2006 Mazda MX-5 NC 2.0 Sport
Discussion
Interesting, I've had this in both my gearbox and diff for a while... https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-897-motul-motylgear-7...
Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
Accelebrate said:
Interesting, I've had this in both my gearbox and diff for a while... https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-897-motul-motylgear-7...
Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
Weirdly, it was the other way around. The gearbox oil was quite light and smelled horrid, but the LSD oil was much darker. Really odd, but at least it has the correct fluids now.Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
The LSD noise has gone completely after driving it this morning, and the brakes are so much better after being bled with a pressure bleeder rather than at the calipers.
The weakest link on the car is the tyres, but that's something I'd want to explore next weekend and to really compare the difference with a new set afterwards. It'll be a while though, the Focus has to have a new steering rack that's £500+.
geraintthomas said:
TheJimi said:
Might be an idea not to flag the guy - just in case he's being a little bit sympathetic to you.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean? Flag who for what?Edited by geraintthomas on Thursday 15th July 21:10
Basically, just in case the guy was kinda doing you a low-key favour, I was essentially suggesting that it might be prudent not to name him on here - there's plenty jobsworths reading these forums.
or maybe I'm over-thinking this
Accelebrate said:
Interesting, I've had this in both my gearbox and diff for a while... https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-897-motul-motylgear-7...
Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
IIRC, the 5 speed and the 6 speed doesn't take the same grade of oil. For the 5 speed, you can use the same as the diff (GL5), as the 6 speed wants GL4. The synchromesh are different in the two box.Smells vile once used, but all gear and diff oil that I've used has. I assumed being both GL-4/5 and sold as a gearbox and diff oil it would be fine, hasn't caused any issues over the last few years. IIRC the gearbox and diff essentially take the same oil grade (75w-90) but the spec differs slightly, the gearbox requires GL-4 and the diff GL-5.
Gearbox oil seems to have a much harder life, it usually comes oil dark and stinky, whereas the diff seems to always look quite fresh. That might explain the difference in smell and appearance.
I am surprised that Geraint didn't get a notchy gearbox, as the 6 speed can be picky on oil, and I would guess even more with the wrong oil! Maybe he finally found a solution that everyone was looking for! Just use the same oil as the 5 speed! :P
cedrichn said:
IIRC, the 5 speed and the 6 speed doesn't take the same grade of oil. For the 5 speed, you can use the same as the diff (GL5), as the 6 speed wants GL4. The synchromesh are different in the two box.
I think the 5spd is also GL4, but I might be wrong. Either way the Motul oil that I linked that claims to work for both GL4 and GL5 applications doesn't seem to have done any harm in both my diff and gearbox.Llandow Circuit. I finally got to drive this thing on the track, and it's probably a safe assumption that I've caught the bug.
I was quite nervous the day before the track day as I had this wall in my head that I needed to get past. Essentially, I love motorsports and have done since I was small, and always wanted to start track driving, but have had this fear that I would be awful at it when it comes to trying for real. Only time would tell I suppose. The car was also prepped the day before ready for its track day the following morning. The car was cleaned throughout (though I'm not quite sure why with the rain overnight), I checked its fluids, tyre pressures, tyre tread, and so on.
The list of equipment that I took was extensive, but knowing what others were taking it was a good idea to be prepared. Better to have and not need than need and not have, so if it fit in the car and there was a potential that I'd use it, I took it.
Waking up early the next morning, I started to get as nervous as I was excited. I'd be going with people I had never met, and I was risking pushing the car too far. This was all drowned out by the excitement of doing something I've wanted to do for years.
First necessary stop though, a McD's breakfast.
I arrived at the Esso garage close to Llandow where we all agreed to meet. One by one, everyone arrived.
Everyone was lovely. There were five of us in total; Ian (the Blue MX-5, also has a thread on here), Roshan (350z), Alex (Fiesta ST) and Craig (MR2), who's also experiencing the track for the first time too. This was really comforting knowing that I wasn't the only one out of us.
After a quick stop at Waitrose for some lunch, we got to the track.
Surprisingly, after consistent weather warnings throughout the previous few days, it stayed dry aside from a touch of rain in the morning for about 20 minutes, and that was only light rain. This day was turning out to be a lot better with a dry track ahead.
After we put our kit to the side of the track and waited for the sighting lap, we started to have a chat about what we could expect. The (surprising) complexity of the circuit, weather conditions, etc. It's an odd track this. You look at the aerial photo of it and it looks like an oval, but the reality is that there's complex corners all around the circuit that catch you out. It's unapologetically short (0.9 miles) but it uses it to its advantage.
After much chatting, another lovely looking grey MX-5 NC turned up with a Pistonheads sticker. Great to meet you Macaulay!
They announced over the track tannoy that the sighting lap was starting; 3 laps, 40mph (ish), no overtaking, following a pace car to just get a feel for the track. This is where I was starting to get properly excited, and also very nervous as I completely forgot which side we were supposed to overtake on!
Luckily we pulled in after finishing the sighting lap to have a quick chat before going out. We then eventually we started to line up to head out for the actual laps.
I took the first few laps gingerly. I was so afraid I was going to get left behind but thankfully I was with Craig out on track, which allowed us both to follow each other's lines. Once we got confident enough we both went onto our own paces and started to explore both the car and the track. At first I left the traction control on and took it steady, gradually building the pace as I went. I quickly realised how aggressive the TCS is in this car. You don't notice it on the road, but through a set of tight bends the TCS will cut all power for a brief moment, rather than feather it. Even so, I was thoroughly enjoying myself out on track (photos by Richard Baxtor).
After a while, I stepped into Ian's blue MX-5.
To say he's a quick driver is an understatement, so this was a good introduction into what the car is capable of. He drove with the TCS off the whole time, pushing huge speeds into bends with confidence. Once we came back in we were talking about how this was the case, and how the rear doesn't just slide out on fast corners. The semi-slicks were partly the reason, but the LSD was also playing a huge part. To spin, the outside would have to be spinning faster than the inside, causing it to turn. The LSD literally limits this creating stability in the corners. I knew this, but knowing something and trying it for real are two different things.
My third outing saw the TCS disabled, and I started to push hard. The mechanical grip is fantastic in this thing, creating a huge amount of confidence with the faster corners. The budget tyres were now showing their limits, having not reached them on the road. The rear Accelera tyres were actually quite impressive, but the fronts were causing understeer here and there. Nevertheless, they didn't hold me back from having an incredible time.
Craig in his MR2, being his first time with track days too, was also getting faster and smoother by the lap. It was great to be out at the same time knowing we were both in this together.
After a few hours, it was time for lunch.
(sorry Alex)
It was also time for me to gather my thoughts. You think you know the car from driving it on the road. I did, I thought I knew what it had to offer. The brakes, suspension, tyres, and so on. In reality I only knew about 50% of it, with the other 50% 'unlocking' itself on track. Now you understand what different tyres feel like, how the suspension helps at high speed chicanes, how the brakes feel when you heat them up to the point where the caliper paint starts to bubble (genuinely). It all makes sense, and it's addictive. It felt like a completely different experience, and a wonderfully natural one at that.
After lunch, I had 10-15 minutes with an instructor. It was lovely to hear him say that my driving was smooth and technique was solid, and gave some great tips for a few of the more technical corners which saw speeds increase drastically through them. Afterwards I started to play with the balance of the car on the track. Hitting a left hander a little hard saw the rear come away from me, but it was quite enjoyable to catch it. The next few laps started to get hilarious with me exploring how rear moves around mid-corner. So this is why these cars are renown for their balance.
At this point I didn't want to come in. *cue more photos*
Macaulay (grey MX-5 owner) popped in as a passenger towards the end of the day and was pleasantly surprised with the difference springs and brakes can make to these cars. Quite funny watching him laugh and shake his head with the speed we were taking the back chicane:
Towards the end of the day, I took the opportunity to be a passenger in Roshan's 350z. This was one of my favourite cars when it first came out, so this was a real pleasure. I certainly didn't expect the capability of the thing on track! The same can be said about Roshan's mastery behind the wheel, the man is a seriously skilled driver.
Whilst out on track, Alex in his Fiesta ST was putting out outrageous pace, doing things that I didn't ever expect a FWD car to do. It was pretty much always on three wheels, amusing and impressive.
Eventually we came in, let the cars tick themselves cool, started to pack up and wind down.
I have a new level of respect for the car. I was pushing seriously hard by the end of the day, late/heavy braking and throwing the car around corners without thinking of the impacts it's going to have on my own car. It didn't miss a beat, didn't suffer any brake fade (thanks to the track pads and racing fluid), didn't loose any fluid or burn any oil, and sat there at the end of the day like nothing had happened to it. The only difference was that it was now covered in brake dust and bits of rubber, and the brakes were hot enough to re-ignite the sun after each lap. Though they didn't ever get affected, I may invest in some brake duct cooling. I don't think the day could have gone as smooth as it did without the performance changes being made to the car. The suspension gave outstanding response with sharp changes of direction and remained flat in the long fast bends, and the brakes remained firm all day.
The drive home was a quiet one. Thinking back on the whole day has just left me wanting more. I still couldn't quite believe how much more I had learned about not only the car's capabilities, but also my own. Having the room (on a track) lets you explore it and ultimately enjoy it far more than on the road.
I can't thank the other guys enough for their hospitality on the day, their insights into track driving, and being all round good eggs.
What a day.
I was quite nervous the day before the track day as I had this wall in my head that I needed to get past. Essentially, I love motorsports and have done since I was small, and always wanted to start track driving, but have had this fear that I would be awful at it when it comes to trying for real. Only time would tell I suppose. The car was also prepped the day before ready for its track day the following morning. The car was cleaned throughout (though I'm not quite sure why with the rain overnight), I checked its fluids, tyre pressures, tyre tread, and so on.
The list of equipment that I took was extensive, but knowing what others were taking it was a good idea to be prepared. Better to have and not need than need and not have, so if it fit in the car and there was a potential that I'd use it, I took it.
Waking up early the next morning, I started to get as nervous as I was excited. I'd be going with people I had never met, and I was risking pushing the car too far. This was all drowned out by the excitement of doing something I've wanted to do for years.
First necessary stop though, a McD's breakfast.
I arrived at the Esso garage close to Llandow where we all agreed to meet. One by one, everyone arrived.
Everyone was lovely. There were five of us in total; Ian (the Blue MX-5, also has a thread on here), Roshan (350z), Alex (Fiesta ST) and Craig (MR2), who's also experiencing the track for the first time too. This was really comforting knowing that I wasn't the only one out of us.
After a quick stop at Waitrose for some lunch, we got to the track.
Surprisingly, after consistent weather warnings throughout the previous few days, it stayed dry aside from a touch of rain in the morning for about 20 minutes, and that was only light rain. This day was turning out to be a lot better with a dry track ahead.
After we put our kit to the side of the track and waited for the sighting lap, we started to have a chat about what we could expect. The (surprising) complexity of the circuit, weather conditions, etc. It's an odd track this. You look at the aerial photo of it and it looks like an oval, but the reality is that there's complex corners all around the circuit that catch you out. It's unapologetically short (0.9 miles) but it uses it to its advantage.
After much chatting, another lovely looking grey MX-5 NC turned up with a Pistonheads sticker. Great to meet you Macaulay!
They announced over the track tannoy that the sighting lap was starting; 3 laps, 40mph (ish), no overtaking, following a pace car to just get a feel for the track. This is where I was starting to get properly excited, and also very nervous as I completely forgot which side we were supposed to overtake on!
Luckily we pulled in after finishing the sighting lap to have a quick chat before going out. We then eventually we started to line up to head out for the actual laps.
I took the first few laps gingerly. I was so afraid I was going to get left behind but thankfully I was with Craig out on track, which allowed us both to follow each other's lines. Once we got confident enough we both went onto our own paces and started to explore both the car and the track. At first I left the traction control on and took it steady, gradually building the pace as I went. I quickly realised how aggressive the TCS is in this car. You don't notice it on the road, but through a set of tight bends the TCS will cut all power for a brief moment, rather than feather it. Even so, I was thoroughly enjoying myself out on track (photos by Richard Baxtor).
After a while, I stepped into Ian's blue MX-5.
To say he's a quick driver is an understatement, so this was a good introduction into what the car is capable of. He drove with the TCS off the whole time, pushing huge speeds into bends with confidence. Once we came back in we were talking about how this was the case, and how the rear doesn't just slide out on fast corners. The semi-slicks were partly the reason, but the LSD was also playing a huge part. To spin, the outside would have to be spinning faster than the inside, causing it to turn. The LSD literally limits this creating stability in the corners. I knew this, but knowing something and trying it for real are two different things.
My third outing saw the TCS disabled, and I started to push hard. The mechanical grip is fantastic in this thing, creating a huge amount of confidence with the faster corners. The budget tyres were now showing their limits, having not reached them on the road. The rear Accelera tyres were actually quite impressive, but the fronts were causing understeer here and there. Nevertheless, they didn't hold me back from having an incredible time.
Craig in his MR2, being his first time with track days too, was also getting faster and smoother by the lap. It was great to be out at the same time knowing we were both in this together.
After a few hours, it was time for lunch.
(sorry Alex)
It was also time for me to gather my thoughts. You think you know the car from driving it on the road. I did, I thought I knew what it had to offer. The brakes, suspension, tyres, and so on. In reality I only knew about 50% of it, with the other 50% 'unlocking' itself on track. Now you understand what different tyres feel like, how the suspension helps at high speed chicanes, how the brakes feel when you heat them up to the point where the caliper paint starts to bubble (genuinely). It all makes sense, and it's addictive. It felt like a completely different experience, and a wonderfully natural one at that.
After lunch, I had 10-15 minutes with an instructor. It was lovely to hear him say that my driving was smooth and technique was solid, and gave some great tips for a few of the more technical corners which saw speeds increase drastically through them. Afterwards I started to play with the balance of the car on the track. Hitting a left hander a little hard saw the rear come away from me, but it was quite enjoyable to catch it. The next few laps started to get hilarious with me exploring how rear moves around mid-corner. So this is why these cars are renown for their balance.
At this point I didn't want to come in. *cue more photos*
Macaulay (grey MX-5 owner) popped in as a passenger towards the end of the day and was pleasantly surprised with the difference springs and brakes can make to these cars. Quite funny watching him laugh and shake his head with the speed we were taking the back chicane:
Towards the end of the day, I took the opportunity to be a passenger in Roshan's 350z. This was one of my favourite cars when it first came out, so this was a real pleasure. I certainly didn't expect the capability of the thing on track! The same can be said about Roshan's mastery behind the wheel, the man is a seriously skilled driver.
Whilst out on track, Alex in his Fiesta ST was putting out outrageous pace, doing things that I didn't ever expect a FWD car to do. It was pretty much always on three wheels, amusing and impressive.
Eventually we came in, let the cars tick themselves cool, started to pack up and wind down.
I have a new level of respect for the car. I was pushing seriously hard by the end of the day, late/heavy braking and throwing the car around corners without thinking of the impacts it's going to have on my own car. It didn't miss a beat, didn't suffer any brake fade (thanks to the track pads and racing fluid), didn't loose any fluid or burn any oil, and sat there at the end of the day like nothing had happened to it. The only difference was that it was now covered in brake dust and bits of rubber, and the brakes were hot enough to re-ignite the sun after each lap. Though they didn't ever get affected, I may invest in some brake duct cooling. I don't think the day could have gone as smooth as it did without the performance changes being made to the car. The suspension gave outstanding response with sharp changes of direction and remained flat in the long fast bends, and the brakes remained firm all day.
The drive home was a quiet one. Thinking back on the whole day has just left me wanting more. I still couldn't quite believe how much more I had learned about not only the car's capabilities, but also my own. Having the room (on a track) lets you explore it and ultimately enjoy it far more than on the road.
I can't thank the other guys enough for their hospitality on the day, their insights into track driving, and being all round good eggs.
What a day.
Sounds like you had an absolute ball! Appreciate the honesty on too, more often that not people assume they are driving gods and daren't talk about their worries/concerns.
Llandow is a great track. The Marshalls/staff are all pretty chilled but firm when needed.
How did the tyres hold up? The surface of the track is like sandpaper.
Llandow is a great track. The Marshalls/staff are all pretty chilled but firm when needed.
How did the tyres hold up? The surface of the track is like sandpaper.
Glad you did it! And enjoyed it!
TCS should always be off on the MX5 on track: it is really useless.... The MX5 doesn't have enough power and weight to need it. On the road, or really powerful car, I understand, but it does nothing interesting on the track
Really good also to go with someone else (Accelerbate): I had the same chance in my first trackday, and I really felt "slow" and way to conservative... It does show you that there is room for improvement on the driver side (and you have time before upgrading the car :P)
TCS should always be off on the MX5 on track: it is really useless.... The MX5 doesn't have enough power and weight to need it. On the road, or really powerful car, I understand, but it does nothing interesting on the track
Really good also to go with someone else (Accelerbate): I had the same chance in my first trackday, and I really felt "slow" and way to conservative... It does show you that there is room for improvement on the driver side (and you have time before upgrading the car :P)
Bowen86 said:
Sounds like you had an absolute ball! Appreciate the honesty on too, more often that not people assume they are driving gods and daren't talk about their worries/concerns.
Llandow is a great track. The Marshalls/staff are all pretty chilled but firm when needed.
How did the tyres hold up? The surface of the track is like sandpaper.
I really did, going back on the 11th September (odd day to have it on). The tyres held up really well, but looking at them today they've been a little 'sculpted' by the anti-clockwise circuit leaning on the left tyre too much:Llandow is a great track. The Marshalls/staff are all pretty chilled but firm when needed.
How did the tyres hold up? The surface of the track is like sandpaper.
The rears haven't done this, but they're a different tyre and there's less pressure. Oh well, an excuse to get new tyres at some point! I need to go and drive it so that the road would hopefully flatten these edges off.
cedrichn said:
Glad you did it! And enjoyed it!
TCS should always be off on the MX5 on track: it is really useless.... The MX5 doesn't have enough power and weight to need it. On the road, or really powerful car, I understand, but it does nothing interesting on the track
Really good also to go with someone else (Accelerbate): I had the same chance in my first trackday, and I really felt "slow" and way to conservative... It does show you that there is room for improvement on the driver side (and you have time before upgrading the car :P)
I suppose there's always room for improvement, which is part of the reason I'm eager to go back. I'd be partly happy to leave the car as is and just continuously improve myself, but fiddling with the car and adding performance bits here and there is just too addictive.TCS should always be off on the MX5 on track: it is really useless.... The MX5 doesn't have enough power and weight to need it. On the road, or really powerful car, I understand, but it does nothing interesting on the track
Really good also to go with someone else (Accelerbate): I had the same chance in my first trackday, and I really felt "slow" and way to conservative... It does show you that there is room for improvement on the driver side (and you have time before upgrading the car :P)
A friend of mine was selling his Gopro Hero3 Black but sold it to me for a great price, so I couldn't turn down the offer. The one I used on the day was from work taken off a drone, so it's good to have my own. I've wanted to play around with a POV style camera for a bit but it's proving to be quite difficult.
That looks good but all you see is the steering wheel. On top just shows the windscreen surround, and on the side is quite uncomfortable as you can feel it pulling on your head (plus looks odd). I think I've managed to make the above location a little higher so it's a happy medium.
Anyway. In the meantime I've ordered a new oil dipstick as I kept borrowing Ian's to ensure I was at the correct level. I don't know why they overly engineered a dipstick as the facelift was so much more simple; a piece of metal with two holes.
New on the left, old on the right.
Surely this would also have been cheaper for Mazda to re-produce on a mass scale? Odd decision by them.
So the two things I've been worrying about on the track day were the oil and the brakes, in that order too. The NC1 has no oil exchanger unlike the later models, so I'd like to know what temperature the oil is at on the circuit. The issue is where I can locate the gauge.
I've just 3D modelled this 52mm gauge pod thingy to go into the dash speaker:
I'll 3D print it this week at work to see how the finish is. If it looks good then I'll order some 52mm gauges (though I'm not sure what the second one would be, or even why I modelled two in the first place). If not, I'll order a 60mm gauge as apparently the 60mm ones fit into where the dash vents are without modification and without adapters.
Here's the 60mm gauge for the dash:
I'll most likely go with that option as it'll be a little more integrated, but it'll be good to see how the 3D model looks when printed.
The second is the brakes. They didn't fail, fade or get affected by the abuse in any way at all and I'm hugely impressed with them, but I'd like to ensure that the longevity and performance remains with a bit of brake cooling. The first thing I'll need is foglight adapters which someone has created to use with the original fog light surrounds:
They come with wheel arch couplers too.
After this, some silicone duct piping will be used:
When it comes to mounting the pipes to the brake disc backplate, I could purchase some new backing plates with integrated outlets for the tubing to clamp onto, but they're stupidly expensive. Over £100 for two. My solution is to use these aluminium flanges for cheap, drill holes in them and mount them to the backing plates where there's a gap:
The whole kit comes to around £100, cheaper than the 'actual' backplates alone. I can't see any reason for this not to work so I'll go ahead and give it a go.
But first, oil temperature gauge.
Glad you enjoyed it. A mate of mine, also with an NC, had his first day at Silverstone National (a thoroughly recommended track to try). I think you've about summed up his thoughts too.
Just a quick heads up - check TD terms - but some may not like a helmet mounted cam. You can't go far wrong with between the headrests, or clamped to the passenger roll hoop. For decent sound, I used to plug an external mic in to mine and run it down out of the wind so you got engine noise but no irritating whooshing of the breeze. Depending on the mount, you may also have to tether the camera to something - mine's a clip-in mount so I have a daisy chain of zipties from camera to the car.
Just a quick heads up - check TD terms - but some may not like a helmet mounted cam. You can't go far wrong with between the headrests, or clamped to the passenger roll hoop. For decent sound, I used to plug an external mic in to mine and run it down out of the wind so you got engine noise but no irritating whooshing of the breeze. Depending on the mount, you may also have to tether the camera to something - mine's a clip-in mount so I have a daisy chain of zipties from camera to the car.
Decided to give up on the 52mm dash pod gauges as I had countless issues with 3D printing, not to mention the price of buying thermal resistant material, and so on. The 60mm pod was the way forward for the dash vent.
The first thing was to install an oil temp sensor somewhere where there's oil. The sump plug is the easiest option here, so I purchased a M14x1.5 sump plug with a 1/8 NPT thread for the sensor.
This is as far as I can get the sensor into the sump plug, and that's using two spanners with a hell of a lot of force. It's quite unnerving seeing thread still visible, but if it doesn't leak then it should be fine.
The wires are fixed to the sensor which is a small issue, as this would stop a socket from fitting over the M14 sump head.
Using a ring spanner solved this issue, but I could also use a deep impact driver socket:
I managed to swap the sump plug quickly to reduce the amount of oil that came out.
This wire was then fed through the bonnet release grommet to the left of the master cylinder.
And out the other side.
That takes care of the sensor wires. Next up was the power cables, which I needed to splice into a 12v and ground.
The 12v cigarette lighter I installed when I bought the car was perfect.
All wires were neatly routed to the vent
A quick test to show the gauge works fine
The eyeball vent was removed from its trim, and the 60mm gauge slotted in like it was meant to be
And that's it!
It looks quite blue but it's actually white. There's an option to illuminate this as a dark red/orange when the headlights turn on, matching the interior clocks at night. I'll see what it's like at night first but the last track day was quite rainy/cloudy so I ran with my headlights on in the day, which means it would be hard to read if it got dim.
A quick 10-15 minute pop to the shops shows it's working:
It's quite eye opening to see how slow oil gets up to temperature. This'll make me relax a little more when pushing the car hard.
All that's left is oil pressure, but there's no where to fit the gauge without the dash pod. There is a way you can bodge the fake built-in oil pressure gauge to be a real one, but it's quite a lot of work. I'll have a think of how necessary it is.
The first thing was to install an oil temp sensor somewhere where there's oil. The sump plug is the easiest option here, so I purchased a M14x1.5 sump plug with a 1/8 NPT thread for the sensor.
This is as far as I can get the sensor into the sump plug, and that's using two spanners with a hell of a lot of force. It's quite unnerving seeing thread still visible, but if it doesn't leak then it should be fine.
The wires are fixed to the sensor which is a small issue, as this would stop a socket from fitting over the M14 sump head.
Using a ring spanner solved this issue, but I could also use a deep impact driver socket:
I managed to swap the sump plug quickly to reduce the amount of oil that came out.
This wire was then fed through the bonnet release grommet to the left of the master cylinder.
And out the other side.
That takes care of the sensor wires. Next up was the power cables, which I needed to splice into a 12v and ground.
The 12v cigarette lighter I installed when I bought the car was perfect.
All wires were neatly routed to the vent
A quick test to show the gauge works fine
The eyeball vent was removed from its trim, and the 60mm gauge slotted in like it was meant to be
And that's it!
It looks quite blue but it's actually white. There's an option to illuminate this as a dark red/orange when the headlights turn on, matching the interior clocks at night. I'll see what it's like at night first but the last track day was quite rainy/cloudy so I ran with my headlights on in the day, which means it would be hard to read if it got dim.
A quick 10-15 minute pop to the shops shows it's working:
It's quite eye opening to see how slow oil gets up to temperature. This'll make me relax a little more when pushing the car hard.
All that's left is oil pressure, but there's no where to fit the gauge without the dash pod. There is a way you can bodge the fake built-in oil pressure gauge to be a real one, but it's quite a lot of work. I'll have a think of how necessary it is.
Edited by geraintthomas on Wednesday 4th August 16:34
Nice work! The sensor in the plug is tapered fit and will be fine.
For future oil changes maybe it's worth looking at sockets for lambda sensors (they have a cut out for the wiring) or even a crowsfoot. At least then you can ensure you tighten the plug to the correct torque with a torque wrench. I know many don't but I always do for piece of mind
I'd love to get mine on track though nerves always creep in when I think about committing.
For future oil changes maybe it's worth looking at sockets for lambda sensors (they have a cut out for the wiring) or even a crowsfoot. At least then you can ensure you tighten the plug to the correct torque with a torque wrench. I know many don't but I always do for piece of mind
I'd love to get mine on track though nerves always creep in when I think about committing.
Mark-t said:
Nice work! The sensor in the plug is tapered fit and will be fine.
For future oil changes maybe it's worth looking at sockets for lambda sensors (they have a cut out for the wiring) or even a crowsfoot. At least then you can ensure you tighten the plug to the correct torque with a torque wrench. I know many don't but I always do for piece of mind
I'd love to get mine on track though nerves always creep in when I think about committing.
Ah thanks, it did look tapered so that's good to know. Good thinking with the socket, I'll pick one up!For future oil changes maybe it's worth looking at sockets for lambda sensors (they have a cut out for the wiring) or even a crowsfoot. At least then you can ensure you tighten the plug to the correct torque with a torque wrench. I know many don't but I always do for piece of mind
I'd love to get mine on track though nerves always creep in when I think about committing.
Honestly, make sure your brakes and tyres are up to scratch, and pop along to a novice (or a small) track day. It's worth it just for the experience of knowing your car a bit better.
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