MX-5 OC Forum

 Hi All..... I'm a new user on the forum but just wanted to share this with you all to aviod anything similar happening to you.

My wife went to start our Mk 2  1999 car, when it just kept turning over and wouldn't fire up. Then the key symbol on the dash began to flash and quite soon the battery went flat.  I wondered if it was an alarm/immobiliser fault, so disconnected the battery re-charged it still nothing!

So I had  it recovered to my usual garage, who is a good general mechanic who has never let me down..  He then tried all that he could, a crankshaft sensor, disconnecting the cobra alarm, and checking the coding of the key/iginition, still the same and wouldn't start. Two seperate auto electricians looked at it and both concluded it was 'probably' the transponder/arial in the ignition or even maybe the ECU. My pal at the garage was scratching his head and after both electricians found nothing with the plug- inn diagnostics, the only option seemed to be the expensive trip to Mazda. But before he did this he decided to check the wiring and see where it took him. Well it took him towards the ECU, which if you didn't know as I didn't, is located under a metal plate in the passenger footwell. When he took the carpet up and plate off, the only thing missing was a surfboard!! it was all swimming in water, and the ECU was wet through. He took it all out gave it the hairdryer treatment and to my amazement it fired up straight away, and touch wood is still doing so.  I then wondered why so set out to look. And it was those little nuisance drain holes again, or lack of as I found out! I rang a friend Peter from Mazmania, who explained where they should be, however I still couldn't see them so drilled a few on his advice. I don't know if the 2 in the hood would have any bearing on it too but they were also blocked, and once I found them behind the seatbelt fixings, a long screwdriver soon unblocked them. So as water now runs out of these holes I am hoping the problem is cured and the ECU doesn't have any lasting damage, I suppose time will tell.               I just thought I'd share this with you in case it helps anybody who may experience the same problem.

Regards,     Colin

MX Col:

I rang a friend Peter from Mazmania, who explained where they should be, however I still couldn't see them so drilled a few on his advice

What???

Please post up a pic and let us see what and where you have been told to drill?

If the drain holes were blocked then that is where he should have told you to look first,also the seals around the hood frame and windscreen header,which to be honest as a hood fitter is where he should have pointed you to check as a no brainer.

You have been very lucky,keep her dry

There is and should never be any need to drill holes in the roadster for drainage.

M-m

 After all that rain on sunday my wife noticed the passenger foot well was very wet never seen that before so wet. my drain hole was blocked would this have caused it to be so wet. ????? what side is the ECU on

Brian

 If the drain holes are blocked ,it will just over flow somewhere else, into the body tub,foot well and boot, it needs to go somewhere, and water will find its own route.

Terrano Kid:

what side is the ECU on

Passenger side foot well buddy

Never forget that you also have drain holes at the jacking points for the sills because if the drain trays/tubes are blocked .it will find its way into the inner sills and stay there if they are blocked also =water, tin worm and rot you can not see.

M-m

MX Col:

I rang a friend Peter from Mazmania, who explained where they should be, however I still couldn't see them so drilled a few on his advice

Many years ago I had a MkIII Cortina that was a bit of a rust bucket so that the footwells both sides used to fill with rain-water. I "fixed" it by banging a screwdriver through the floor on both sides to let the water drain out. 6 months later the floor on both sides was falling through due to chronic rust, mostly around the holes I banged through! It didn't matter on that car as it cost me £100 and I didn't expect it to last as long as it did. I wouldn't dream of doing anything like that on any car I actually cared about! Did you at least put any rust inhibiter around the drill holes?

hi noob here .. what about the ac drains 

My drivers footwell gets very very wet if I park facing downhill in heavy rain. So far parking upwards prevents it. The holes behind by seatbelt towers are clear too.

 Thanks for all those, and i'll try and put some pics on.. I've only drilled tiny holes in the sills where he told me the holes should be as I couldn't see them, as maybe they have been covered over?

Also you mention the rail/seal around the hood?? could somebody explain where these are, as I only found the 2 holes behind the seatbelts and unblocked those?  I certainly dont want to go through that again.

Regards,  Colin

 O yeah and the AC drains mentioned? can anybody help with those? thanks

 Drain holes guide

http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/t/894.aspx

 Thanks for all your help all....

Touch wood, still dry!!

Col