RE: PH Fleet: Mazda Eunos Roadster

RE: PH Fleet: Mazda Eunos Roadster

Thursday 17th January 2013

PH Fleet: Mazda Eunos Roadster

Dan's Mazda loses its horn just as the MoT man takes an interest



With another MX-5 on the fleet it's probably for the best my current non-driving status means less action for the silver Eunos. But that's not to say it's been standing completely idle.

Only an idiot could cock this up ... oh
Only an idiot could cock this up ... oh
Bought on a whim with an unexpected Christmas windfall a couple of years back I now curse my impetuousness every January as I'm hit with a triple whammy of tax, insurance and MoT. These are all tedious things to talk about so I'll skim over the issue, pausing only to say that I've now staggered the VED to mid-summer annual renewal and having to re-insure the car with my wife as the named driver after surrendering my licence (big cheer to PH partners Adrian Flux for sorting that out so painlessly, complete with agreed value and barely a murmur about the mods) means that's now out of sync too. Which leaves just the MoT to wish me a happy new year.

I wasn't expecting too much difficulty in getting a ticket so wasn't too stressed about this. And then I remembered that the horn had stopped working a while back. It had been on my mind for a bit but even with a lock-up to store it in the idea of going outside and working on the car didn't really appeal through December. So in typical leave it to the last minute fashion I started ripping the facia apart the night before getting the car to the MoT station.

No genius with the spanners, I'm even more of a numpty when it comes to stuff involving wires and fuses. Even then I thought a horn would be within my wit. Nope. The button had a random wire on it not attached to anything which I assumed to be the earth but just tripped the fuse whenever it was touching bodywork. That's OK, I'll just nip over to the garage opposite to get a couple of replacements. Only this being the modern world of filling stations they sell enough to do the weekly shop but not anything you might actually need to keep a car running, fuel aside. A route march up the High Street and a nice man with a PH smiley tattoo on his arm at the local Kwik Fit dug out a couple of 10A fuses for me to continue my fiddling. I could hear the relay working and I found one of the horns had a loose connection but still no beep.

Winter accommodation needs sorted
Winter accommodation needs sorted
This was turning into vintage 'five-minute job' territory but being a bloody-minded idiot (edit - delete the 'minded') I pressed on, a growing pile of blown fuses beside me. Before admitting defeat and getting the car dropped off to local spannermen The Car Works. They fitted new horns, got it a ticket and I was all sorted. Or I was, until I tried to find the certificate and (very reasonable) £140 invoice they'd carefully left in an envelope on the passenger seat. Nope. Lost. So I'll be popping back for a duplicate in due course.

All of which goes to show that I'm a bit disorganised and useless, and even paperwork is best left to the pros. Which wouldn't be a problem, but I told them not to worry about changing the oil because I'd do it myself once the car was home. What could possibly go wrong?


Fact sheet:
Car:
1993 Eunos Roadster (JDM import model)
Run by: Dan Trent
Bought: January 2011
Purchase price: £1,250
Last month at a glance: Eunos loses its horn, thwarts have-a-go hero spannering and gets its MoT


Previous reports:
Why have one wedding car when four will do?
Look, I was kidding about the downforce, right?
The Eunos returns to Scotland for another road trip
Has Dan killed his Eunos?

Author
Discussion

bicycleshorts

Original Poster:

1,939 posts

160 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Did a track day at Spa last year in a supercharged mx5. Approaching eau rouge at full pelt, negotiated the left kink then the horn fell out doing circa 110mph.

Brown trousers to say the least, I thought the whole wheel had fallen off for a moment.

ETA: Unrelated to your story, but the pic reminded me of it!

Garett

1,622 posts

191 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Just don't round the sump plug off like I did on my Vito when trying to change the oil. Another one of those '5 minute jobs'!
Awaiting a new sump plug from Mercedes and a mate with the correct tools!

Roadster25

272 posts

161 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
I always found that changing the oil filter was a bit of a pain on these smile

bicycleshorts

Original Poster:

1,939 posts

160 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Roadster25 said:
I always found that changing the oil filter was a bit of a pain on these smile
There's a bracket connected to the intake manifold and engine block. You can take this off (and if arsed, replaced it afterwards).

Other option is to go in from underneath by removing the plastic tray (if it's still there).

None of these will help if it was a gorilla put it on too tight. In that case you'll need one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9PF0/

More expensive option is an oil filter relocation kit.

matthoneywill

20 posts

155 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Really? I found the oil filter to be one of the easiest ones I've done. Then again, I don't have a carbon canister so that's one thing out of the way...

Roadster25

272 posts

161 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Always used a strap wrench as I am a clumsy weakling. Access from below, as said.

My point of reference has always been an old Mini, which is dead easy to do as the filter is on the front of the engine. Anything trickier than this is difficult!

Dion20vt

252 posts

161 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
You've just reminded me, i need to finish my '5' and get her through an MOT ready for spring/summer... Anybody handy at wiring in a fog lamp?! oh, and bleed the brakes, and do the belts, and change the oil, and sort the electric windows, and sort the wiper motor.... "5 minute job" in total... biggrin

Frimley111R

15,490 posts

233 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
I think that you're part of a big group of us all keen to do a bit of tinkering in the garage on our cars but all thinking "Sod that! It's bloody freezing!!

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
The horn on mine has stopped working, it's the actual horn that's the problem, and unfortunately when I had the front bumper off sorting out the intercooler I bolted the horn in an annoyingly inaccessable place.

I have a new horn, but I'm trying to wait for less cold weather to swap it over. Or maybe a front end accident to take the bumper off for me and save me some effort.

I know it's the horn because I nearly replaced it in the summer for the MOT, but pocking at it with a long screwdriver made it sort of work well enough. I wish I'd fixed it properly then.

Dan Trent

1,866 posts

167 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
I feel your pain, literally. Skin still missing from thumb knuckle from having to repeatedly stick my hand through a sharp-edged hole in the front scuttle about 5% smaller than my hand to try connecting and disconnecting the horn to see if that was causing the fuses to pop. weeping

And I've heard that oil filters can be a bit of a 'mare too. Going in from underneath I think...

Dan

Lazygraduate

1,789 posts

160 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
A PH sticker on my car was far enough, a tattoo on the other hand...who is this mystery chap!? hehe

bmw120d

69 posts

182 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
The sad fact is that there not that good, they have no power and everyone loves them ….. well that's says a lot …………. Oooooooo there rear wheel drive … try again next think I might buy a shed just for some none pis fun...................... think i may try a ....Lada

mattshiz

461 posts

140 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Is the oil filter on the mk1's in the same place as mk2.5's?

If so they're such an easy job to get out! (unless you've got chubby hands and wrists tongue out )

TNTom

230 posts

176 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
bmw120d said:
The sad fact is that there not that good, they have no power and everyone loves them ….. well that's says a lot …………. Oooooooo there rear wheel drive … try again next think I might buy a shed just for some none pis fun...................... think i may try a ....Lada
wtf is this guy on???

buzzer

3,531 posts

239 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Roadster25 said:
Always used a strap wrench as I am a clumsy weakling. Access from below, as said.

My point of reference has always been an old Mini, which is dead easy to do as the filter is on the front of the engine. Anything trickier than this is difficult!
i used to use a strap or chain wrench but since i got a set of these, filters are easy!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16PC-CAP-OIL-FILTER-SOCK...

TNTom

230 posts

176 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
bmw120d said:


Your that far up yourselves you can’t see the light..............you can get the same fun out of most cars if you try!! Talking to a brick wall with u lot...
rofl...... WOW, is all im going to say......

TNTom

230 posts

176 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
bmw120d said:
WOW ..................... IS THAT A LIFE .....................ROLLY FACE !!!!
cost me £300 quid had it 2 months and sold it for profit, now run a mk1 mx5 and a 2002 c class merc c220 cdi if you want to know exactly, anyway i'll leave you to it.

TNTom

230 posts

176 months

Thursday 17th January 2013
quotequote all
Oh dear.

Nardies

1,165 posts

218 months

Friday 18th January 2013
quotequote all
Well I'm decided, I'm going to buy a 120d then sit on PH when I've drunk too much, then laugh at all you MX-5 owners....

Speaking of changing oil filters, has no one done the 'screwdriver hammered through it' approach? That worked for me before, but was slightly messy, although more manly obviously.

Varn

205 posts

200 months

Friday 18th January 2013
quotequote all
It's nice being an open forum and all that, but sometimes, knobs like bmw120d need to be silenced...