New Owner's To-do List
Discussion
Well I've owned my MK1 1.8iS for a whole week now and it is getting better and better as I work my way through my 'to do' list!
HLA noise when hot - Wynns flush plus Mobil 1 0W/40 has completely banished the tappet noise that was there when I bought it
Slightly sticky gearchange and a tendency to catch the synchromesh occasionally has been transformed by an oil change to fully synth gear oil plus a clean and fresh oil and seals for the gearbox turret.
Slightly fluffy low rev response is improving each time I drive it. New plugs and HT leads, some Wynns injector cleaner and a good ole Italian tune up is really restoring the engine's enthusiasm for revs!
My car only covered 3000 miles in the last 12 months and I don't think the last owner frequently explored the upper reaches of the rev range, so it is definitely responding to some 'proper' use!
Today I've cleaned and retreated the mohair hood as well as some quick cleaning of the interior - will be steam cleaning the seats and carpets when I get a minute. The hood has come up beautifully for a clean and reproofing, so I'm chuffed with that.
Next on the list is to check the ignition timing and probably tweak it to 12 or 14 degrees BTDC
HLA noise when hot - Wynns flush plus Mobil 1 0W/40 has completely banished the tappet noise that was there when I bought it
Slightly sticky gearchange and a tendency to catch the synchromesh occasionally has been transformed by an oil change to fully synth gear oil plus a clean and fresh oil and seals for the gearbox turret.
Slightly fluffy low rev response is improving each time I drive it. New plugs and HT leads, some Wynns injector cleaner and a good ole Italian tune up is really restoring the engine's enthusiasm for revs!
My car only covered 3000 miles in the last 12 months and I don't think the last owner frequently explored the upper reaches of the rev range, so it is definitely responding to some 'proper' use!
Today I've cleaned and retreated the mohair hood as well as some quick cleaning of the interior - will be steam cleaning the seats and carpets when I get a minute. The hood has come up beautifully for a clean and reproofing, so I'm chuffed with that.
Next on the list is to check the ignition timing and probably tweak it to 12 or 14 degrees BTDC
Munter said:
Sounds like you have done most stuff. Have you checked the drain holes?
Ah no, not yet. Tried to find the ones behind the seats but think I'm looking in the wrong place!I have bought some Dinitrol rust killer and the lance so will be jacking it up and getting the arch liners out so that I can access the inner sills with the spray cans. Will check the drain holes under the sills then.
One thing I have decided is that the rear dampers are quite tired and a little soft in bump and rebound - probably just going to replace with some OEM spec dampers in short term.
Will be going down the coil over route next year though, so just looking to get back to decent road performance for this year.
Munter said:
Sounds like you have done most stuff. Have you checked the drain holes?
Ah no, not yet. Tried to find the ones behind the seats but think I'm looking in the wrong place!I have bought some Dinitrol rust killer and the lance so will be jacking it up and getting the arch liners out so that I can access the inner sills with the spray cans. Will check the drain holes under the sills then.
One thing I have decided is that the rear dampers are quite tired and a little soft in bump and rebound - probably just going to replace with some OEM spec dampers in short term.
Will be going down the coil over route next year though, so just looking to get back to decent road performance for this year.
OK, today's jobs on my 2 week old mk1 are to replace the leaking cam cover gasket and also the CAS O ring.
Cam cover is off and cleaned awaiting the new Mazda gasket that I bought. Unfortunately I seem to have run out of silicon gasket sealant so will have to wait until tomorrow!
Not much room around the CAS and the coil packs/ firewall so that looks like it'll be fun!
Couldn't see the 12mm securing bolt at first, but finally found it, so off to sort that next.
Then I can get the timing advanced to 12 BTDC or maybe the whole hog to 14 degrees?!
Anyone else working on their MX5 this weekend?
Cam cover is off and cleaned awaiting the new Mazda gasket that I bought. Unfortunately I seem to have run out of silicon gasket sealant so will have to wait until tomorrow!
Not much room around the CAS and the coil packs/ firewall so that looks like it'll be fun!
Couldn't see the 12mm securing bolt at first, but finally found it, so off to sort that next.
Then I can get the timing advanced to 12 BTDC or maybe the whole hog to 14 degrees?!
Anyone else working on their MX5 this weekend?
Beggar me, really struggled to get the CAS out from behind the head, so in the end cleaned it up where it was, cut off the old O ring and fitted the new one with the help of some fresh oil and then it took me 5 attempts to get it slotted back correctly so that it was flush with the housing!
Should say that I marked the position of it before removing it!!
Now, stuck until I get some silicone gasket sealant tomorrow and can put the cam cover back on
Should say that I marked the position of it before removing it!!
Now, stuck until I get some silicone gasket sealant tomorrow and can put the cam cover back on
Edited by appletonn on Sunday 27th February 19:25
OK, bit of an update!
After replacing the cam cover gasket and the CAS 'o' ring, it was time to drain the radiator and reverse flush it. Not too bad inside judging by what came out! Replaced the grey water with something that now approximates to 50% antifreeze!
Timing marks were nowhere to be found, so resorted to the old 'dipstick in No.1 cylinder trick' to find TDC. Timing tweaked to circa 13 degs BTDC and car now much crisper to respond at lower revs - no pinking to be heard either
!!
Paid my friendly local National Tyres place to change the brake fluid and pressure bleed it - well that was the idea, but they did not have an adaptor that fitted the top of the 5's master cylinder, so I ended up pumping the pedal a la old school, whilst the mech did the dirty work at each corner!
Lots of horrible black fluid removed and now all nice DOT 5.1 fluid flushed through - well apart from the front o/s caliper where the nipple wouldn't budge and I didnt want it shearing off at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon! Have now soaked it with Plusgas and will have another go next weekend. Suffice to say, the brake pedal is much firmer and instills more confidence on first applying the brakes, which is nice!!!
Just got to change rear axle oil now, to some nice fresh stuff and we're almost there.
Apart from some replacement rear dampers that is - rear ones are definitely soft and tired....
Loving driving it too!
After replacing the cam cover gasket and the CAS 'o' ring, it was time to drain the radiator and reverse flush it. Not too bad inside judging by what came out! Replaced the grey water with something that now approximates to 50% antifreeze!
Timing marks were nowhere to be found, so resorted to the old 'dipstick in No.1 cylinder trick' to find TDC. Timing tweaked to circa 13 degs BTDC and car now much crisper to respond at lower revs - no pinking to be heard either
!!Paid my friendly local National Tyres place to change the brake fluid and pressure bleed it - well that was the idea, but they did not have an adaptor that fitted the top of the 5's master cylinder, so I ended up pumping the pedal a la old school, whilst the mech did the dirty work at each corner!
Lots of horrible black fluid removed and now all nice DOT 5.1 fluid flushed through - well apart from the front o/s caliper where the nipple wouldn't budge and I didnt want it shearing off at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon! Have now soaked it with Plusgas and will have another go next weekend. Suffice to say, the brake pedal is much firmer and instills more confidence on first applying the brakes, which is nice!!!
Just got to change rear axle oil now, to some nice fresh stuff and we're almost there.
Apart from some replacement rear dampers that is - rear ones are definitely soft and tired....
Loving driving it too!
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