Some more questions
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Acquah

Original Poster:

538 posts

194 months

Tuesday 4th May 2010
quotequote all
I've got some more questions again. If someone could help, I'd be grateful.

1. My ride has become a little crashy, esp. on the left side. Would replacing the bushes do the trick, or do I have to do more? How much should I be looking at, and who should do it (WiM)? I'm in Notts.

2. Is blue smoke on start up normal?

3. What do I need to do to get the windows moving faster? New cables? Or some grease?

Thanks very much in advance... :-)

Don Phil

622 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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Acquah said:
I've got some more questions again. If someone could help, I'd be grateful.

1. My ride has become a little crashy, esp. on the left side. Would replacing the bushes do the trick, or do I have to do more? How much should I be looking at, and who should do it (WiM)? I'm in Notts.

2. Is blue smoke on start up normal?

3. What do I need to do to get the windows moving faster? New cables? Or some grease?

Thanks very much in advance... :-)
1. Dont know, i have Bilsteins and my back hurts...

2. I would say blue smoke is bad, someone will be along to provide a helpful hand as im not mechanically minded.

3. Buy some spray grease, buy some silicone rubber spray, get the door card off, have a look down the window runners, spray down them with the spray grease, bit at a time, running window up and down, you will see vast improvement. Spray silicone spray stuff down the rubber seal on the a pillar and the bit below in the door where the window goes. You will see further improvement. (in my experience of course - and that is the lazy/easy way of doing it without removing the mechanisms and such which i wasnt confident it doing at the time). 1 month on and windows are as good as they were when i did it, and almost as good as new!. Keep an eye on your sills as the grease seems to run down the paintwork after you've done it, so keep wiping it off!

J-Tuner

2,855 posts

265 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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I agree with Don that will sort it out a treat.

I actually used WD40 on the runner guides which softened up the grease already there and made a big difference. I also squirted some down the window guide that the glass slides up towards the roof. Just was a bit careful with how much i used and cleaned any off the paint straight away.

Did this on both doors and they work like new. Worked for me smile

JFReturns

3,782 posts

193 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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As above said, WD40 down the window runners helps the windows.

As for blue smoke - tends to mean oil burning, have you checked for leaks?

skinny

5,269 posts

257 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
quotequote all
bushes won't help the suspension crashing, they tend to get harder with age - you have knackered shocks or sagging springs.

blue smoke on start up is usually the sign of worn valve guides. it's not gonna kill the engine but it may be a sign that it's way out - you can replace them but it's probably cheaper and easier just to get another head.

Gizmo!

18,150 posts

231 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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Acquah said:
3. What do I need to do to get the windows moving faster? New cables? Or some grease?
Wind faster! wink


/manual windows

Acquah

Original Poster:

538 posts

194 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
quotequote all
JFReturns said:
As above said, WD40 down the window runners helps the windows.

As for blue smoke - tends to mean oil burning, have you checked for leaks?
I've had a look and I haven't spotted any leaks. The engine sounds ok too (apart from occasionally being tappety for a couple of secs on startup). To be fair I've only noticed it once 10 days ago when I got out of the car and was standing at the back, right after startup. Haven't seen it since...

Acquah

Original Poster:

538 posts

194 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
quotequote all
skinny said:
bushes won't help the suspension crashing, they tend to get harder with age - you have knackered shocks or sagging springs.

blue smoke on start up is usually the sign of worn valve guides. it's not gonna kill the engine but it may be a sign that it's way out - you can replace them but it's probably cheaper and easier just to get another head.
Hmmm, ok I'll defo get this looked at. I find it strange though as mine has done less than 70,000 miles so far, so I'd have thought the engine would be good for twice that?

MX-5 Lazza

7,954 posts

241 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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What's the oil level like? Not over-filled is it?

skinny

5,269 posts

257 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
quotequote all
Acquah said:
skinny said:
bushes won't help the suspension crashing, they tend to get harder with age - you have knackered shocks or sagging springs.

blue smoke on start up is usually the sign of worn valve guides. it's not gonna kill the engine but it may be a sign that it's way out - you can replace them but it's probably cheaper and easier just to get another head.
Hmmm, ok I'll defo get this looked at. I find it strange though as mine has done less than 70,000 miles so far, so I'd have thought the engine would be good for twice that?
it should be, at least. mine has 160,000 miles on it and doesn't smoke. it might be something else smile

Acquah

Original Poster:

538 posts

194 months

Friday 7th May 2010
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MX-5 Lazza said:
What's the oil level like? Not over-filled is it?
Just checked the oil level this morning, was half-way between top and bottom. Still haven't seen a recurrence of the blue smoke problem though...

franv8

2,212 posts

260 months

Friday 7th May 2010
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Could just be the stem seals - most likely in fact (little rubber seals that press on on top of the valve guides). Not expensive but a head off/dismantle valve train job to do. It probably won't use that much oil (even with significant blue clouds) so don't worry too much.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

204 months

Friday 7th May 2010
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franv8 said:
Could just be the stem seals - most likely in fact (little rubber seals that press on on top of the valve guides). Not expensive but a head off/dismantle valve train job to do. It probably won't use that much oil (even with significant blue clouds) so don't worry too much.
You can get an additive to "rejuvenate" the rubber on these which might see you through for a couple of years. Certainly worked well on my 205 (before I had the engine rebuilt).

MX-5 Lazza

7,954 posts

241 months

Friday 7th May 2010
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Agreed. If it doesn't do it regularly or with big clouds of smoke I wouldn't worry about it.

Years ago I used to have a MkIII Cortina that created a big cloud of smoke every time I started it. A garage told me it was on it's way out and I'd be lucky if it lasted 3 months. I was still driving it without so much as changing the plugs 3 years later and if anything I think it actually improved!