Thursday 28th August 2014

Mazda Eunos Roadster: PH Fleet

As Dan prepares to go racing MX-5s in Japan his own car starts showing its age

---

When it came out the NA/Mk1 MX-5 was meant to be a modern take on the classic car. Having turned 25 years old it's now actually falling into that category itself. Mine has even started behaving like one too, for the truly authentic experience.

Do the timewarp: 15th MX-5/Miata off the line

Having had nothing even approaching a mechanical hiccup in all its years in my ownership it's suddenly developed a couple of issues, he said glossing over the time the headlights failed halfway along pitch black Llanberis Pass (a fuse) and the will it, won't it starting from the loose battery connection (call it a security feature).

But no, something HAS gone wrong and I'm going to have to get the spanners out. Sticking brake calipers are a common MX-5 issue and my nearside rear has finally succumbed. Just deserts for not driving it enough. Given the Mazda's long periods stationary I usually leave it in gear rather than with the handbrake on and this seems to have saved me thus far. But the sliding pin on the rear caliper has got very sticky, to the point where it doesn't swing up as it should when you remove the pads. I'm going to get physical on it, see if I can free it up and get busy with the wire wool and copper grease. If that doesn't work it'll be a visit to MX5parts for a reconditioned unit - £71.90 once you've sent your old one back in exchange and recouped your £35.26 surcharge.

Well, at least Dan knows how it SHOULD look

The other issue that came up the other day was an alarmingly fast idle on start up, the revs surging to a 2,000rpm fast tickover and then pulsing between this and 1,500 or so. Making it sound to my no doubt delighted neighbours like I was sitting in the car and blipping it for a solid 10 minutes - suddenly that noisy exhaust didn't seem quite so brilliant. Now 'idle droop' is an issue many MX-5 owners will be familiar with (not one requiring a little blue pill to those sniggering at the back) but this was rather different and a little worrying. It cleared itself after a bit but I remain at a loss as to what caused it.

Elsewhere in my Mazda-mad world I had to laugh at the insanity of going all the way to Pebble Beach to gaze on the multi-million dollar automotive aristocracy only to get all excited about having an early Miata MX-5 parked outside our hotel. But it was the 15th US spec car off the line, liberated from Mazda USA's private collection and on display as part of a 25th anniversary event.

The livery is definitely authentically Japanese

A reprise of the classic British roadster as imagined by Americans and engineered by the Japanese, the role of Mazda USA's Californian HQ in the development of the original MX-5 is significant. Given the beautiful RX-7 Spirit R we featured as a Time For Tea? a little while back comes from the same collection you'll perhaps understand my shameless attempts to schmooze its politely startled chaperone and lay the foundations for a future visit.

Further MX-5 related fun is to come just next week too, as I fly off to Japan to indulge in more 25th anniversary activity and witness the unveiling of the all-new fourth generation car. We've seen the chassis and running gear already and it'd seem Mazda is keeping the faith in the traditional underpinnings and concept of that original car. So I can't wait to see the finished product. Exciting as this is it's not the thing I'm looking forward to most about the trip. No, that'll be the four-hour MX-5 race I'll be taking part in at Tsukuba. God knows how many laps of that place I've done in Gran Turismo. Now I'll be able to do it for real in a liveried up MX-5 race car. It's got the PistonHeads logos. It's got the scantily clad anime babes. It really is a video game experience made real. Expect to hear more about this next week. Probably quite a lot more. Apologies in advance.

---

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: What manner of JDM goodness can Dan find for his Eunos out in Japan?

---

Previous reports:
Has Dan killed his Eunos?
The Eunos returns to Scotland for another road trip
Look, I was kidding about the downforce, right?
Why have one wedding car when four will do?
Dan's Eunos loses its horn
Just how many wheels for your wagon?
Wheel refurb goes a bit ... colourful
Dan gets back on track with his Eunos
The answer to everything?
More exhaust noise? Don't mind if I do...
Skidfoolery at Silverstone on the eco tyres
Er, more skidfoolery at Silverstone on the eco tyres!

[MichelV]

If you have the old 'barn door' type Air Mass Meter and not the hotwire type your hunting idle can be attributed to the Air Mass Meter going caput. European models changed in 1994 to hot wire but Japanese imports no idea....
The resistance in the wiring increases and it thinks it sees more air than their actually is so the fuel is upped...
If I remember the barn door also has 1 wire linked to the fuel pump. In case of an accident and you would flip over the wire is energized and shuts off the pump. Ofcourse this can also work when you are driving along when the AMM is going bad. I believe that extra wire was 'forgotten' in a lot of technical drawings....

[Dan Trent]

It's a '93 JDM car so that sounds like it might be worth investigating if an Italian tune-up doesn't do the trick!

Thanks for the intel though, always good to have a starting point for investigations.

Cheers,

Dan

[Salgar]

I hope you're planning on moving your competitors wing mirrors out the way

[anonymous-user]

Can't wait to hear all the "Internet furor" about the 'lecy steering on the new model. Should keep PH going for a good 10 pages of "they have ruined it" at least..... ;-)

[Dan Trent]

Salgar said:

I hope you're planning on moving your competitors wing mirrors out the way

Somebody was telling me about this the other day - have you a link?

Dan

[dmitry]

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iO3TQjXp4

Or am I asking for a whoosh parrot?

[aphyX]

Here's the Jalopnik link

http://jalopnik.com/watch-this-miata-racer-pull-of...

[Salgar]

dmitry said:

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iO3TQjXp4

Or am I asking for a whoosh parrot?

Yep this is it

[wemorgan]

IMHO don't bother with the recon kits as new callipers can be bought £30 off Ebay.

[pewe]

The general consensus on slider pins is that the use of copaslip type products is a possible cause of them sticking (OK for pad backing and pivots though).
Red (rubber) grease seems to be a better option - just waiting for a tub to arrive so I can do mine before we take off for Italy in it early next month.
BTW I'm now a big fan of Yellowstuff pads having chewed our way through other well known ones beginning with Min...
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe.
Mk1 1.6 s/c

[MichelV]

dmitry said:

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iO3TQjXp4

Or am I asking for a whoosh parrot?

So funny. What is the story? Is this guy a joker or mad at his competitor?

[thatguy11]

MichelV said:

dmitry said:

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iO3TQjXp4

Or am I asking for a whoosh parrot?

So funny. What is the story? Is this guy a joker or mad at his competitor?

Think he's just being a bit cheeky!

[Roma101]

What do you have planned for the RUK Clio Cup? Or is that just an old picture?

[threespires]

I'm looking forward to your Japan write up.

[Dan Trent]

Roma101 said:

What do you have planned for the RUK Clio Cup? Or is that just an old picture?

We had the Clio in (I've just dropped it with the delivery driver this minute!) for a shoot for a buyer's guide you'll be seeing on the site later today. Lovely little car!

Cheers,

Dan

[Dan Trent]

threespires said:

I'm looking forward to your Japan write up.

And that's just as well, because it'll be pretty much impossible to escape!

Dan

[Cytokine]

MichelV said:

If you have the old 'barn door' type Air Mass Meter and not the hotwire type your hunting idle can be attributed to the Air Mass Meter going caput. European models changed in 1994 to hot wire but Japanese imports no idea....
The resistance in the wiring increases and it thinks it sees more air than their actually is so the fuel is upped...
If I remember the barn door also has 1 wire linked to the fuel pump. In case of an accident and you would flip over the wire is energized and shuts off the pump. Ofcourse this can also work when you are driving along when the AMM is going bad. I believe that extra wire was 'forgotten' in a lot of technical drawings....

I would go with that. I had the exact same thing happen with my old MR2.

[r11co]

All I'll say is don't use copper grease on caliper slide pins. That is not what it is meant for and it'll do more harm than good. If the pins can be free'd off and cleaned and they glide in and out the inserts fine afterwards then apply some silicone grease to them instead! Rubber grease is water based and will evaporate and harden with the heat from the brakes.

Copper grease is petroleum based and will wreck the rubber/plastic guides. The observation that it causes the sticking is correct.

Edited by r11co on Thursday 28th August 15:42

[appletonn]

wemorgan said:

IMHO don't bother with the recon kits as new callipers can be bought £30 off Ebay.

These cheap Ebay calipers are dreadful chinese made copies & are garbage. Don't risk your neck with them!

[nfcf]

Dan Trent said:

It's a '93 JDM car so that sounds like it might be worth investigating if an Italian tune-up doesn't do the trick!

Thanks for the intel though, always good to have a starting point for investigations.

Cheers,

Dan

I had the same problem on a '92 UK car and it was just the AMM connector being slightly loose. You can build a error code reader for the early cars for almost nothing which should hopefully help you narrow the search.