matches really well?

Seeing this pic makes me really wanna get my windows tinted.

Warhammer

7th August 2017, 08:52

I just need to touch up some spots. Anyone know the best place to order some touch up paint that matches really well?

Seeing this pic makes me really wanna get my windows tinted.

Find a good body shop or body shop supplier that can mix some touch paint that will match your car. Anything you order, sight unseen, will likely not match your 18 year old paint very well.

Get the tint! Not only does it look cool, but it FEELS cool inside the car! You wouldn't think it makes that big of a difference, but it really does.

Great looking Miata, btw! I really need to take the time to do the same to mine.

tcazes

7th August 2017, 09:02

Highly highly highly recommend going with ceramic and I mean even on the windshield too. You can get a 75% nano ceramic that will block 70% of the heat and it's darn near perfectly clear. Geoshield pro nano is some of the best stuff I have EVER used. The color is on point, it last for YEARS, doesn't effect radar detector performance and has the highest heat and uv protection I have EVER seen

shoult

7th August 2017, 09:02

I just need to touch up some spots. Anyone know the best place to order some touch up paint that matches really well?

I don't know if this is the BEST place but I got some touchup paint from a place online called Automotive Touchup (http://www.automotivetouchup.com/) for my G35. They custom mix to your paint code and you can get sticks or aerosol in both single or two stage paints. I had to replace the passenger side mirror on my G35. I bought a cheap mirror on Amazon and my Midnight Blue colored aerosol paint plus the clear coat. After following the instructions you can't tell the difference between the factory and my paint. It's been about 6 months since I did it and it's still holding up well in the Nashville sun.

chiefmg

7th August 2017, 09:03

Had a blast at MATG. Got to meet some people I only knew from forums and drive some great roads. Here's a few pictures (excuse the poor quality, I forgot to pack my camera and only had my phone to use):

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4343/36027056050_17c49dfa51_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4349/36027057570_c1f9bfdf09_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4388/36027058600_188715bee6_c.jpg

shoult

7th August 2017, 09:05

Sorry I missed everyone at MATG. I know where each one of your photos was taken. Been there many times. Did you get your car into the Dam picture?

chiefmg

7th August 2017, 10:44

Sorry I missed everyone at MATG. I know where each one of your photos was taken. Been there many times. Did you get your car into the Dam picture?

Yup! Since it was my first time there I considered that one of the must-do events. I'm waiting for the pictures to be posted on Killboy's site to see if I want any.

josolanes

7th August 2017, 10:46

Took my NB for a fun drive yesterday. I found a small, twisty, deserted road not too far away and got the chance to really be amazed at how well Miatas handle and communicate driving feel

Otherwise most roads near me are highways with few twisties so I was really excited to have found this

It's a through road where the land on either side is solely owned by a mining company that operates Monday through Friday. So Saturday and Sunday the road is completely empty but has a nice variety of turns and is relatively well maintained

I also may have found a buyer for the RSX-S that the Miata replaced

Unusualdesigner

7th August 2017, 11:19

Seeing this pic makes me really wanna get my windows tinted.

+1 on the tint. All my cars have tinted windows, best thing in the CA sun and heat. A little darker on the back window will reduce the glare from truck and SUV lights.

1AB JAG

7th August 2017, 11:55

I love the stock 16s that came on the SE but I've been longing for a more retro styled wheel. So, 15X7 Konig Rewinds with graphite centers and 205/50-15 Dunlop Direzza DZ 102s are on their way!

I went with the Rewinds as an homage to my 1968 Triumph TR250 that had the factory 8 spoke magnesium wheels. Which, if I remember correctly, were 15X5 and were considered a really tall wheel back in the day when most aftermarket alloy wheels were 13 or 14".

I'll post up some before and after photos when I get them mounted on the car. :wave:

Philpug

7th August 2017, 13:05

I love the stock 16s that came on the SE but I've been longing for a more retro styled wheel. So, 15X7 Konig Rewinds with graphite centers and 205/50-15 Dunlop Direzza DZ 102s are on their way!

I just sold that same set up, I had them on my 92 SBY. Great combo.
https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/12307335_10153679183646138_2775749259634068217_o.j pg?oh=8a7cddb768c3d740878029e55b37e2a1&oe=59ED4F47

While I considered putting them on the BRG, I chose to stay with the stock 16's. Sold them with tires for $350.

Teejtiu

7th August 2017, 13:18

Replaced the soft top on my 99 with an eBay one. Boy what a difference does it make.

MN MX-5

7th August 2017, 14:17

Seeing this pic makes me really wanna get my windows tinted.
I did the same over the weekend. First time I've ever clay-barred. The car looks so good now I think I'm ready to take it to the next level and try polishing the scratches and swirls out.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170807/65eb8e9dd6e67229fd8ba14614e08ff6.jpg

1AB JAG

7th August 2017, 15:16

While I considered putting them on the BRG, I chose to stay with the stock 16's. Sold them with tires for $350.

Sweet looking SBY! I really like the subtle fender stripes!

Spanner

7th August 2017, 17:42

Last night, I noticed a previous repair coming apart on the soft top and a new tear in a very weak area that would be hard to repair. Decided that it's time... I got more life out of it than I expected.

Today I ordered a new Robbins OEM style tan canvas soft top with a zippered back window (http://www.mossmiata.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=73615). HUGE shout out to Chris@Moss Miata (https://forum.miata.net/vb/member.php?u=69474) for all her help! :thumbs:

I can't wait to get it installed later this week.

tcazes

7th August 2017, 20:56

Installed my roadster sport 3 exhaust tonight amd chased what i thought was a rattle but apparantly its just raspiness of running without a cat. Comparison videos will be in my exhaust thread soon!

CheapWhine

7th August 2017, 22:56

Replaced some stitching on my aging top..

Chris@Moss

8th August 2017, 14:11

Thank you, Spanner!

chiefmg

8th August 2017, 16:36

This morning I swapped back to the NB2 seats. Easy enough to do, just had to move the seat belt receivers and the driver's lumbar bladder over. After that I installed the new extended lower ball joints up front. Took me about an hour for both sides, the hardest part is getting the ball joint separated from the upright. Here's a comparison picture of the old and new ball joints (new one on the left):

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4414/35615154234_4ab129667c_c.jpg

While the difference isn't great, it makes a huge change in the camber.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4340/36282011002_2a550bd41a_c.jpg

I went from about -1.8 degrees to what looks like maybe -3.0 degrees. I'm getting her realigned tomorrow so I'll find out then what it changed to. Just moving her around in and out of the garage, I can't understand how people who have their cars set like this are able to drive on the street.

cw_01miata

8th August 2017, 17:17

...
I went from about -1.8 degrees to what looks like maybe -3.0 degrees. I'm getting her realigned tomorrow so I'll find out then what it changed to. Just moving her around in and out of the garage, I can't understand how people who have their cars set like this are able to drive on the street.

moar OVERSTEER !!!

When you see the tree you are about to hit, that's understeer.
When you only hear and feel it, that's oversteer.

shoult

8th August 2017, 21:15

Just a couple things today after work.

1. Zip tie fix on my drivers door. I was going to do the passenger side to but the phillips head I brought that was JUST long enough to get the bottom door panel screw on the drivers side was JUST to short on the passenger side. So I decided to move on to the next project.

2. Unclogging the rear drains. Both were completely clogged and GUSHED water once I opened them up. Hope I got there in time.

3. Tried to get my V1 mount and wiring done. That is, until I found out I had bought the wrong size fuse tap. Next!

4. Started the car up for the first time after the TB/WP job last week. I can''t drive it yet because I flubbed the water pump to heater hose pipe gasket and have a HUGE coolant leak. But it started right up on the first try.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AuF2odFYvT0nvzPtbNnrIGERxG83

DistanceOverTime

8th August 2017, 22:29

New Air filter and Vacuum line for the top of the manifold to firewall hose (idk what its for). Also replaced the vacuum cap that goes on top near the throttle body. Test fire in 3....2....1.....

samhain00

8th August 2017, 23:21

Took my NB for a fun drive yesterday. I found a small, twisty, deserted road not too far away and got the chance to really be amazed at how well Miatas handle and communicate driving feel

Otherwise most roads near me are highways with few twisties so I was really excited to have found this

It's a through road where the land on either side is solely owned by a mining company that operates Monday
through Friday. So Saturday and Sunday the road is completely empty but has a nice variety of turns and is relatively well maintained

I also may have found a buyer for the RSX-S that the Miata replaced

How would you compare the type s with the NB2. I know the k20 is so much better but what about the chassis?

josolanes

9th August 2017, 00:07

How would you compare the type s with the NB2. I know the k20 is so much better but what about the chassis?
Great question. I'll cover the chassis and compare what I've learned being a part of the RSX community (since Oct 2003) to being part of this community recently to give sort of a brief overview

Chassis
I used to autocross my RSX (just for fun) - it had a fair amount of drivetrain upgrades (K24A2 with PPG 1-4, Quaife LSD, full bultons, Kelford A cams, etc) but was on stock suspension with the only difference being the front sway bar was removed (to allow the header to clear with a K24A2, sits 1" taller).

My Miata is completely stock. So I think, for the most part, a chassis comparison will be pretty close to stock-to-stock.

The RSX, relative to the Miata, felt sloppy with a good amount of body roll at autocross. Another "driving" complaint I had with the RSX was, even with an upgraded all metal shifter assembly and metal shifter bushings, the shifting doesn't even compare to the Miata.

The RSX also had a tendency to understeer though I could encourage a bit of oversteer if I really tried and upset it. With the RSX being FWD (and with the power I was putting down - around 232whp/184wtq), it also meant staying gentle coming out of a turn and be very gentle during sweeping turns to alleviate understeer.

The biggest reason I made the switch was the Miata's shifter feel and composed handling. I learned to drive on a 95 Miata back in 03 and those 2 features especially never left my mind. The Miata even driven back to back makes me smile immediately and just feels like a nice tight sports car.

Community
I used to be very active in the RSX community around 04-09 or so. Back then, it was a rare weekend I didn't meet up with a bunch of other RSX enthusiasts and help with installs.

Around then and earlier, there was a lot of community innovation for how to help the car's overall performance: both engine and chassis. The typical thought was stock height or lightly lowered with good shocks would yield a nice budget friendly suspension setup that performed well. People were trying all sorts of things to pull more power out of the motor also, like modifying a Lysholm supercharger to fit an RSX (http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=710525).

Unfortunately, I started noticing a significant shift around 2011 or so where "stance" started becoming popular - it was all about how big a wheel you can stuff in the wheel wells. With this, it became building an RSX show car and there was less innovation from the community regarding performance - just re-hashing the known or doing basic boltons and slamming the car. This is almost exactly when I stopped modifying the RSX - the innovation is what I really enjoyed. It then became a fun daily driver, that's all I wanted from it any more. Plenty fast, but I didn't want to do much more. It was also around this time I began autocrossing it, to experience autocross and have some fun with the parts where they were.

My favorite thing I've noticed about the Miata community so far is how varied it is. It seems the community is a good mix of people of all ages, from all sorts of backgrounds, who share the same love for Miatas. There is plenty of information on what's known to work but I don't see that innovation is really looked down upon or anything.

Other
The only surprise performance-wise that I found for the Miata is the lack of drivetrain performance parts. For instance: aftermarket intake manifolds, cams, gears, final drive options, etc. They seem hard to find or come by, or sometimes not available. It seems much of the time custom fabrication is needed (cams, for instance), or using a part from another car is the go-to (gears/transmission). I'm not really considering this a huge negative, just a significant contrast from the RSX especially considering how big an aftermarket you hear the Miata has. I feel the RSX seems to have a much bigger aftermarket relatively, unless I've just been looking in the wrong places. For RSX's, it's relatively easy: http://www.kseriesparts.com has anything you can need and more

With that in mind, I do really enjoy the Miata in stock form. With the short gearing, I don't feel my RSX is a whole lot faster even modified as much as it is (at least at lower speeds). I have noticed that the RSX continues to pull more as the speed increases, but I'm talking 70mph+, not something I'll regularly use in street driving or even at autocross.

So, coming from an RSX with a highly modified drivetrain and relatively stock chassis, my plan for the Miata is to keep it stock and do small cosmetic/convenience updates for the most part. I love how it handles and don't feel the engine in stock form is really lacking, I think it strikes a nice balance for the car and I like that I can reasonably power out of a turn without looking the other way.

The way I plan to convince myself to stay stock is to try to "compete" (really, play) in the ES class at autocross. I'm not looking to be ultra competitive, just put up respectable times and enjoy the car. This should keep my wallet and wife happy and I'm quite happy with the car as it is.

EDIT: Sorry that was so long. I obviously get pretty long winded :)

Also, as funny as it may sound, an awesome feature of the RSX is it's ridiculously large hatch. The rear seats were hardly helpful but the hatch space was impressive

If interested in seeing what I had done to the RSX here is the for sale thread, now sold: http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?p=54827665#post54827665

AnonymousD

9th August 2017, 05:04

We got some rain the other night. I pullled up right behind the Miata in my tuck after I got off of work and got to see how well the wax job makes the water bead up. I wish it was always like this. Lol

https://i.imgur.com/PZvTSQA.jpg

tcazes

9th August 2017, 05:22

Tore .y door panels and doors all apart, cleaned the window channels, thoroughly detailed every square inch of the i terror and doors, then left my passenger window down for 3 hours of torrential rain...fml

chiefmg

9th August 2017, 10:20

Washed off the filth from MATG. Got the alignment done this morning. I was way off on my estimate of the front camber, it was -3.8/-3.6 left/right. Toe had changed as well, to the point I was very glad I only had a mile or two to drive. She was making all kinds of odd noises and darting around. Just be aware if you install these ball joints you will be looking at weirdness while driving to your favorite shop. I ended up with the -2.5 degrees in the front I wanted, however he had to set caster higher than I specified to get that number which means steering is heavier (it isn't horrible). Driving results? Turn the wheel and she dives into the corner. Stability is great. I'm looking forward to doing an autocross with this alignment.

samhain00

9th August 2017, 14:21

Great question. I'll cover the chassis and compare what I've learned being a part of the RSX community (since Oct 2003) to being part of this community recently to give sort of a brief overview

Chassis
I used to autocross my RSX (just for fun) - it had a fair amount of drivetrain upgrades (K24A2 with PredPG 1-4, Quaife LSD, full bultons, Kelford A cams, etc) but was on stock suspension with the only difference being the front sway bar was removed (to allow the header to clear with a K24A2, sits 1" taller).

My Miata is completely stock. So I think, for the most part, a chassis comparison will be pretty close to stock-to-stock.

Community
I used to be very active in the RSX community around 04-09 or so. Back then, it was a rare weekend I didn't meet up with a bunch of other RSX enthusiasts and help with installs.

EDIT: Sorry that was so long. I obviously get pretty long winded :)

Also, as funny as it may sound, an awesome feature of the RSX is it's ridiculously large hatch. The rear seats were hardly helpful but the hatch space was impressive

If interested in seeing what I had done to the RSX here is the for sale thread, now sold: http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?p=54827665#post54827665

Great write up. I've always liked the type s but not a fan of fwd. I would love to one day do the kmiata swap using a k24/20

josolanes

9th August 2017, 14:32

Great write up. I've always liked the type s but not a fan of fwd. I would love to one day do the kmiata swap using a k24/20
Thanks man. I started writing and just kept going :)

I agree, the Type-S was a fun car. There's a reason I owned one for so long, they are fun to drive and very comfortable and the aftermarket is phenomenal. As I looked at replacements, I began realizing that all I really may have regretted when selling it was the k-series engine. It's a great engine with a ton of aftermarket support that revs high, makes great power, and is reliable. Soon after getting my NB I realized KMiata was working on the swap. The thought never crossed my mind prior, but I definitely think it'd be an excellent combination

The fwd is also a lot of what I wanted to get away from. I knew I wanted a manual, lightweight, rwd car. Initially I was dreaming of a Factory Five 818S, but it was cost prohibitive for what ultimately would just be a weekend toy. I'm very happy with going with the Miata instead for my needs. I basically broke even going from my highly modified RSX-S to a stock low mileage NB

josolanes

9th August 2017, 14:33

As for what I did with my Miata today, finally got around to checking the VINs per the Garage Used Miata article and sure enough everything is good there :)

I didn't check prior to purchasing as the car was in very good shape and I trusted the older gentlemen who I was buying from. So far I haven't found any flaws that seemed alarming - just driver seat color fading and worn driver side door sill cover

MX-5inAR

9th August 2017, 14:45

Also, as funny as it may sound, an awesome feature of the RSX is it's ridiculously large hatch.

Precisely why I bought a 4 Gran Coupe over the regular 3 Series. Also doesn't hurt that I find the 4GC more attractive in terms of styling.

Woodstudio

9th August 2017, 16:08

I cleaned mine up a while back. I need to get some of those clear covers for them before they start to cloud up again. I think Lamin-X is the company that makes it.

What do clear covers do? Will they prevent the hazing of clear plastic? I'm doing a search to see what I can find out. This is new to me.

SquarePeg

9th August 2017, 16:56

What do clear covers do? Will they prevent the hazing of clear plastic? I'm doing a search to see what I can find out. This is new to me.

They have a certain UV barrier ability, that prevents the UV from working on the lens plastic.

Check at either Moss or Flyin Miata. One of them carries the Laminex

Chris GTO TT

9th August 2017, 16:58

Found an 04 6spd car priced decently, $5000, it has 150k on it but pictures look like it's pretty clean. Pros would be the better chassis stiffening, brakes and less abuse than what my 01 suffered. Cons are the 6spd + the 4.10 diff makes for really short gearing. Higher mileage than what I currently have and I'd have to install another roll bar. Potential for the diff to explode.

Any real reason why I should just cancel my appointment without even looking at it?

y2kvette

9th August 2017, 18:01

Used black fabric spray and white fabric pen and made my 15 year old floor mats look decent again

shoult

9th August 2017, 18:28

Any real reason why I should just cancel my appointment without even looking at it?

A non-MSM 6 speed should have a 3.9 diff in it.

Chris GTO TT

9th August 2017, 19:52

A non-MSM 6 speed should have a 3.9 diff in it.

According to the brochure saved in the FAQ section of the garage here it's a 4.10

daender

9th August 2017, 20:29

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20663721_1401125043316999_1479364098973894320_n.jp g?oh=a84edbcb0c1a19ab673ba32dae9dd752&oe=59ED7C9F

Went autocrossing on Sunday in Myrtle Beach and I really liked this '03 SE's paint. I think I placed 4th out of 7 drivers in ES, which I'll take given I haven't autocrossed in nearly three months and I'm on dead Dunlop Z2*s...which, by the way, are a horrible rain tire choice when there's only 1/4" of tread left! Luckily, the next event in Darlington is only 10 minutes from home so I can safely take my time getting to and from the event! The Sport Comp 2s are going back on before I take it to work this week.

Chris GTO TT

10th August 2017, 00:10

Any real reason why I should just cancel my appointment without even looking at it?

went and looked at it and i'm kinda torn. The body is in better shape but the paint is pretty faded and rough. It has a canvas top which doesn't currently leak, but is going to need replacement in a year or 2. Mechanically it felt and looked to be in great condition. It feels much more solid than my 01. The engine and transmission have less grittiness. The shorter gears of the 6spd makes it feel quicker than it really is. Shift quality is pretty similar, and who knows what the condition of the boots and bushings is.

I don't know what to do :dunno::ohno: My wife seems to think it's a decently good idea if I can get it cheap enough. :bang:

swsman

10th August 2017, 02:38

Got it aligned.

Worked off of Lanny C. alignment sheet as a starting point, and this is where it ended up on my car:

LF camber -0.5 , caster 5.4, toe 0.15

RF camber -0.5, caster 5.5, toe 0.16

LR camber -1.6, toe 0.43

RR camber -1.7 toe 0.44

(With me in the car)

I went with techs suggestions as well, he has over a decade of experience and does set up race cars, as well as his mint C5 Z06.
Drove it home, will give it a good shakedown run come weekend.

Still have a to do list:

bleed brakes, change brake fluid,

drain distilled water for coolant/water wetter/distilled water mix,

pesky P00012 code that needs to be addressed, car runs great - there is no stumble/detonation or anything of such sort, likely replace O rings on VVT side and go from there...

Driving the car after hardtop, fender braces, 200tw tires and other mods/maintenance performed is fantastic to say the least.

It feels a lot more responsive/rigid, engine pulls strong to redline if needed, transmission is joy to shift with Redline MTL in it, new rotors/pads all around complete the package...

swsman

10th August 2017, 02:41

I don't know what to do :dunno::ohno: My wife seems to think it's a decently good idea if I can get it cheap enough. :bang:

Throw some of that money to refresh the one that you have, at least you are familiar with that one. My $0.02

MarkEt

10th August 2017, 04:42

moar OVERSTEER !!!

When you see the tree you are about to hit, that's understeer.

When you only hear and feel it, that's oversteer.

I'm gonna try to remember this one

JonK67

10th August 2017, 11:05

The paint would be my biggest concern, does it just need a good compound, claybar and wax or is the clear coat coming off? Bad clearcoat would require a complete repaint to fix, can't just remove old CC and reseal. If the owner will let you take some Meguiars Ultimate compound ($9 at Walmart, HD, Target, parts store) and try a spot with a pad and towel to see if the paint comes back, maybe on the gas cap lid so it's not middle of the hood, though I'd prefer to see what it does on the hood. Don't let it dry, wipe on, give it 30 seconds and buff off.

Woodstudio

10th August 2017, 12:30

Used black fabric spray and white fabric pen and made my 15 year old floor mats look decent again

Nice job. I never would of thought of doing this.

Chris GTO TT

10th August 2017, 12:33

JimA

10th August 2017, 13:19

Used black fabric spray and white fabric pen and made my 15 year old floor mats look decent again

I used the fabric spray and my mats look great! Thanks. How is the pen to do and how is it holding up?

dweikum

10th August 2017, 13:27

Relocated the front plate lower and inside, modified original bracket, used original mounting holes.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Mazda-Miata-2003-SE/i-GMJzL9B/0/d4bf1cce/M/Miata-FrontPlateMount-M.jpg

shoult

10th August 2017, 13:47

Relocated the front plate lower and inside, modified original bracket, used original mounting holes.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Mazda-Miata-2003-SE/i-GMJzL9B/0/d4bf1cce/M/Miata-FrontPlateMount-M.jpg

Get an OBD-II reader and app for your phone so you can monitor the coolant temps closely. The plate in the nose will hamper cooling and your dash gauge won't give you any usable warning of impending overheat.

Chris GTO TT

10th August 2017, 15:12

Agreed I wouldn't place the plate there.

dweikum

10th August 2017, 15:23

Thanks for the input guys...I have a gap at the top and the plate is angled, I figured air would pass the plate when moving at any speed, but I will look for another solution.

1AB JAG

10th August 2017, 18:05

New tires arrived on Tuesday and the wheels showed up this morning. So, I dropped them off at my local tire shop and had them mounted and "road force" balanced. Just put them on the car using new McGard spline drive lugs (boy are those sweet!). Heading out for a road test now, I'll post up some photos later.:wave:

1AB JAG

10th August 2017, 19:54

Before 16X7 stock SE wheels, after new 15x7 Konig Rewinds w/ Dunlop Direzza DZ 102s.

MN MX-5

10th August 2017, 22:54

Replaced my Thompson disappearing license plate bracket with a new Garage Star bracket. Added red plate frames and red bolt caps for a little bling.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/9dc0dea936309a59e1b55aa103c560f6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/c8576dab83c80d56a168d08b39ac8d52.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/672d2733be7911e77db6d1bae1eebf77.jpg

I also did a little clean up under the hood.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/470f74ccd8f005f6cb475844f074f929.jpg

amptramp

10th August 2017, 23:55

Checked tire pressures today and I'm glad I did. The Subaru was worst off with the left front tire at 22 psi (should be 32) but the Miata was not far off with one of the fronts at 24 psi. Although the factory settings are lower, I like the feel with 32 front and 30 back - reduces body lean as if you had a bigger anti-roll bar. The space saver spares were also an issue with the Subaru at 42 psi and the Miata at 44 psi. Both should be 60 psi and that's where they are now.

bethewolf

11th August 2017, 01:47

Just picked mine up yesterday off CL. Took her for a compression test and checkup. Cleaned off the interior and buffed the headlights.

chiefmg

11th August 2017, 06:07

Woke up early this morning and checked my e-mail. Found a message from Rev9 telling me my order has shipped. I'm so excited!

Mikeg

11th August 2017, 07:01

Had the tires rotated and balanced. It was a big help, the 65-70mph shimmy is almost completely gone.

mikeg

Spanner

11th August 2017, 08:11

Just picked mine up yesterday off CL. Took her for a compression test and checkup. Cleaned off the interior and buffed the headlights.

Pics or it didn't happen :D

MX-5inAR

11th August 2017, 09:19

I also did a little clean up under the hood.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/470f74ccd8f005f6cb475844f074f929.jpg

That is a thing of beauty.

bethewolf

11th August 2017, 12:23

Pics or it didn't happen :DHere is the car and a pic from the drive home because, pics or it didn't happen right?! [emoji12]
Going to build an autocrosser out of it, so I don't feel obligated or rushed into doing mods on my ND all the time. Pretty sure I'll put a thread together at some point.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/24daa705565d65ff6f16cd060f185c83.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/cb7d3e5acbbfb75777e921dc8d61a42e.jpg

Unusualdesigner

11th August 2017, 13:01

Love crossing the GGB in the fog :D

Once the fog layer bottom was about 10 feet off the deck, completely clear under. Like driving under a low ceiling parking lot :)

Mikeg

11th August 2017, 13:17

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/24daa705565d65ff6f16cd060f185c83.jpg

What wheels and tires do you have? Could you post another side view pic?

MX-5inAR

11th August 2017, 13:49

What wheels and tires do you have? Could you post another side view pic?

I'm betting those are Advanti Storms.

cruster

11th August 2017, 14:02

Pulled off the Koni Str.Ts I installed about 3 years ago, which have been squealing over every imperfection in the road for the past 6 months, and installed Koni Sports. The Str.Ts are terrible, but Koni's customer service is fantastic, and my first drive on the Sports was glorious - if for no other reason than they are dead silent, and my car no longer sounds like it's about to fall apart (to me, nor to anyone within 10 feet of me).

iambjx

11th August 2017, 15:10

I'm betting those are Advanti Storms.

Looks like Konig dial ins to me

MX-5inAR

11th August 2017, 15:22

Looks like Konig dial ins to me

Tomato potato. :D

bethewolf

11th August 2017, 16:31

What wheels and tires do you have? Could you post another side view pic?Don't know the exact model of the wheels. Tires are dunlops. Koni suspension I believe but need to investigate a bit more. Only other mod is front sway bar. All else is stock.
Except for the clutch maybe.. I am not sure as I haven't driven a NB before. But it engages way fast, love it!

The car is a bit low on power so looking at carb (yup Cali resident.. ) approved power mods. Hard to find good things these days. :(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/004d909c4bc8348d06df623cd13d4960.jpg

MarkEt

11th August 2017, 18:15

I also did a little clean up under the hood.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/470f74ccd8f005f6cb475844f074f929.jpg

I want to do that to mine. But dont know where to start. High pressure ?

MN MX-5

11th August 2017, 19:43

I want to do that to mine. But dont know where to start. High pressure ?
I just use the hose with a regular nozzle on it. The key is using Simple Green or a citrus heavy duty cleaner. Let it sit then brush it. Rinse off. Repeat on tough areas.

After you do the first heavy duty cleaning regular upkeep is easy.

There's You Tube videos that will run you through the process. Search for chrisfix or the chemical guys.

cw_01miata

11th August 2017, 20:17

I want to do that to mine. But dont know where to start. High pressure ?

some use high pressure hose and soak everything and force water into all the connectors and all to save what - time?

Get a spray bottle and mix up some soapy water in it. I use the same soap I use to wash the outside of the car.

Get a nice rag or a bunch of rags.

Get a 3M style green scrub pad.

Take your time and use the soapy water and wipe it all down, This is a great way to get acquainted with the engine and all the components.

Examine all plastic and rubber parts for cracks and drying out.
Check the electrical connectors to see if they are clean and make good contact.

Use the scrub pad on the aluminum and you will be very pleased to see the bare metal under all the oxidation.

Take your time and enjoy it. You will be rewarded.

MarkEt

12th August 2017, 08:05

Take your time and enjoy it. You will be rewarded.

Will do. Thanks for the piece of advice. Appreciated !!!!

Do you guys use some kind of water repellant after de-greasing everything ?

bethewolf

12th August 2017, 12:47

I'm worried about the wires bit being sealed properly anymore on mine, there appears to be electrical tape in places...

EDIT: concern when cleaning with garden hose water pressure.

shoult

12th August 2017, 13:55

:realmad::mad::realmad::ohno::cry::mad::realmad: :ohno: :mad::mad::realmad:

Started out early today because I knew I'd solved the coolant leak problem get it back on the road today. I was pretty sure I knew where the problem was. I'd messed up the gasket at the water pump side exit once before. I figured that's what I'd done again and once I fixed that it'd be all good. Nope. Turns out the bottom hole in the brand new WP was stripped out. The only fix is to remove it, which means a new pump and redoing pretty much the entire WP/TB job all over again. ARRRGHHHHH!!!!!!

SquarePeg

12th August 2017, 14:03

I installed my new to me OEM Shock Tower Brace. The PO had somehow managed to put a slight bend towards one end, but I straightened it out without to much trouble.

amptramp

12th August 2017, 15:45

What wheels and tires do you have? Could you post another side view pic?

The wheels look a bit like XXR's. Mine are similar but I don't have a make for those either.

daender

12th August 2017, 15:55

Visited the Mars Bluff atomic accident site (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_Mars_Bluff_B-47_nuclear_weapon_loss_incident). I can't tell if it's humorous or ironic that a Miata built in Hiroshima would end up visiting a US atomic bomb impact site.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/q83/p320x320/20767900_1405218269574343_704091571297700902_n.jpg ?oh=5e9e637c1853613308805b84f4877e27&oe=59EB3A57

Unusualdesigner

12th August 2017, 16:46

:realmad::mad::realmad::ohno::cry::mad::realmad: :ohno: :mad::mad::realmad:The only fix is to remove it, which means a new pump and redoing pretty much the entire WP/TB job all over again.

Bummer man....
Some cars are cursed. :eek:

Unusualdesigner

12th August 2017, 16:48

I installed my new to me OEM Shock Tower Brace. The PO had somehow managed to put a slight bend towards one end, but I straightened it out without to much trouble.
There IS supposed to be a bend on the cross member. The cross member is marked for right/left location.

skarates

12th August 2017, 18:22

Did a foamectomy on the drivers seat. I'm not super tall or anything I just wanted to sit a little lower in the car. I cut out a decent amount from the bottom and used some of the foam to build up the side bolsters. Now I feel like the seat actually holds me a little and I'm not sliding back and forth like I was before. Overall a good free mod.

spartantrap

12th August 2017, 19:59

:realmad::mad::realmad::ohno::cry::mad::realmad: :ohno: :mad::mad::realmad:

shoult, you can actually replace the water pump without messing with the timing. It takes some work to wiggle it out from behind the timing belt, and you don't have to take off the valve cover either. I did the above with my dad when my water pump started leaking from the pulley.

Saves the headache of realigning the timing belt and taking off the valve cover :thumbs:

shoult

12th August 2017, 21:07

Well, after a long day in the sun, it's mostly back together with a new water pump. I found one at a very local Big Box. I'll deal with the defective WP later. If the weather holds (it looks like it will) I may get everything buttoned up in time to have a drive tomorrow.

I was starting to think this car just wanted early retirement.

MN MX-5

12th August 2017, 22:41

Do you guys use some kind of water repellant after de-greasing everything ?

I tried Gunk Shine Engine Protector for the first time. Seems to work well. Says it won't attract dirt and dust.

SquarePeg

12th August 2017, 22:43

There IS supposed to be a bend on the cross member. The cross member is marked for right/left location.

I didn't straighten out that bend.:D
I set all the "R"'s in the correct place. This had an odd bend to it almost like somebody hooked onto it with something, or maybe it survived a wreck. There weren't any marks on the bar itself. I suspect the wreck, and somebody was salvaging what they could. It wasn't noticeable in the Ebay listing. I straigthened the kink, and all the holes lined up perfectly the first time I set it on the brackets. Which was good, because I'd already touched up the paint.:rofl:
I was pretty sure it didn't belong there when I unwrapped it.

Thanks though. I appreciate the comment.:)

dweikum

12th August 2017, 23:13

Replaced 2 of my tires today with matching treads...Front tires were dry/cracking and pretty worn down. Other two in much better shape, must have been replaced previously. Sure drives nice now!

https://photos.smugmug.com/Mazda-Miata-2003-SE/i-Kdnq7NK/0/7d1dbd59/S/20170812_105741-01-S.jpg

Medit8

13th August 2017, 00:04

I replaced the resistor block for the HVAC blower on my 2002 NB. Now I have low speed fan and AC compressor action. Hopefully a recharge and I will have AC again.

MarkEt

13th August 2017, 10:11

The compressor is engaging ?

mikeyd

13th August 2017, 11:57

LRB Speed. I think that item is about $160.

Sale today use coupon code - lrb-mazda-sale

next minor project :)

shoult

13th August 2017, 16:15

WOOHOO! After a couple hours this morning finishing things up I got to go out for a 3 hour cruise.... A three hour cruise.....

No I didn't end up stranded on a desert ilse with MaryAnn and Ginger (drat!) but temps stayed in the 196-205 all day. I'll check fluid levels later tonight before I go for an evening top down ride.

Still lots of little things to accomplish including replacing the rear O2 sensor. Got to get that fixed before I can get it through emissions testing.

raddad

13th August 2017, 19:57

I installed the new clutch and put the rest of it together. Today was the first time I drove any Miata more than 5 minutes and I loved it. So much fun well within the legal driving speed. Still needs some more mods and upkeep. PO literally didn't do anything good to the car and abused it until it wouldn't move. Good things these aren't too expensive and hard to work on. The CFF was a pill to install but the rear main seal was pretty easy.

Overall I really like the car and the experience and look forward to years of fun.

Mk1Racer

13th August 2017, 22:18

Picked it up and drove it home, via the long route

AnonymousD

13th August 2017, 22:53

Picked it up and drove it home, via the long route

I usually take the scenic route If im in the Miata. I missed having a fun car.

bethewolf

13th August 2017, 23:01

Got a new hose and some zip ties to get the PCV valve in the right spot until replacement parts show up. No more oil spewing out the back [emoji16]
Next thing: find out what bushings need replacing.

dopefish

14th August 2017, 02:23

Finally got around to removing the soft top frame a realized my slave cylinder was shot.

Duncanator24

14th August 2017, 09:41

9 hours of round trip driving, 3 days of autocross, and 2 nights of camping. Quite the good weekend with the Miata! Also, just received my MiataRoadster shifter kit, going to be installing that during the week. Super excited for that.

MX-5inAR

14th August 2017, 09:56

Also, just received my MiataRoadster shifter kit, going to be installing that during the week.

I had one put in last month. Some thoughts...

On initial install it is going to be TIGHT. Like holy crap I can't believe how short these shifts are, and have I made a mistake? Spent a ton of time driving it over the next couple of days and fell in love with the insanely short throws. But... over a few weeks that will go away. The shifts will still be short, but nowhere near what they were when freshly installed. I'm kinda disappointed, honestly, but it is what it is, I guess*. :sad:

I'm going to drive a a six speed without the short shift kit this weekend to compare. Curious to feel the difference.

*Still better than stock. Glad I did it. Still recommend to others. Just miss the super tight throws from the initial install.

Mk1Racer

14th August 2017, 11:00

I may have to check one of those out. This is my first 6 spd, and I'm still getting used to it, made a couple 6-3 down shifts by accident

MX-5inAR

14th August 2017, 11:46

I may have to check one of those out. This is my first 6 spd, and I'm still getting used to it, made a couple 6-3 down shifts by accident

IMO the weirdest shift in my 01 is from 5th to 6th. You kinda have to make sure you are giving it some pressure to the right.

Mk1Racer

14th August 2017, 13:48

Got the paperwork processed on mine, I officially own it

SquarePeg

14th August 2017, 15:14

IMO the weirdest shift in my 01 is from 5th to 6th. You kinda have to make sure you are giving it some pressure to the right.

Down shifting back to 5th always gets me when I'm moving in traffic and needing some R's. I always over think it, and end up in the on the way to Reverse slot.

Chrisbreezy45

14th August 2017, 15:17

I have been trying to find my speaker wire for my NB Miata LS 2001. I can't get any sound and I think either my speaker wire and my illumination wire took out my dash lights. Yes, I check all of my fuses, which apparently none of them are burnt out and my rear lights still work. The dimmer doesn't work and my fog lights are out.

chiefmg

14th August 2017, 15:41

WOOHOO! After a couple hours this morning finishing things up I got to go out for a 3 hour cruise.... A three hour cruise.....

No I didn't end up stranded on a desert ilse with MaryAnn and Ginger (drat!) but temps stayed in the 196-205 all day. I'll check fluid levels later tonight before I go for an evening top down ride.

Still lots of little things to accomplish including replacing the rear O2 sensor. Got to get that fixed before I can get it through emissions testing.

It's always nice to get things fixed and running.

I finished up the installation of this:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4436/36568427285_a0600763cc_c.jpg

Jet Stream upper/lower rear diffuser. I don't need to hear how useless it is. :wave:

JimA

14th August 2017, 15:50

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4436/36568427285_a0600763cc_c.jpg

Nice!

SquarePeg

14th August 2017, 15:55

Anything that looks that good, has value.

shoult

14th August 2017, 18:35

Big fix done today! Replaced the orange surround on the cigarette lighter socket. Now it doesn't just flop around loosely. Thanks to the Parts Group.

CMMCK

14th August 2017, 18:44

IMO the weirdest shift in my 01 is from 5th to 6th. You kinda have to make sure you are giving it some pressure to the right.

Yeah, when I first got my car I sometimes ground reverse when going from 5th to 6th. Talk about embarrassing. Rebuilding the shifter and switching to Motorcraft solved that problem.

boomercarguy

14th August 2017, 18:45

Big fix done today! Replaced the orange surround on the cigarette lighter socket. Now it doesn't just flop around loosely. Thanks to the Parts Group.

This is on the list of "Why did Mazda do that?":
A plastic ring around a hot cigarette lighter
Fake temperature gauge
Fake oil pressure gauge
Soft rubber door bushings
:dunno:

Mk1Racer

14th August 2017, 19:10

This is on the list of "Why did Mazda do that?":
A plastic ring around a hot cigarette lighter
Fake temperature gauge
Fake oil pressure gauge
Soft rubber door bushings
:dunno:

Thank god we've gotten to the point where they quit putting lighters in cars

boomercarguy

14th August 2017, 22:16

Thank god we've gotten to the point where they quit putting lighters in cars

I agree. Unfortunately, the previous owner of my NB2 apparently smoked because my orange plastic ring was already cracking when I got it. I got my replacement from Rosenthal (now Priority). I keep a USB port in it for my phone all of the time for the occasional charge and to keep the dust out of it the rest of the time. It's flush so that it doesn't interfere with 3rd and 5th gear.

AnonymousD

14th August 2017, 22:36

This is on the list of "Why did Mazda do that?":
A plastic ring around a hot cigarette lighter
Fake temperature gauge
Fake oil pressure gauge
Soft rubber door bushings
:dunno:

As useless as the oil pressure gauge and the water temp gauges are, they are somewhat useful.

My OP gauge went to zero the other day when I was at idle RPM. Knowing that it was just a dummy gauge and not linear, I stopped at the nearest gas station and put two quarts in it. It was VERY low, but I noticed it before any damage (that I could immediately notice) was done. Luckily I'm pulling the engine soon, so as long as it runs till then, I'm happy. Lol

The water temp gauge is useful in the sense that it tells you, with no warning what so ever, that you need to pull over and kill the engine IMMEDIATELY. I plan on adding some aftermarket stuff to mine so I can get real readings.

Mikeg

15th August 2017, 06:40

Fake temperature gauge
Fake oil pressure gauge

Wait, they're both dummies? :mad: I knew the OP gauge was, wondered about the temp gauge.

mikeg

shoult

15th August 2017, 07:29

Wait, they're both dummies? :mad: I knew the OP gauge was, wondered about the temp gauge.

Yep, the OP is truly just an idiot light with a gauge attached. The oil pressure switch simply read whether you have more or less then 7psi. Less and it reads 0, more and it points to just over half. There are no other options with the stock OEM setup.

The temp gauge reads the same silly halfway when the temps are between 154* (way before the thermostat opens) to 227* (dangerously hot). Once the gauge starts moving it very close to to late.

Mikeg

15th August 2017, 08:24

:ohno:

boomercarguy

15th August 2017, 09:13

As useless as the oil pressure gauge and the water temp gauges are, they are somewhat useful.

What makes it so frustrating is that the earlier Mazda Miata models did have actual gauges and then Mazda went this route to cut costs. I guess the bean counters were in charge.
Even my 1963 MG Midget MkI had actual gauges PLUS a voltmeter and it was the bottom line MG. Mazda went backwards to save a few pennies. I would rather have paid the extra pennies to get the real thing. :realmad:

DJJ

15th August 2017, 09:18

Thanks for the info on the gauges! I'm a relatively new owner and I've been amazed at how stable my temperature and oil pressure are. I just figured I must have a "perfect" car. :D

Mk1Racer

15th August 2017, 09:57

Good to know about the gauges. Can't believe they cheaped out like that. I was always watching the gauges in my 93 NA

josolanes

15th August 2017, 10:16

Placed a small order on eBay. Ready to finally figure out how to mount a phone so it can act as GPS but still be out of the way and very stable

I'd bump the previous phone mount/holder when shifting into 5th and wasn't crazy about it. It also didn't seem very stable as the phone would wobble quite a bit when driving (phone holder that "mounted" by sitting in the cigarette lighter)

shoult

15th August 2017, 10:48

Placed a small order on eBay. Ready to finally figure out how to mount a phone so it can act as GPS but still be out of the way and very stable

I put one of these (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012EI4J3O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $9 magnetic mounts in my G35 and liked it so much I bought one for the 01 BRG. Currently I have it stuck to the windshield to the left of the gauge pod. But because my phone is large (iPhone 6+) it sits co*cked which I'm not crazy about. But it is out of the way. The biggest problem with this position is powering it for long trips.

I think I'm going to remount it, centered on the windshield so that the phone is flush with the dash. I placed it there and it still looks like it's out of the way and it's much closer to power.

josolanes

15th August 2017, 11:07

I think I'm going to remount it, centered on the windshield so that the phone is flush with the dash. I placed it there and it still looks like it's out of the way and it's much closer to power.
Nice, that looks like a good option! I'll give that a try next if my current plan doesn't work out

I ended up ordering this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/350464535049

I get that it says for NA's instead, but figured if it needs some work it's just metal with holes for bolts, so figured I could "encourage" it to mount wherever I might want. ParaVise sells one for NBs directly on their site but it was $30 + $20 shipping, I figured for half the price I don't mind tweaking it a bit :)

Then I also got this phone holder: http://www.ebay.com/itm/282046939670

And a simple flush mount cigarette lighter USB charger. Assuming I can get the PanaVise mount to work then this looks like it'll work pretty well for what I need

MN MX-5

15th August 2017, 11:30

Good to know about the gauges. Can't believe they cheaped out like that. I was always watching the gauges in my 93 NA
If you want the extra info on how your car is running you can always add Dash Command or Torque to your phone with a cheapie OBD II adapter. Mine works great.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170815/7c130ab00ddd8ed2def5298ef7d0924c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170815/0a858f6ae74f873f13de358525b5f917.jpg

1AB JAG

15th August 2017, 11:53

If you want the extra info on how your car is running you can always add Dash Command or Torque to your phone with a cheapie OBD II adapter. Mine works great.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170815/7c130ab00ddd8ed2def5298ef7d0924c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170815/0a858f6ae74f873f13de358525b5f917.jpg

What kind of phone mount is that?

JimA

15th August 2017, 11:53

My setup... ProclipUSA, s8+ and Torque Pro. Proclip is expensive, but it's out of the way and holds up well.

http://i.imgur.com/qOze6IHl.jpg

cruster

15th August 2017, 12:34

Topped off my Koni Sport install with wash/clay/wax, then drove to work.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170815/4bcda847fb86c9135b9d389494d76c6f.jpg

me77

15th August 2017, 13:03

The oil pressure gauge on the NC Miata's is worse: There is no oil pressure sensor, the ECM moves the gauge up and down according to coolant temperature and RPM. More "fake" than the one in the NB.

MN MX-5

15th August 2017, 13:34

What kind of phone mount is that?

It's a cheap eBay CD slot holder. I've been trying to find something that holds the phone steady and isn't permanently mounted to the dash with adhesive and is fairly cheap. This works better than any of the window suction cups so far and doesn't impede my forward vision.

It does block the radio display, but I don't use that much. And more importantly it doesn't impede shifting at all.

I just picked up one these this week. I have it in another car and it does stick well to the vinyl without leaving a mark. It reminds me of the sticky cup for my Escort RD. I'll be trying this weekend in the Miata.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H1ZJV2Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

josolanes

15th August 2017, 13:36

Thanks for the phone mount suggestions everyone! I'll definitely update once I get the PanaVise in and installed with installation thoughts and a brief review of how sturdy it is

shoult

15th August 2017, 13:39

I've also used CD slot mounts. In the G35 it was tolerable and would only fall out in high G turns. In both of my Miatas they would barely stay in while going straight. And I love the magnetic mounts because you just slap your phone on it and it's stuck. Then just grab it and go when your done. Nothing to do or undo for short in town runs.

foraminifera

15th August 2017, 13:40

Kenu Airframe has always worked well for me, doesnt block the view, shifting, or the center console controls. it does block an air vent though, so keep that in mind. https://www.ebay.com/i/182619452000?chn=ps&dispItem=1

1AB JAG

15th August 2017, 13:46

My setup... ProclipUSA, s8+ and Torque Pro. Proclip is expensive, but it's out of the way and holds up well.

http://i.imgur.com/qOze6IHl.jpg

Those are nice mounts for sure!

Can you mount the phone vertically and horizontally?

I'm getting pretty fed up with all the cheap mounts I have tried so far. Could have bought a Proclip for all the money I've wasted!

DJJ

15th August 2017, 14:12

I suspect the speedometer may also be a fake gauge. Mine always seems to read faster than the posted speed limit. Are they all like this?

JimA

15th August 2017, 14:14

I suspect the speedometer may also be a fake gauge. Mine always seems to read faster than the posted speed limit. Are they all like this?

Mine runs about 1 mph slower. Do you have a stock tire size?

Unusualdesigner

15th August 2017, 14:19

In reality the reason Mazda went to the dummy OP gauge on post '94 cars was because many owners panicked when the oil pressure dropped down when engine was idling when hot. It made for a lot of unnecessary warranty service calls.
It was a case of the owners not knowing how to read a REAL oil pressure gauge.

I suspect that a similar case occurred with the water temp gauge. -think about it, it took a LOT of engineering time to come up with a meter with such a large 'dead' band.
It would have been cheaper and more expeditious to just have a liner gauge in place.

5Miata10

15th August 2017, 14:38

This ^^

For what it's worth, there are relatively simple mods to make the gauges somewhat real. Search this site and you should find various how-to's.

josolanes

15th August 2017, 14:47

I was curious to see if it was possible to swap the NA gauge and sender into an NB and sure enough, of course it's been done (and documented). This forum is awesome:
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=533332

I've also seen DIYs where an aftermarket gauge was used in place too

MN MX-5

15th August 2017, 15:16

Could have bought a Proclip for all the money I've wasted!

[emoji106]

JimA

15th August 2017, 15:21

Those are nice mounts for sure!

Can you mount the phone vertically and horizontally?

I'm getting pretty fed up with all the cheap mounts I have tried so far. Could have bought a Proclip for all the money I've wasted!

You can mount it either way but it takes an allen wrench if you want to rotate it. This mounts into the crevice so it's pretty secure. But again, big bucks.

amptramp

15th August 2017, 17:49

I did the water temp gauge linearization a few years ago and it turned out to be vital - the previous owner had installed the licence plate holder upside down and my peak temperatures were about 215°F. After pulling the bottom edge forward about 2 inches, it went down to 205°F. Once I turned the mount upside down to take most of the licence plate above the opening the temperature occasionally got to 205°F but mostly stayed below that.

The instructions for the 1994 - 1997 are here with links to instructions for the 1990-1993 and 1998-2003 models:

http://hunziker.pagesperso-orange.fr/mx_web/MTGLP/1994-1997MTGLP.htm

MarkEt

15th August 2017, 18:01

Yeah, when I first got my car I sometimes ground reverse when going from 5th to 6th. Talk about embarrassing. Rebuilding the shifter and switching to Motorcraft solved that problem.

First week with my 6 speeds, I became worried I had messed the box up, couldnt find 5th. I swear I started thinking that I needed a new transmission and everything.

Turns out I was reaching too far and getting ready to engage reverse. No 5th there. Relieved and a little mortified, too.

MarkEt

15th August 2017, 18:03

(Only took me a couple of tries to figure that out, Im not that slow)(still, I felt utterly stupid)

Spanner

15th August 2017, 20:26

I finally finished installing my new Robbins canvas soft top OEM style with zippered window & washed the car.

https://s4.postimg.org/6y3k6kqrx/20170815_193900.jpg

Some concluding thoughts:
1. A huge shout out to Chris@Moss (https://forum.miata.net/vb/member.php?u=69474) & Moss Miata for their excellent customer service & fast shipping.

2. The top fits very well, functions well and looks great!

3. The directions and Robbins customer service are awful. Some steps in the manual are out of order, some are absent, some are wrong. The pictures are terrible. Robbins won't talk to you if you call. You are completely on your own doing this job.
Read, read, read on this forum! There are lots of helpful tips--heed them.
Take your old top apart slowly, pay attention, and take lots of pictures for future reference. You WILL need them. This saved my bacon a few times!
Think through the install & the actual order things need to be done to be accessible.
Yes, the webbing straps attach to studs #3 & 11!
4. I miss the old canvas smell that reminded me of a WWII airplane in a museum. I like the new car smell that reminds me that my Miata is much nicer now than when I got it!

ridethecliche

15th August 2017, 20:39

Any particular reason that you chose to go with the plastic zip window?

Ah nevermind, I didn't realize they made a glass zippered window model!

Mk1Racer

15th August 2017, 20:50

Spanner,

You're car is simply stunning. I love that color

Kmier

15th August 2017, 20:54

I suspect the speedometer may also be a fake gauge. Mine always seems to read faster than the posted speed limit. Are they all like this?

I will try that one the next time I get pulled over, and let you know how it works!

Spanner

15th August 2017, 20:59

Spanner,

You're car is simply stunning. I love that color

Thanks! :) I was convinced that I had to have a BRG '01 SE or an Emerald Mica LS. This car was the best I could find locally in 2 weeks, and I've come to love the Midnight Blue Mica.

MN MX-5

15th August 2017, 21:18

My goodie boxes started showing up today. [emoji2]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170816/765b901ae4f7eac4896ea300c01d02cd.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170816/099a7846118e1eb99fa7cf52afee08d0.jpg

Mk1Racer

15th August 2017, 21:32

Thanks! :) I was convinced that I had to have a BRG '01 SE or an Emerald Mica LS. This car was the best I could find locally in 2 weeks, and I've come to love the Midnight Blue Mica.

If you want to trade for my 01 BRG, lmk

miataman3

15th August 2017, 21:49

I finally finished installing my new Robbins canvas soft top OEM style with zippered window & washed the car.

https://s4.postimg.org/6y3k6kqrx/20170815_193900.jpg

Some concluding thoughts:
1. A huge shout out to Chris@Moss (https://forum.miata.net/vb/member.php?u=69474) & Moss Miata for their excellent customer service & fast shipping.

2. The top fits very well, functions well and looks great!

Read, read, read on this forum! There are lots of helpful tips--heed them.
Take your old top apart slowly, pay attention, and take lots of pictures for future reference. You WILL need them. This saved my bacon a few times!
Think through the install & the actual order things need to be done to be accessible.
Yes, the webbing straps attach to studs #3 & 11!

4. I miss the old canvas smell that reminded me of a WWII airplane in a museum. I like the new car smell that reminds me that my Miata is much nicer now than when I got it!
Good on you! thanks for the update & notes, looks fab!!!

Spanner

15th August 2017, 22:14

If you want to trade for my 01 BRG, lmk I'm tempted! I love the polished wheels on '01 SEs, would put them on my car if I could find a decent set.

Good on you! thanks for the update & notes, looks fab!!!

Thanks!

ridethecliche

15th August 2017, 22:31

Thanks! :) I was convinced that I had to have a BRG '01 SE or an Emerald Mica LS. This car was the best I could find locally in 2 weeks, and I've come to love the Midnight Blue Mica.

Haha, I'm jealous. I have the twilight blue and I much prefer the midnight!

Kylini

16th August 2017, 09:49

A previous owner on my red car installed air horns, which are absolutely fabulous! Unfortunately, I noticed that they stopped working a week or two ago. Once I confirmed it, I had issues figuring out which fuse was responsible and discovered that the horn is linked in with the tail lights.......

Yeah. I didn't have working tail lights for a few weeks because my horn blew the fuse....

One 20 amp fuse later and I'm back in business. I have a pile in the glove box just in case.

boomercarguy

16th August 2017, 10:17

Yeah. I didn't have working tail lights for a few weeks because my horn blew the fuse....

One 20 amp fuse later and I'm back in business. I have a pile in the glove box just in case.

You just addressed the symptom. You didn't solve the problem. The horn and the brakes share a fuse. If you use only the original power source for the OEM horn to supply power to dual horns, you run the risk of the horn relay contacts welding together shorted if you hit the brakes at the same time that you are blowing the horns. This will cause the loss of the horn and the brake lights. Adding a relay prevents this problem. If you're interested I can send details on how I wired my dual horns. My power source for an NB with non-ABS but a different source is not difficult.

1AB JAG

16th August 2017, 11:17

Spanner,

That blue is beautiful! Good combo with the tan top too!

Kmier

16th August 2017, 12:17

Curious about this. I just installed a Thompson dual airhorn. Included was a 20A fuse to go in place of the 15A in the 'STOP' fuse location. Anyone else had issues with this electrically on an '01-'05?

The horn is wonderfully loud, btw...

Unusualdesigner

16th August 2017, 12:45

The horn is wonderfully loud, btw...

I've seen that "fuse upgrade" before... The problem is not so much the running current of the horn which is just a few amps but the 'in-rush' current when you first press the horn button while also having the brakes on can exceed 20 amps. A few instances of this and the fuse gets weakened enough that blows next time you use the horn.

The recommended way of adding horn[s] -which also ensures that the OEM horn relay will last a long time- is to use a relay driven by the existing horn circuit.

Chris@Moss

16th August 2017, 12:48

I finally finished installing my new Robbins canvas soft top OEM style with zippered window & washed the car.

Car (and top) looks fantastic. The install looks great, too. I'm happy to hear and see that you worked through it! :thumbs:

shoult

16th August 2017, 12:54

I had this problem on my old 2000 when I changed the OEM unit for a louder, but still electric horn. I changed the fuse to a 20A and never had a problem in the 35K miles the car had left with me. When I transferred the horn to my 02 the problem never came up. It just worked like it was supposed to.

Unusualdesigner

16th August 2017, 13:39

I would feel warm and fuzzy about increasing the fuse size in a "normal" car. Unfortunately Mazda sets wire sizes to 'just right size' in order to save weight -and costs-. IOW there isn't a lot of extra current carrying capacity in the stock wiring.

For the air horns in all my cars I tap power from the MAIN fuse cold side through a in-line fuse to a SPST relay and then use the OEM relay to drive that one.

Another mod is to add a SPDT relay to select between OEM horn and air horn and actuated by a KO condition. When key is off and door locks 'chirp' the horn, only the OEM horn will sound. With key on then the air horn will sound.

Of course, as with everything else in life, YMMV :wave:

Uncle Hoonsalot

16th August 2017, 17:36

Took some pictures of it. I had given it a wash and tried out a new drying aid: Optimum Car Care's Car Wax. I put that on the paint and the wheels. Very pleased with the way it looks, and it was incredibly easy to apply!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4427/36210901320_3e777440cc_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4395/35798022093_7f3a9c9e4a_b.jpg

shoult

16th August 2017, 17:44

I just finished up doing a (semi) permanent power line install for my V1 after work. Been driving MUCH too often without it lately. Also ordered some 35% (most TN allows) ceramic black window tint to put on my windows and my new top before I install it. Should have more than enough to do all 5 windows plus a strip across the top of the windshield. Of course crossing one task off the list means addig at least one more to the list. I now have to do the NB top latch mod so they'll stay latched. Sigh.

Spanner

16th August 2017, 19:10

Spanner,

That blue is beautiful! Good combo with the tan top too!

Car (and top) looks fantastic. The install looks great, too. I'm happy to hear and see that you worked through it! :thumbs:

Thanks :) We are very pleased with it.

We took it on a 450mi road trip today and tried dropping the back window with the zipper. What a cool thing (in more than one way)!

spartantrap

16th August 2017, 21:19

Took the "Tupperware"off, and I'm amazed at how much more it looks like a Miata to me now. Not that it didn't before, but holy crap; I actually own a Miata. The only bad thing about removing it is that it looks like it's a mile above the ground now, so.... time to start saving up for some lowering springs.....

Also, I need to clean up the adhesive "tape" residue stuff, I'll save that for tomorrow

cruster

17th August 2017, 10:00

I've been using ONR for years but had never tried their wax until about 6 months ago - I will never go back. It takes me about an hour to wash, clay, and wax my NB now, and it looks great. Awesome stuff.

wallijonn

17th August 2017, 17:53

... and discovered that the horn is linked in with the tail lights.......

Yeah. I didn't have working tail lights for a few weeks because my horn blew the fuse....

Good thing you weren't rear ended. Don't try that here in AZ because people speed up when the lights turn red. I saw a good one here in Glendale, AZ - the car in front had it's rear jammed up over the rear car's hood. The rear car tried to run the light...

foraminifera

17th August 2017, 18:04

Began prepping for my USA and Canada road trip. Topped up fluids, checked tire pressure, made a tool kit, washed windows, stuffed rockwool insulation into plastic bags and put them in the trunk tunnels. Excited about the trip, looking forward to seeing the eclipse in Tennessee as well!

Kmier

17th August 2017, 18:09

Also, I need to clean up the adhesive "tape" residue stuff, I'll save that for tomorrow

Cool - post up a photo. How hard is this to do, will there be any tell-tale marks / holes left once you clean it up? I've been thinking of doing this on my '05 LS. Never fell in love with the extra plastic.

Chris GTO TT

17th August 2017, 18:16

Yesterday I threw in some LED headlights from xenon depot.

josolanes

17th August 2017, 18:33

Got the PanaVise phone mount for an NA in and managed to make it work. No bolts lined up but with a small amount of dremmel wheel action I was able to trim a small amount of the aftermarket headunit pocket (not visible) and wedge the phone mount really tight in there. No wiggling at all and it's nice and solid. And best of all it's out of the way (passenger and shifting)

https://forum.miata.net/vb/picture.php?albumid=4590&pictureid=21742

Soccrplayer21

18th August 2017, 00:38

Nice!

the rearend is beautiful.....where did u find that wing??!!!!!

Soccrplayer21

18th August 2017, 00:39

It's always nice to get things fixed and running.

I finished up the installation of this:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4436/36568427285_a0600763cc_c.jpg

Jet Stream upper/lower rear diffuser. I don't need to hear how useless it is. :wave:

whered u find that wing

chiefmg

18th August 2017, 04:51

whered u find that wing

It is a Japanese market only Mazdaspeed accessory. I got mine off Yahoo! Japan through Tetsuya Garage. They are pretty rare (and expensive). There is a guy who has one for sale right now advertised on two other Miata forums. He's in Greece but I've dealt with him and he is good people.

tcazes

18th August 2017, 10:25

Yesterday I threw in some LED headlights from xenon depot.

How do you like them? I'm seriously contemplating led heads and fogs

Chris GTO TT

18th August 2017, 11:47

How do you like them? I'm seriously contemplating led heads and fogs

I haven't driven with them yet, but visually they look good and seem to have more light output without much change in glare. The ones i bought allow you to 'clock' the leds. I discovered clocking them so the leds output is side to side rather than up and down really reduced the glare. The Xeon Depot ones I have are more expensive than a cheap HID kit and more expensive than a cheap led kit from amazon but the quality is far greater.

Duncanator24

18th August 2017, 13:41

http://i.imgur.com/QBWjFEW.jpg
Installed the MiataRoadster short shifter today. Makes such a difference in the heat output into the cabin and now shifts are so smooth and accurate. Certainly transformed my 6 speed transmission into what it should be.
http://revlimiter.net/blog/2014/10/parts-review-miataroadster-short-shift-kit/

Kylini

18th August 2017, 15:44

http://kylini.com/grm/66666.jpg

My red car finally hit a fun mileage number and unlike 123456 on the black car, I actually got a photo this time.

spartantrap

18th August 2017, 18:27

I'll post photos, just give me some time to get the thing washed; it's in dire need of it and I haven't listened to it's calling..... yet....

MickeyMouseOrg

18th August 2017, 18:37

Did you go stock height or tall?

Loved your description. Now contemplating this myself since the unicorn tears didn't quite cure the notchiness on my 6 speed.

shoult

18th August 2017, 20:02

Got a few things knocked off the to do list on the new to me 01 BRG SE.

1. Replaced the upper and lower shift boots and the missing shifter ball bushing
2. Drained the trans and put in a 50/50 mix of Redline MTL & MT-90. I'll only run this for a short time to use it as a sort of flush to help get whatever goo was in there before out. The Redline was leftovers from another car so it was basically already paid for. Then I'll put in the Unicorn Tears.
3. Flushed the brake and clutch lines with new brake fluid
4. Pulled the stupid McGard wheel locks off and replaced them with standard M12x1.5 chrome lug nuts
5. Front Brake pads (rears are tomorrow)
6. Zip tie fix on the passenger door (both doors done now)

I still need to pull the old rear O2 sensor and replace it so I can pass emissions and get my title and tags.

As a bonus I didn't have to add one single thing to the list today. Thats a first for this car. On the down side my 5 year old $50 open box Harbor Freight 20v 1/2" impact gun's battery is showing signs of wanting to go off into the light. If I have to replace the battery I'll end up buying something with a LI-Ion battery instead.

MN MX-5

18th August 2017, 20:05

I had some more of my suspension goodies show up today.

I'm almost there...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170819/3afb0d4532c04489bca55d39cc5b5b7f.jpg

spartantrap

18th August 2017, 20:21

Does anybody know of a better way to remove the tackiness than for me to use my hands to rub it off (no jokes intended), that's the only way I've ever been able to remove this type of stuff effectively but there's way too much for me to do this in one day. I've already got a blister on one hand....

shoult

18th August 2017, 20:24

Had to go back quite a few messages to see what you were talking about.

My answer would be Goo-Be-Gone to remove the adhesive left over from removing the tupperwear..

JimA

18th August 2017, 20:24

What are you doing?

powellke

18th August 2017, 20:25

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Surface-Safe-Adhesive-Remover-8-oz-USA-Brand-Goo-Gone/178295157

spartantrap

18th August 2017, 20:27

Had to go back quite a few messages to see what you were talking about.

My answer would be Goo-Be-Gone to remove the adhesive left over from removing the tupperwear..

I was told by someone to use that, and I went to walmart to get some but they didn't have it. And the one I was told to get was just a grout cleaner, so I got that but it still doesn't work as well as my skin and good old fashioned elbow grease does...

spartantrap

18th August 2017, 20:27

What are you doing?

Removing the tacky crap left over from removing the side skirt "rocker panels"

shoult

18th August 2017, 20:43

The right Goo-Be_gone dissolves the adhesive while still being paint safe. You can basically wipe it off with a paper towel.

WNCMiata

18th August 2017, 20:43

Removing the tacky crap left over from removing the side skirt "rocker panels"

I used Turtle wax sticker remover, found it at Autozone
https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-T-529-Sticker-Remover/dp/B004M3F5CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503103304&sr=8-1&keywords=turtle+wax+sticker+remover

Also used a heat gun that helped a lot....my finger were sore for a few days afterwards.

spartantrap

18th August 2017, 20:53

I used Turtle wax sticker remover, found it at Autozone

https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-T-529-Sticker-Remover/dp/B004M3F5CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503103304&sr=8-1&keywords=turtle+wax+sticker+remover

Also used a heat gun that helped a lot....my finger were sore for a few days afterwards.

Thanks for another avenue of cleaning

My fingers are gonna have fun at work tomorrow... it was worth it for the photo though

The right Goo-Be_gone dissolves the adhesive while still being paint safe. You can basically wipe it off with a paper towel.

I'm gonna have to find me some of that... but for now, I got my driver's side good enough for the photo that someone asked for earlier

Thanks for the help shoult, I'm gonna get some of that for the other side. I'm done cleaning this tacky stuff off tonight

Here's the driver side after removing the tupperware. There's three holes towards the front of the door and another seven underneath by the pinch weld that can't be seen here. But overall, I think it actually looks quite a lot better than it did before. I just want some lowering springs to bring it lower to the ground now

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170819/c499ff9c786562870130628d6d20e13c.jpg

MN MX-5

18th August 2017, 23:01

Since almost everything stuck to a car uses a product made by 3M, I've used 3M adhesive remover to clean off cars. That and a heat gun have never failed me when debadging.

It does strip wax however.

I've been told acetone works too, but you always have to buy a quart can of it.

From AutoZone, but available everywhere.

http://www.autozone.com/paint-and-body/paint-and-decal-remover/3m-adhesive-remover/189453_0_0

Chris GTO TT

18th August 2017, 23:42

How do you like them? I'm seriously contemplating led heads and fogs

Here's a picture...

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4412/35851753483_d04cf055c5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WC6BfK)
IMG_20170818_201734 (https://flic.kr/p/WC6BfK) by christobal65 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/17467941@N06/), on Flickr

JonK67

19th August 2017, 14:16

I've been told acetone works too, but you always have to buy a quart can of it.

Fingernail polish remover is acetone so you can get it in any size bottle you want at CVS, supermarket,etc.

spartantrap

19th August 2017, 14:26

Fingernail polish remover is acetone so you can get it in any size bottle you want at CVS, supermarket,etc.

Thanks for all the help guys :thumbs:

Btw, I bought some throttle body cleaner to clean my miata's throttle body with. That stuff is basically sprayable acetone, pretty weird

MN MX-5

19th August 2017, 14:41

Fingernail polish remover is acetone so you can get it in any size bottle you want at CVS, supermarket,etc.
I used to think so too until I tried to get some a couple of years ago. Nowadays its a less harsh ethyl acetate.

Chris GTO TT

19th August 2017, 15:18

Took it to cars and coffee in Folsom and then drove home via the canyon and back roads. Trip as a whole took me all the way around Folsom Lake.

Unusualdesigner

19th August 2017, 15:42

Trip as a whole took me all the way around Folsom Lake.

How full is the lake now? A friend sent me some pictures about 4-5 months ago where the lake was at an almost all time high.

Chris GTO TT

19th August 2017, 16:03

How full is the lake now? A friend sent me some pictures about 4-5 months ago where the lake was at an almost all time high.

The lake is still incredibly full given its mid-late August already. It's full enough you can take a boat up the south fork past Salmon Falls Road Bridge. I was shocked to see a boat up there under the bridge this morning.:eek:

mikeyd

19th August 2017, 16:04

On a typical north central PA ride, on the home stretch
Blind curve at about 60
Despite constant visual scanning from side to side and back
Medium sized Doe darts across the road
Shes about 2/3 way thru my lane heading toward the center line
I yield slightly to the right - cant go too far as there is a ditch and woods along the 2 lane
Coming up on her fast, feeling of dread
Somehow as she bolted, lifting her hind legs just enough the far left bumper took a glancing blow.
Felt like nothing more than hitting a bird but a hit nonetheless
Pulled over along the side to asses the damage
Not a scratch!
Surely I expected the bumper to be cracked or headlight damage
Nothing I can see
Casted a big shout out to the man upstairs as (aside from this) I have a lot to be thankful for. :)
Gotta watch those blind curves;)

Unusualdesigner

19th August 2017, 16:09

Outstanding! I haven't been up that way in about 10 years but was pretty familiar with the area. One of the pre-rains photos my friend sent me, they were walking -something like a 1/4 mile in from the boat ramp- on the former bottom of the lake.

Chris GTO TT

19th August 2017, 16:12

A couple of years ago we walked all the way down to the ruins of Mormon Island and Negro Bar. The lake was so low it looked more like a large river than a lake. This spring at its peak the parking lot at Rattlesnake Bar was mostly under water from what I understand.

chiefmg

19th August 2017, 16:58

Been hearing crickets so lubed the clutch actuating fork.

Unusualdesigner

19th August 2017, 17:39

There certainly was a lot of rainfal this last winter. Hope for more of the same this year, the Central Valley crops certainly need it.
Even in Southern California we have had a couple of rare summer rains, something I hadn't seen in years.

boomercarguy

19th August 2017, 18:34

Since almost everything stuck to a car uses a product made by 3M, I've used 3M adhesive remover to clean off cars. That and a heat gun have never failed me when debadging.

It does strip wax however.

I've been told acetone works too, but you always have to buy a quart can of it.

From AutoZone, but available everywhere.

http://www.autozone.com/paint-and-body/paint-and-decal-remover/3m-adhesive-remover/189453_0_0

I just bought a small bottle of 100% acetone (no additives) from Walmart today in the fingernail polish section for less than $2.00. I use it to clean stone chips before I use touch-up paint. A small bottle will last me for years as long as I remember to put the top back on.

josolanes

19th August 2017, 20:21

Took it for a quick drive and decided to take a picture

https://forum.miata.net/vb/picture.php?albumid=4590&pictureid=21749

shoult

19th August 2017, 21:10

Finished up this weekends work on the 01 BRG SE. Got the rear brakes done. Changed the rear O2 sensor. What a pain that was. Had to take down all three chassis braces and the drivers seat/carpet so that there was enough room to get the O2 sensor out. Sprayed the underside of the car down with 4 or 5 cans of carb clean to remove the old caked up oil.

The car finally started paying me back to today though. I found $2.27 and a spare cup holder spring underneath the drivers seat. WooooHoooo!

Now onto the more important stuff. While the new O2 sensor fixed the Heat Bank 1 Sensor 2 CEL, I still have a P0012 (Camshaft Positrion timing - over-retarded (bank 1)) even though I've rebuilt the VVT valve. The VVT cam gear felt fine with no slop in it. I also am having a hard time get 4! monitors to become ready. Catalyst Monitoring, Evap system, O2 sensor and EGR aren't setting. I expect the EGR to take awhile and sometimes the Evap system. But usually the O2 and Cat set almost immediately.

tcazes

19th August 2017, 21:27

Replaced my cigarette lighter with a Ian outlet, installed my roadster sport 3 mid pipe, and took her for a shake down! Absolutely perfect exhaust note now!

What did you do to your NB today? [Archive] - Page 109 (2024)