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um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy
Guess who just spun a bearing! Car is confirmed cursed. Starting all over.

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Diametunim
Oct 26, 2010

The Prong Song posted:

Mine is a 150K mile car, I did the first ball joint replacement on it last year and was able to get the ball joints out with a pickle fork and 3lb hammer. No sweat.


I'm happy for you but I'm going to pretend you're lying for my own sanity. Today I was able to finally separate the rest of the ball joints from the steering knuckle. The answer is always more pb blaster, more heat, and more force. drat if this isn't the most pain in the rear end thing I've ever done on a car, and it's not even difficult.




I was ecstatic once I separated the ball joints from the steering knuckle, I assumed I'd have the old shock out in no time. Wrong, welcome to another pit of hell. The left 14mm tophat nut refused to budge. After applying liberal amounts of the formula mentioned above it was time for our good friend Mr. Dremel. Won't come out? I'll cut you out. Hopefully I can find another tophat for this old Tien shock when the time comes to return the car back to stock.






These better be worth the struggle.






e: oh yeah, the nut holding that end-link end on is seized up and stripped too.

um excuse me posted:

Guess who just spun a bearing! Car is confirmed cursed. Starting all over.

Just K Swap it. But seriously, wtf.

Diametunim fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Mar 16, 2020

Shai-Hulud
Jul 10, 2008

But it feels so right!
Lipstick Apathy
God i hate suspension work on old cars.
My wife rolls her eyes when i tell her that its only three bolts so if all goes well it could be done quickly. She usually takes the kids to the zoo or something while i lie under the car with an impact gun cursing.

Voltage
Sep 4, 2004

MALT LIQUOR!
Oof - I’m doing the full suspension on my ‘95 next week - wish me luck.

I got an impact ball joint remover , will post a trip report.

um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy

Diametunim posted:

Just K Swap it. But seriously, wtf.

I'm not sure what happened. I had good oil pressure, coolant temp, no dash lights.

I'll take anyone's tips on how to beef up the oiling system. I'll probably splurge on a boundary engineering pump this time around if anyone has anything else they want to suggest.

mariooncrack
Dec 27, 2008

um excuse me posted:

I'm not sure what happened. I had good oil pressure, coolant temp, no dash lights.

I'll take anyone's tips on how to beef up the oiling system. I'll probably splurge on a boundary engineering pump this time around if anyone has anything else they want to suggest.

Junkyard LSx swap? :getin:

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

Voltage posted:

Oof - I’m doing the full suspension on my ‘95 next week - wish me luck.

I got an impact ball joint remover , will post a trip report.

By full suspension you are doing all the bushings as well? Get some sand paper and paint and paint anything your remove while you are at it.

Voltage
Sep 4, 2004

MALT LIQUOR!

Don Lapre posted:

By full suspension you are doing all the bushings as well? Get some sand paper and paint and paint anything your remove while you are at it.

Yes, the full set of energy suspension bushings - snagged a HF 20 ton press for that. I plan on sanding/painting anything that may need it. Any recommendations on the type of paint?

Shai-Hulud
Jul 10, 2008

But it feels so right!
Lipstick Apathy
Had to do the clutch on my NB and decided that a more advanced way to lift the car was in order!

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

Voltage posted:

Yes, the full set of energy suspension bushings - snagged a HF 20 ton press for that. I plan on sanding/painting anything that may need it. Any recommendations on the type of paint?

Not sure, wondering the same myself. Could always just go with a auto primer and black paint.

The Prong Song
Sep 7, 2002


WHITE
DRIVES
MATTER
Should I home-sprayjob my track NB in Porsche Acid Green (from the current patchwork colors of junkyard body panels), in order to catch sponsor's interests, or is that too much?

Tow car has acid green calipers and trim.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
plastidip :iia:

The Prong Song
Sep 7, 2002


WHITE
DRIVES
MATTER

Phone posted:

plastidip :iia:

There's enough body damage that I want to paint to prevent rust. I may plastidip or wrap it after that.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
I was being facetious, plastidip is a colossal pain in the rear end even if you do everything right.

If I were to want to change the color or get everything the same color, I’d probably go with vinyl wrap and not particularly care what it looked like underneath.

As Nero Danced
Sep 3, 2009

Alright, let's do this

Phone posted:

I was being facetious, plastidip is a colossal pain in the rear end even if you do everything right.

If I were to want to change the color or get everything the same color, I’d probably go with vinyl wrap and not particularly care what it looked like underneath.

I've used plasti dip more than I want to admit, and yeah, on a smaller project it's fine, like a motorcycle or something similar. On a car it's a lot more hassle than it's worth and it doesn't last as long as a semi-decent paintjob, and peeling it is a massive pain in the rear end- you'll never get it all off, overspray in the door wells sucks big-time, it's just not worth it in my opinion. I would do the vinyl wrap as well.

Diametunim
Oct 26, 2010

Voltage posted:

Yes, the full set of energy suspension bushings - snagged a HF 20 ton press for that. I plan on sanding/painting anything that may need it. Any recommendations on the type of paint?

Let me know how those new bushings are. I couldn't bring myself to do it even though I should have. All the research I did led me to believe that you need to do grease zerks with poly bushings unless everything will start squeaking. Are you planning on tapping zerks?

For control arms I imagine any black enamel, weatherproof paint will do.

I made some progress tonight doing menial stuff like wet sanding the corrosion off various bolts and cleaning the bores the tie rod and ball joint ends sit in to avoid having to hammer on these things for hours next time it needs to come apart.

New ball joint pressed in too.




And then some days went by and I pulled this saved message up on my phone and I posted about more progress that I made. The other side is going along much smoother. I'm going to have to cut another top hat stud off though.




ionn
Jan 23, 2004

Din morsa.
Grimey Drawer
I recently got a two post lift installed in my garage. The world is objectively a better place now. Great success.

Anyway, after doing some work on a couple of normal boring cars, I now need to get to an exhaust leak under my NB. I was googling what the internet thought were the best lift points, and while most places suggest the pinch welds on the outside of the body, I see a bunch of pictures of Miatas on two post lifts where they have the pads on the "frame rails" further in (not actual frame rails, but the long box section that goes along the body).

My pinch welds are a bit bent from various jackstands and whatnot over the years / POs, and I figured the pads of the lift would work nicely with the flat surface of the rails without ever damaging anything. Assuming neither is badly rusted or otherwise falling apart, are there any strong reasons to use one over the other?

TrueChaos
Nov 14, 2006




If you just use the frame rails they will collapse. There are two reinforced sections which are okay for lifting, at the front/rear of the frame rails. If you crawl under and take a look you should be able to see the reinforced sections.

ionn
Jan 23, 2004

Din morsa.
Grimey Drawer
It's pretty easy to see from the side without even jacking it up where they're reinforced (just looks like an extra layer of sheetmetal). I've put jackstands there before on occasion (with a piece of wood or something in between) with no issues, and obviously the only place I'd consider putting a lifting pad.

Wibla
Feb 16, 2011

Use the reinforced sections to the lift the car, not the frame rails

E: See image below. There are reinforced bits of the frame rail suitable for lifting too, apparently :v:

Wibla fucked around with this message at 16:45 on Apr 2, 2020

TrueChaos
Nov 14, 2006




ionn posted:

It's pretty easy to see from the side without even jacking it up where they're reinforced (just looks like an extra layer of sheetmetal). I've put jackstands there before on occasion (with a piece of wood or something in between) with no issues, and obviously the only place I'd consider putting a lifting pad.

I'm referring to the sections you describe as box tubing - I think you're talking about the pinch welds. If you've got say flying miata frame rail reinforcements you can lift from anywhere on the frame rail.

E:

These are all good lifting points.

TrueChaos fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Apr 2, 2020

ionn
Jan 23, 2004

Din morsa.
Grimey Drawer
Yep, those are exactly the lift points I'm talking about. On the square frame box looking things running lengthwise on either side of the car, a bit in. You can easily see from the side how far the "extra layer" of metal goes (20 cm or so from either end), which matches the reinforced section suitable for lifting as that picture shows. I'm mostly wondering if there's any particular reason to use one over the other (the four "inner" vs "outer" corners). With a 2 post lift with round pads, it seems more practical to go for the inner ones. Jackstands, probably the outer.

I had it up today to take the exhaust out to weld it up (looks like a previous repair that had broken up), with the pads on the "inner rails". Was wrangling the exhaust and unbolting some braces to get the center section down. Nothing bent, car didn't come crashing down on me, all good. And god, is it nice to finally have a proper garage to work in. It was maybe two hours of easy work getting it out, welded up, and reassembled (including lifting the seat out to disconnect the O2 sensor plug). In my previous work-on-cars location it would have been a whole day of jacking it up and crawling around under it wrestling with the exhaust pipe.

Diametunim
Oct 26, 2010
Having a two post lift in my garage is the dream, congrats on achieving yours. Thankful to see everyone's keeping themselves busy with projects. I wrapped up the Xida install on my NB the other day by taking a stroll over to the local performance shop to have the car professionally set up (ride height, alignment, corner balance). I asked that they use the dual duty alignment setup that 949 Recommends. Running weight of the car with me inside weighs 2,542lbs and breaks down to 664lbs LF, 612lbs RF, 660lbs LR, 606lbs RR.

After my initial shakedown run on some local back roads the car handles drastically different in the best way. I can't wait to get this setup on the track. The overall ride comfort is better as well which is great. It's amazing what having a proper set of dampers on your car will do.







bonus customer cars

BloodBag
Sep 20, 2008

WITNESS ME!




Jesus Christ.

Question for the miata folks that lurk AI: would you like a separate thread for the repaint of the merlot mica trashbox miata I have or shall I just put the pics in here? I've pulled the engine and stripped the interior to the firewall. It would be a big thread to get started, but I think I have a direction.

Joe Mama
May 10, 2008
Hell yeah do a thread! Post some condensed tidbits in here too.

taqueso
Mar 8, 2004


:911:
:wookie: :thermidor: :wookie:
:dehumanize:

:pirate::hf::tinfoil:
:justpost: (a thread and in here)

ethanol
Jul 13, 2007



Diametunim posted:

bonus customer cars



whoa what do you do to them?

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。

BloodBag posted:

Jesus Christ.

Question for the miata folks that lurk AI: would you like a separate thread for the repaint of the merlot mica trashbox miata I have or shall I just put the pics in here? I've pulled the engine and stripped the interior to the firewall. It would be a big thread to get started, but I think I have a direction.

just post~~

Diametunim
Oct 26, 2010

ethanol posted:

whoa what do you do to them?

I don't do anything to them but envy them. Owner of the shop said they're customer cars they store, prep, and haul to track days for the owners.

Bloodbag, just post!

um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy
$200 for a clapped out, 132 kmi, stretched timing chain K24Z3 a good deal or bad deal? I got a Honda tech that says I'm taking a gamble on piston/valve damage without a leakdown check. So if it's bad the motor would need new timing chain, pistons, valves, valve seats, and valve guides. This is on top of the new chain tensioner, rings, valve seals, retainers, tappet spacers, lower rotating assembly bearings, cam and crank seals, water pump, idlers, etc that the motor needs regardless.

It's a shot in the dark if anyone knows the ins and outs of K24 swaps, but I figure I'd try.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
I thought that K24Z3s longblocks were cheap in the $300-500 range to begin with?

um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy
They are. There is a motor available in the same town I work in. Cutting out shipping would be a great way to save a few bucks, but if the engine is only scrapworthy then I can wait for something better to come along.

BloodBag
Sep 20, 2008

WITNESS ME!



I will intend this as constructively as possible and not in a mean manner; why not replace with another BP instead of going with a swap? Why do a swap when you couldn't get a rebuild right? I would think you'd be in exactly the same boat only minus several thousand more dollars.

um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy
No offense taken. I originally wanted a fun cheap car to fix up. But now that I have a daughter, born in January, I want a reliable 24 year old car to pass down to her 16 years from now. This next line is going to sound like I'm rich, but I'm definitely not rich, so it's never been about the money. The BP has been proving to be a difficult platform to get back to a reliable state. It, itself, is an engine swap from the factory, being originally a transverse mounted engine which comes with a host of weird cooling issues. It was designed back in the 70s and just isn't designed particularly well compared to the other motors I work on. It's starting to get hard to find some parts for, as I've found out, looking for things like used throttle bodies and cam angle sensors are starting to increase in value. I'm definitely biased as I've been having dog poo poo luck with the motor. It's been a tough decision since I've gotten very used to the layout, but I think it's just time to cut losses and move to a more modern platform that will be easier to maintain decades from now.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。

BloodBag posted:

I will intend this as constructively as possible and not in a mean manner; why not replace with another BP instead of going with a swap? Why do a swap when you couldn't get a rebuild right? I would think you'd be in exactly the same boat only minus several thousand more dollars.

The BP stock has been dying up a bit. It's not impossible to get a viable longblock from a junkyard, but it's getting more difficult to just do the external maintenance (TB, WP, gaskets, etc) as the latest batch of them were produced 15 years ago. Basically any BP longblock you can pick up domestically is going to have over 100k miles. Getting something shipped from Europe or Japan isn't the end of the world, but you're still looking at a 15+ year old motor that you should probably re-ring.

And at the end of it, you've spent a bunch of time and money procuring a BP that won't make over 150whp and doesn't like being spun above 7k without significant work.

That said, it seems like um excuse me has had a lemon of a motor. You have a BP05 (94-97), right?

BloodBag
Sep 20, 2008

WITNESS ME!



A coolant reroute solves the cooling issues for at the most $250 from supermiata. Add a better radiator and the cooling fan upgrade from FM and cooling issues are gone. Aftermarket parts for throttle bodies are out there (skunk). CAS were always expensive, but even they can be worked around with aftermarket ECU stuff. You'd be taking a transverse engine and putting it longitudinal with a K24, wouldn't you? Don't those come in CR-Vs and Accords? So you'd be doing the exact same thing Mazda did. Stock miatas are slow and get kinda meh mileage, but unreliable is not something they get called often.

I mean if you want it to be a 4 wheeled missile, then cool, but don't couch an engine swap as making a car more reliable. I mean poo poo, I'm trying to get mine to the state where I can put a FM turbo on it with a MSPNP ECU.

Re: parts availability, every miata specific shop (moss, FM) has suspended US operations right now due to COVID, so yeah poo poo's gonna be hard to find for them right now.

E: I get that the engines are getting long in the tooth, but if I was going to swap an engine, a LS would be going in, and for the money that would cost, I'd just get a used C5 corvette. Swaps are just so expensive and I can't say I've seen one done well outside of Tom's Turbo Garage.

BloodBag fucked around with this message at 17:20 on Apr 14, 2020

um excuse me
Jan 1, 2016

by Fluffdaddy

Phone posted:

That said, it seems like um excuse me has had a lemon of a motor. You have a BP05 (94-97), right?

Yup. It's about as much of a lemon as a 130,000 mile motor can be, I guess. I'm going to check for damage, and if it's okay I'm going to stuff new bearings in it and sell it to the next person that wants it.

BloodBag posted:

I mean if you want it to be a 4 wheeled missile, then cool, but don't couch an engine swap as making a car more reliable. I mean poo poo, I'm trying to get mine to the state where I can put a FM turbo on it with a MSPNP ECU.

A fair point. A bit more power was always in the cards. Getting it with the BP is possible, and cheaper, but it doesn't reach my goal of modernizing the platform and future proofing the car.

One thing I'm not going to compromise on is how the car feels to drive. I don't want to change the suspension dynamics or when the power hits, so turboing was never the solution to me. I'm trying to keep to Mazda's formula as much as possible because it's what I was after when I originally bought the car. An LS messes up the balance and how the car handles simply due to the weight and how it's placed.

Costs are another consideration even though I just said cost was never a main consideration. A K swap is half the price of a proper LS swap for a better feeling car.

um excuse me fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Apr 14, 2020

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

Yeah I think you just got unlucky, I've never had any problems with any BP and I've owned a lot of them. Chuck that motor and get one out of an NB2, that's what I would do anyway.

But if a K swap would be about the same amount of effort and cost that sounds like a good plan too but I have no idea what it involves.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。

um excuse me posted:

Yup. It's about as much of a lemon as a 130,000 mile motor can be, I guess. I'm going to check for damage, and if it's okay I'm going to stuff new bearings in it and sell it to the next person that wants it.

I had the original motor that came in my 94 that I abused slightly and overheated a little bit, then I swapped in the motor from Fatcow’s 97 and it broke two timing belts within the span of a year. Never investigated why or how (read: it was me being a dumbass college kid trying to do HPDEs), but the car got parked until I could get enough credit to do the VVT swap.

There are more reasons to be B6 enthusiast than a BP05 one. The only redeeming qualities are that the early ones had an easy way to tap the oil pan and 8.8 pistons.

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blk
Dec 19, 2009
.
Do Smarttop controllers always sell for retail, or are there any tips for finding one cheaper?

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