MX-5 OC Forum

Sorry for being a bit dumb.  I'm newly joined to the OC,  What does this entail? Do we have the use of their facilities, (tools, ramps, lifts etc) to carry out work on our cars?  Do we need to have jobs to do, or can we just come along to watch/ask/learn?  I want to change out the transmission fluids for instance which would be a piece of cake with the car up in the air, though do-able at home too.

I live near to Maldon, about 20 minutes away

Hi ZF,

 It is certainly a NOT TO BE MISSED DAY. Yes you can do jobs, if you have tools bring them although we are a friendly lot and as long as you return them a borrow is possible, good to have spare stuff though rather than waiting. Changing fluids I did last time, dead easy on a ramp. There are a few guys on hand who know what they are doing to point us novices in the right direction. If all else fails then come and watch and have a cup of tea. Supertyres do offer special deal for getting your car aligned, you may wish to take advantage of that. Everyone including myself who has been "Supertyred Aligned" agrees there is a big difference in handling.

Don't be shy come along

Hi ZF.  Joy summed the day up nicely.  We only ask for an idea of the jobs people want to do so we can schedule ramp access (won't be so important with 4 available) and so we can brush up on the manuals and be ready to help if required.

eric (et):

so we can brush up on the manuals and be ready to help if required.

Manual, that is where I went wrong with that radiator!

Oh and if you want me to help you I will need to see an up to date membership card (from the MX-5 Owners Club)

As for jobs, Mine is an oil change and possibly a diff change if I find time to replace the bearings and oil seals in my replacment diff. I may also change discs and calipers on the front.

 I only plan to change the gearbox oil but I'll have the manual and circuit diagrams with me. I'd like to see what a mess I made with the waxoil and my tiny car ramps!  

I could do with changing my gearbox oil too, I just gotta see if I can afford the Redline oil

I also bought rear 1.8 caliper brackets before Christmas so need to upgrade the rear brakes to match the fronts! Although, I could do with one of our 'experts' to try and diagnose what's wrong with my bloody engine!

And there was me thinking I'd have nothing to do

Gary, try and see it there is any movement when you try and wobble the crank pulley. It is not a definitive test but an idea, you probably need a new woodruff key (not expensive) and some liquid metal.

Take a read http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/p/226/387.aspx#387

Yeah, the pulley is wobbling a bit and I did try to fix it with the help of Sarah's brother (he's a mechanic) but after stripping it all down, we couldn't get the gear thingy off the crank (the one that the cam belt goes around). It didn't want to budge even a little bit, so we think it's already been glued at some point. I think the reason it's started to wobble is that at some point someone (and I'm pretty certain I know who!!) has had the crank pulley (the one that the aux belts go around) off but managed to snap one of the 4 bolts holding it on!!!

We put it all back together but had the inlet cam out by about 1/2 a tooth, which I thought I'd sorted but it's still not running properly. I suppose the easiest way to describe it is that I don't seem to have a choke anymore, it just runs at the same revs hot or cold (actually, if anything the revs are slightly lower when it's cold!) and I can't get the idle right. I've had to set the timing to TDC so that I can get the idle low enough. There's also not much power low down the rev range, but I'm putting that down to the timing being at TDC and not 14 degrees.

 Sounds like we might have to have a special "Gary" tech day.

Most tech days end up becoming special 'Gary' tech days mate 

 Hi Gary

Sounds like your having fun.I can't see how you can get the cam belt 1/2 a tooth out,because thay only do hole one's.

   Just a few bit's.............. j r m45 sc, emb, boomslang PnP, 2.5 map sensor, o2 clamp, Lc1. with  bracket's, tensioners, belts, some pipes, various nut's and bolts and anything else thats in the box.

   Sorry almost forgot.....Some very nice and bright bulbs. 

5UMO:

   Just a few bit's.............. j r m45 sc, emb, boomslang PnP, 2.5 map sensor, o2 clamp, Lc1. with  bracket's, tensioners, belts, some pipes, various nut's and bolts and anything else thats in the box.

 

   Sorry almost forgot.....Some very nice and bright bulbs. 

........... Then over to body shop for dent removal, full respray and polish.

In all should take about half hour I guess

MX-Drew:

 

5UMO:

   Just a few bit's.............. j r m45 sc, emb, boomslang PnP, 2.5 map sensor, o2 clamp, Lc1. with  bracket's, tensioners, belts, some pipes, various nut's and bolts and anything else thats in the box.

 

   Sorry almost forgot.....Some very nice and bright bulbs. 

 

........... Then over to body shop for dent removal, full respray and polish.

In all should take about half hour I guess

 

              Yeh, that sounds about right with a 15min tea break 

 I think it could be a 10min tea break,because you have some trim to do as well.