autolink--/--cambelt change--/--exhaust change--/--camtiming

[carspath]

1) has anyone had experience with autolink for servicing?

2) what other jobs should be done at the same time as a cambelt change on a 1993 1.6 series 1 mx5?

3)i have been running a genuine mazda exhaust for the last 19 years on my car, but would now prefer something a little more rorty
is there any risk to using an aftermarket exhaust?----eg can it cause problems with the exhaust manifolds as in 355's?

4) are there any downsides to changing the camtiming to get those few more horsepowers?
do you genuinely get those extra horses through doing so ?

thanks in anticipation for your help

[SimonV8ster]

Might as well change the water pump at the same time as the cambelt. Water pump is pretty cheap.
Lots of folk up grade the exhaust, doesn't effect anything else - only your ears !!

[CaptainCrash]

Andrew at autolink is a realy nice guy and has got me out of trouble a few times by send send parts all over the country.

defo do the water pump and any of the gasket that look buggered.

[designforlife]

Ive used autolink a couple of times, couldn't recommend them enough...Lets put it this way, I have no qualms about driving down from Hertfordshire for the day to have work done!

[Typhoons]

One of the guys that that worked at Autolink has just set up his own shop, you might want to try Nick for servicing. He also fits tubo's superchargers etc, as well as regular stuff on MX5's.
http://www.skuzzle.com/motorsport/

[designforlife]

will happily vouch for nick/skuzzle too, he did a clutch change on my 5 whilst at autolink.

[anonymous-user]

3)i have been running a genuine mazda exhaust for the last 19 years on my car, but would now prefer something a little more rorty
is there any risk to using an aftermarket exhaust?----eg can it cause problems with the exhaust manifolds as in 355's?

I've had an MX5Parts twin pipe and a silenced decat on mine for years with no issues, and a really great noise.

4) are there any downsides to changing the camtiming to get those few more horsepowers?
do you genuinely get those extra horses through doing so ?

The timing on mine has been set to 14 degrees for years also, and while I can't say that it makes any more power it does move the powerband down and make it more spread out, so the car feels equally tourqey throughout the rev range rather than getting that sudden pickup at higher RPM that you get with the normal timing. IMO it makes the car better to drive, but that on-cam step was quite a nice feeling at times, so depends what you prefer I suppose. I wouldn't expect to notice any extra power though, but change the timing and add the exhaust pipe at the same time and it will feel like a completely different car.

Just don't go for an unsilenced decat pipe, they are way too loud and not that nice.

[MX-5 Lazza]

JimSuperSix said:

Just don't go for an unsilenced decat pipe, they are way too loud and not that nice.

That depends on the rest of the exhaust. We have an unsilenced decat pipe on our track car along with an unknown aftermarket back box and I still wish it was louder.

[carspath]

thank-you all very much for your responses----much appreciated

jim supersix---i really like that extra step up as you get on cam past 4500-5000rpm
do you completely lose that sudden extra push by altering the cam timing to 14 degrees?
are there any advantages /disadvantages to altering it to say 15 or 16 or 17 degrees?

are there any other cheap modifications that i can do to the car to make it (1993 1.6 series 1 114 bhp ) a little different (to rekindle the love affair ) after having had it (and really being very happy with it ) for 9 years now

[blueheron]

+1 for Autolink. I find Andrew very helpful and honest.

[skinny]

carspath said:

thank-you all very much for your responses----much appreciated

jim supersix---i really like that extra step up as you get on cam past 4500-5000rpm
do you completely lose that sudden extra push by altering the cam timing to 14 degrees?
are there any advantages /disadvantages to altering it to say 15 or 16 or 17 degrees?

are there any other cheap modifications that i can do to the car to make it (1993 1.6 series 1 114 bhp ) a little different (to rekindle the love affair ) after having had it (and really being very happy with it ) for 9 years now

you may need to run higher octane fuel if you push the timing up towards 18 deg, and the gains probably drop off anyway.

as for other things to do with the cambelt (and presumably the tensioner and pulley), do the water pump. you can also if you decide to, do the camshaft and crankshaft oil seals, and the CAS o-ring.

[anonymous-user]

carspath said:

i really like that extra step up as you get on cam past 4500-5000rpm
do you completely lose that sudden extra push by altering the cam timing to 14 degrees?

Yeah, on mine it's gone completely, you just get a nicer spread of power across the rev range. I prefer it that way in general, but that sudden surge was quite nice at times. It's a very simple mod, just twisting the CAS sensor housing thingy on the top-rear of the engine (you need a timing light/gun of course) so well worth trying it to see if you like it. If you mark the CAS housing in the original position you can quickly put it back to normal if you prefer it the old way.