Timattalon's MX5 woes

@timattalon I have moved your posts to a more appropriate part of the forum, happy to rename it anything you like just let me know ?
dannyb

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Originally Posted by csmiffy

Yup. Been there many times


Attachment 221960

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I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timattalon

I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

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Should have bought a FORD

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Originally Posted by timattalon

I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

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Nah bruh, weld repair it in situ... Or with nothing to lose your other option is custom make a new key and modify the gear. Worth trying before ripping it out!

Is that a common issue with MX5 motors?

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Originally Posted by No.3

Nah bruh, weld repair it in situ... Or with nothing to lose your other option is custom make a new key and modify the gear. Worth trying before ripping it out!

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This.

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Originally Posted by timattalon

I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

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Good excuse to rip it out and throw some insane horsepower in.

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Originally Posted by timattalon

I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

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Tim...try a new key with Loctite 660.
Give that crank end a good clean up first.
This stuff is made for this sort of problem.
If nothing else, it will save you from having to rush into a motor removal right now.
https://www.repco.co.nz/car-care-pan...167/p/A1091040

As posted do a high class bodgy. Make sure the keyway on the shaft is as square as possible with a file or such and make a stepped key.
Have had to do that years ago on shaft and couplings that weren't the same for what ever reason. Not often but had to sometimes.
If it's lasted that long on that one if done properly with some retaining compound for good measure you don't really have anything to lose and it may outlast the car

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Originally Posted by Grey Kiwi

Tim...try a new key with Loctite 660.
Give that crank end a good clean up first.
This stuff is made for this sort of problem.
If nothing else, it will save you from having to rush into a motor removal right now.
https://www.repco.co.nz/car-care-pan...167/p/A1091040

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I used a very similar product on a primary reduction pinion in the front axle of my Kubota that had developed some really bad slop. It was a 2 pot product. I dti'd it before and after, to make sure I had got it glued in spot on. That was 8 years ago. No problems since.

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Originally Posted by Maca49

Should have bought a FORD

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Had a Fairmont for a while. This is way more fun but I do miss the Fairmont....(Dont miss filling the tank though....)

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Originally Posted by No.3

Nah bruh, weld repair it in situ... Or with nothing to lose your other option is custom make a new key and modify the gear. Worth trying before ripping it out!

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Too much other stuff near it made of melty stuff. And it would need hardening if I dont want to do it again soon. I looked at the JB weld repair but I dont think that will last either...figured I will have the car for a while yet and there were some other bits that need adressing so I thought Id bite the bullet so to speak and get it all done now...

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Originally Posted by csmiffy

As posted do a high class bodgy. Make sure the keyway on the shaft is as square as possible with a file or such and make a stepped key.
Have had to do that years ago on shaft and couplings that weren't the same for what ever reason. Not often but had to sometimes.
If it's lasted that long on that one if done properly with some retaining compound for good measure you don't really have anything to lose and it may outlast the car

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It had a new cambelt, tensioers etc about 39000 km agn when it 200,000 and it was not like it then. I suspect I have done something wrong on reassembly for it to have occurred over such a short time. I looked at the loktite / JB weld options but I have access to a much lower km motor and a few other things that need addressing too so I figure I would do the whole engine swap and go from there. Afterwards, I may do the original motor up as a spare or sell it to recoup some of my costs. I can get the crank done at mates rates through my Bro in laws business and I intend running this old thing for a fair while yet....

It must be an earlier one. I've had 5 that must be the short nosed crank.

edit: miata.net which is a MX5 forum has how to repair it properly.

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Originally Posted by timattalon

It had a new cambelt, tensioers etc about 39000 km agn when it 200,000 and it was not like it then. I suspect I have done something wrong on reassembly for it to have occurred over such a short time. I looked at the loktite / JB weld options but I have access to a much lower km motor and a few other things that need addressing too so I figure I would do the whole engine swap and go from there. Afterwards, I may do the original motor up as a spare or sell it to recoup some of my costs. I can get the crank done at mates rates through my Bro in laws business and I intend running this old thing for a fair while yet....

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Chances are you didn’t do crank bolt up to correct torque or torqued up to setting with dry threads, that’s common cause for this happening. See it reasonably regularly on engines where timing belt replaced by diy, no offence intended but just my observation over the years.

There's a very good product available in NZ called Belzona (spelling??) E-Metal.
It's a 2 part mix. It was used to do a repair in situ on a gear box that had a chunk break out of it at the last comapny I worked for.
GB eventually replaced but the E-Metal held.

https://www.belzona.com/en/products/1000/1211.aspx

Loctite 660

It will fix that in 60 seconds


Done it plenty of times on heavy machinery equipment

It’s made to bond shafts/collars to each other

Very very simple inexpensive fix

If you are going to repair it in situ then Belzona will give you a fighting chance - esp with a good fitting stepped key and the bolt torqued up with loctite 262. if you need some Belzona pm me and i can post some down to you

The other option is Devcon 2-part steel filled epoxy. That's done similar jobs for me in much higher loaded situations. It can be done, but as you say if you have a spare donk to drop in it is another way to flog that cat.

We were replacing cranks left right and centre when those things first came out lol.
Kept us busy at the dealership thats for sure. Only seemed to be the 1s with powersteering...

@dannyb Cheers. I wasnt really expecting quite so much advice....It was originally only yo say I knew how the guy felt.....

All good.

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Originally Posted by timattalon

@dannyb Cheers. I wasnt really expecting quite so much advice....It was originally only yo say I knew how the guy felt.....

All good.

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Yeah i figured.....kinda spiraled :yaeh am not durnk:

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Originally Posted by timattalon

@timattalon I have moved your posts to a more appropriate part of the forum, happy to rename it anything you like just let me know ?
dannyb



I think I am about to find out. Went to replace a front crank seal on my MX5.....and this is what greeted me....

Attachment 221961

It is either pull engine remove crank- repair (Bro in law is a recon guy) and replace or fit a replacement motor which I have bought....

Pulling motor means new clutcu while I am in there, AC delete while I can access it (Has not wprked for years ...) and a few extra bits as well.....

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k20 swap it man

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Originally Posted by 199p

k20 swap it man

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Alloy 302 and 5 speed at a minimum

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Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Alloy 302 and 5 speed at a minimum

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Theres one on the yellow site with a 4.0l Lexus V8 in it........I am happy with the original 1600. If I want speed I have a couple with two wheels that will satisfy that fix....one is about the same size (1520cc flat 6....)

And 5 speed is a given. The new motor I am getting comes from a mates donor car as he has converted a 96 auto to manual with the gear box from the crashed donor...

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Originally Posted by cambo

We were replacing cranks left right and centre when those things first came out lol.
Kept us busy at the dealership thats for sure. Only seemed to be the 1s with powersteering...

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Is it still an issue with these motors?

At what km do/did the issue rear its head?

aparently 13b's bolt right to the gearboxes

how are things at the salon these days?

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Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Is it still an issue with these motors?

At what km do/did the issue rear its head?

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All the 1s we did were under warranty still so less than 3yrs old. I'm talking about the original NA 1600s. Generally started when customer noticed it lose performance or was generally hard to start.
The early BP motors all did it even in the 323s

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Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Is it still an issue with these motors?

At what km do/did the issue rear its head?

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Originally Posted by cambo

All the 1s we did were under warranty still so less than 3yrs old. I'm talking about the original NA 1600s. Generally started when customer noticed it lose performance or was generally hard to start.
The early BP motors all did it even in the 323s

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I cannot speak for the rest of the country but here in Chch the MX5 has become quite popular and well sought after car. I bought mine as a run around hack some years back for a bit of fun with a longer than normal commute. I fell for it and really enjoy it as a daily driver. There are a lot of NA (89-96?) floating around and a lot of them have been well looked after. Mine has well over 225000km on it but apart from that- its straight, runs well (but lacks power now due to timing issue above) I must also put my hand up and say it is possibly due to something I did when we did the front seal last time. I may have done / not done something which may have contributed to this. Not sure what it was....but I feel its wrth fixing...

As a side note, this was orginally just a comment in the campfire thread to say I knew how the guy felt....I did not expect it to get to two pages .....

how are things at the salon these days?

That's a bit mean

I think it takes a braver man to say "fuck the haters, they're fun to drive"

I just about got involved in a serious prang due to these bloody things - well the import MX5's. A club day for them, about 40 all in a row travelling together and the import ones had the front yellow fog lights on. I was travelling towards a gentle left hand corner, as the approaching line of cars rolled around their right hand the yellow fog lights passed behind the car in front which gave the appearance of a row of blinking yellow lights... Now to set the scene a bit more, this was on an overcast day not quite dark yet but at the point where a lot of people would flick their headlights on.

The issue here comes from the fact that in my lane on the road, a dark grey vehicle was waiting to turn right into a driveway and the driver while indicating did not have their headlights on so the only visible light at the back of the car was the flashing yellow right indicator - which completely blended into the rest of the flashing orange lights on the oncoming lineup. And when you are doing 90-100 and travelling towards a stationary object that is the same colour as the road and not showing any visible lights, once you resolve the fact that it actually exists it's basically too close to stop. Luckily there was enough shoulder for me to slide past on the left, I went past at about 30 and I think gave the driver a hell of a fright (similar to what I got!).

That there, is a prime example of some bits in the road regulations that most drivers either don't learn, forget or completely ignore - stationary vehicle on a lane must display warning lights at the back (the good old brake light triangle, left right and high stop) and if you're turning right against a line of traffic pull off to the left and wait clear of the road!

Had a family friend get severely injured in a little mazda too, rear ended at an intersection which shunted her into the traffic crossing. Luckily it was a fairly slow speed set of hits but it folded the thing up like a coke can. Took a few months but she got over it, and brought a toyota surf(?). That's my experiences with MX5's anyway...

It took a while, but as an update, I appreciated all the ideas around insitu repairs, but decided that if I was keeping the car, I want to do the job properly, and if I was selling it , then a bodge repair is not fair to the new owner either...

I decided to keep the car- I do really enjoy driving it.

I pulled the old motor out and replaced it with a mates donor motor from a wreck he wanted the gearbox from. (Another 89 NA...) The new motor has 150k on it before a bus redesigned the front from the radiator forwards......- motor was unscathed.

New motor runs well- did a few other bits while in there that you would do replacing the motor- new waterpump, clutch, seals etc....

Old motor is on a shelf and when I get around to it, I will either sell it as is (runs well apart from needing the crank to be fixed but this is not a big job now the motor is out) or I will use it as a learning experience and pull the crank / big ends and sort it myself.

There is a few other things that I will do too- I used my original injectors as he ones in the donor motor had sat so long that they are now blocked. This will likely get done if the car starts to show signs of engine trouble in the future but I am not expecting that anytime soon.

It runs a treat and I am back to using it as my daily commter to work as well - thats 30km each way each afternoon to work and each morning on the way home....And atthe right time of year...Top down under the stars is fun...

Now all I need to do is learn how to do a proper respray.....

Jegs.com can supply a nice ford Motorsport alloy 302 that will have you grinning for the rest of your driving days

Life’s worth living

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Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Jegs.com can supply a nice ford Motorsport alloy 302 that will have you grinning for the rest of your driving days

Life’s worth living

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Theres a couple of motors I have had in the past that I would think woould be very fun in the wee car...

1st is the 1.8l V6 out of the Mazda Presso which is a FWD coupe version of the RWD MX5 . It is a very responsive motor and very revvy. It was great in the preso but unfortunately we got the last presso made that week on Friday 5 min before knock off and anything that could go wrong did....We traded it at the dealership where we got it and I was up front when I traded it that it was a lemon of a car- great fun when it worked but unreliable as hell....and you know what- He gave us nearly what we paid for it as a trade in as a way of apologising....

Another motor I would love to try would be the V6 in the Diamante I already have....3.5l ....but those engines would probably require a lot more work in upgrades to everything else to handle the power and weight increase....(brakes, suspension, Diff, gearbx etc.....)

could always save the planet and put an electric motor in it....:thumbsup: that crank damage is usually from a loose crank pulley or worn key...

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Originally Posted by blip

could always save the planet and put an electric motor in it....:thumbsup: that crank damage is usually from a loose crank pulley or worn key...

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Bolt had worked loose so quite correct there...Electric would be borderline criminal in these.....:D

Another powerplant option would be a 2.8L V8 Hyuabussa. My old boss is a motorhead and got the guys to build one during a quiet spell. It was before I started working there so I never found out what happened to it, I've heard of other people doing similar projects.

Yep some amazing 2 part epoxies available nowadays ,some claims to be stronger than metal
If u gonna keep it and wanna throw $$ at it go with new motor, alternatively bog it up , see how long it lasts u might be surprised

We use a 2

2 part epoxy from wurth
Been keeping a 300 bar compressor final pressure piston face working
We got the spare now but the boys on the boat wanna see how long it can last , been over 12 months