New timing belt, spring, and idler             Use Miata.net for source of
step by step instructions
New water pump while doing the timing belt (Optional)
Replace or rebuild clutch slave cyl. (Bleed clutch and brake systems as a
minimum)
Make sure that the flywheel gets resurfaced as part of the clutch
replacement.

"John" <nos…@cox.com> wrote in message

news:ax31b.5697$QT5.1936@fed1read02…

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

> >I’m present here on the list to basically become more informed about
> >my car.

> Good thinking.

> >What’s the best way for me to learn more about my car so I don’t sound
like
> a complete neophyte when
> >talking to the mechanic?

> 1. http://www.miata.net
> 2. Buy a service manual.
> 3. Ask questions here.

> >Can I come here for advice on what needs to be fixed?

> Yes

> >What are the best sources for becoming less mechanically inept?

> Buy a service manual and learn by doing.

> John (’94 Miata)

> "Myron Mychal" <mmyc…@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:991a40fc.0308181132.4109d956@posting.google.com…
> > Hello everyone.  I’m a happy owner of a 1999 Mazda Miata that has seen
> > better days of late.  Due to economic circumstances beyond my control
> > (read:  The Economy), I’ve had to drive around my poor beat-up Miata
> > for a long time now.  I rear-ended someone a few months back with the
> > unfortunate issue of having only liability insurance.

> > Thanks to the airbags both deploying (why I didn’t have the passenger
> > side bag disabled, I don’t know), I suffered some damage to the front
> > end and of course, the windshield since the bags popped, smacking the
> > rearview into the windshield and creating a lovely spiderweb.

> > Beyond that, I’m now suffering the ill effects of some mechanical
> > problems.  Forgetting the body work necessary for a moment, I’d like
> > to focus on the under-the-hood problems I’ve been having.

> > Just recently, I noticed some peculiar issues when driving it.  I
> > would find that after parking it briefly, when I would try to drive it
> > again, it would often backfire on me.  Also, it was experiencing
> > difficulty delivering full power to the vehicle as i’d shift in gear –
> > I could hear it struggling to achieve speeds that normally weren’t a
> > problem.  Eventually after a few minutes of driving it, it would "kick
> > in" and start delivering full power again and operate normally.

> > During those times when it would have problems, it often died on me
> > when idling.  Now, I would have normally had this looked into much
> > much sooner but I was not in an economic position to do so.  And
> > recently this weekend, it came to a head – my Miata died on me.
> > Regardless of which gear i’d shift into, the car wouldn’t move.  I
> > immediately thought I had a clutch problem (60K miles and never had
> > replaced it yet).

> > Well, luckily for me I have just got a new job (and was meaning to
> > start getting the car worked on next week).  It’s currently in the
> > shop and indeed the mechanic says the clutch needs to be replaced.  He
> > hasn’t looked at any other issues yet.

> > I’m present here on the list to basically become more informed about
> > my car.  despite my obvious negligence in taking care of the vehicle,
> > I’m really not stupid.  I swear .  I was just broke and only had the
> > Miata as my primary means of transportation.

> > I don’t want to sell the car.  I want to get it fixed.  I know there
> > will be more issues in regards to getting it fixed (considering the
> > engine problem I had that I described).  What I’m hoping for here is
> > some feedback from the Miata experts.  What’s the best way for me to
> > learn more about my car so I don’t sound like a complete neophyte when
> > talking to the mechanic?  Can I come here for advice on what needs to
> > be fixed?  Once the under-the-hood issues are fixed, i’d like to get
> > the bodywork done and I would hope to not have to spend a fortune on
> > it, so I’m hoping you folks here can steer me in the right direction.

> > Maybe if I’m lucky enough, I may learn enough to do some of the work
> > myself.

> > What are the best sources for becoming less mechanically inept?

> > Even though i’ve been cruel to her with my lack of funds these past
> > two years, I really love my 1999 Miata and I don’t plan on selling it.
> >  She’s only got 60K miles on her and I’d like to put thousands more.

> > Any help or comments or sugestions you have would be most appreciated.

> > Myron Mychal
> > Owner of an ill 1999

Good thinking.

>What’s the best way for me to learn more about my car so I don’t sound like

a complete neophyte when

>talking to the mechanic?

1. http://www.miata.net
2. Buy a service manual.
3. Ask questions here.

>Can I come here for advice on what needs to be fixed?

Yes

>What are the best sources for becoming less mechanically inept?

Buy a service manual and learn by doing.

John (’94 Miata)

"Myron Mychal" <mmyc…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:991a40fc.0308181132.4109d956@posting.google.com…

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

> Hello everyone.  I’m a happy owner of a 1999 Mazda Miata that has seen
> better days of late.  Due to economic circumstances beyond my control
> (read:  The Economy), I’ve had to drive around my poor beat-up Miata
> for a long time now.  I rear-ended someone a few months back with the
> unfortunate issue of having only liability insurance.

> Thanks to the airbags both deploying (why I didn’t have the passenger
> side bag disabled, I don’t know), I suffered some damage to the front
> end and of course, the windshield since the bags popped, smacking the
> rearview into the windshield and creating a lovely spiderweb.

> Beyond that, I’m now suffering the ill effects of some mechanical
> problems.  Forgetting the body work necessary for a moment, I’d like
> to focus on the under-the-hood problems I’ve been having.

> Just recently, I noticed some peculiar issues when driving it.  I
> would find that after parking it briefly, when I would try to drive it
> again, it would often backfire on me.  Also, it was experiencing
> difficulty delivering full power to the vehicle as i’d shift in gear –
> I could hear it struggling to achieve speeds that normally weren’t a
> problem.  Eventually after a few minutes of driving it, it would "kick
> in" and start delivering full power again and operate normally.

> During those times when it would have problems, it often died on me
> when idling.  Now, I would have normally had this looked into much
> much sooner but I was not in an economic position to do so.  And
> recently this weekend, it came to a head – my Miata died on me.
> Regardless of which gear i’d shift into, the car wouldn’t move.  I
> immediately thought I had a clutch problem (60K miles and never had
> replaced it yet).

> Well, luckily for me I have just got a new job (and was meaning to
> start getting the car worked on next week).  It’s currently in the
> shop and indeed the mechanic says the clutch needs to be replaced.  He
> hasn’t looked at any other issues yet.

> I’m present here on the list to basically become more informed about
> my car.  despite my obvious negligence in taking care of the vehicle,
> I’m really not stupid.  I swear .  I was just broke and only had the
> Miata as my primary means of transportation.

> I don’t want to sell the car.  I want to get it fixed.  I know there
> will be more issues in regards to getting it fixed (considering the
> engine problem I had that I described).  What I’m hoping for here is
> some feedback from the Miata experts.  What’s the best way for me to
> learn more about my car so I don’t sound like a complete neophyte when
> talking to the mechanic?  Can I come here for advice on what needs to
> be fixed?  Once the under-the-hood issues are fixed, i’d like to get
> the bodywork done and I would hope to not have to spend a fortune on
> it, so I’m hoping you folks here can steer me in the right direction.

> Maybe if I’m lucky enough, I may learn enough to do some of the work
> myself.

> What are the best sources for becoming less mechanically inept?

> Even though i’ve been cruel to her with my lack of funds these past
> two years, I really love my 1999 Miata and I don’t plan on selling it.
>  She’s only got 60K miles on her and I’d like to put thousands more.

> Any help or comments or sugestions you have would be most appreciated.

> Myron Mychal
> Owner of an ill 1999

>I just replaced my stock springs and shocks with the Flyin’ Miata springs
>with
>the KYB AGX shocks.

>The springs lowered the car about an inch in the front and one and a half
>inches in the rear, which actually made the car sit more level than stock.

I have this combo too and I like it. It’s not too harsh for cruising and can be
plenty stiff enough for racing. I’m sure any other adjustable shock would
produce the same results.

Paco

97 Montego Blue (for fun only)
94 Dodge Grand Caravan ES (work van) The La-z-boy with wheels
87 Toyota Vanwagon (backup work van) Yes, it has an engine… somewhere.

Thanks — I think I’ll give them a call and ask about R-edition springs for
a 96M.

–
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Fold, fold,
                                  at               FOLD!! FOLDING many items!!
                               visi.com            

> What is the difference on the springs?

Not sure.  Eibach specifically states that their springs won’t fit "M" or
"C" editions.  Tokico does also. JR says theirs will.  Haven’t heard back
from FM.  Springs for an "R" edition sound like a good option, so maybe I’ll
look into that further.

> I replaced my shocks with Konis and ended up using a set from a 1992 model
> in the rear to drop it a little more since it has a noticeable rake with the
> stock springs. No problems there. Anyway, it looked like I could have used
> any set of miata springs on the front as well. Is there something to the
> front springs that prevents this on a ABS-equipped miata? As far as I know,
> they are the same size as the Non-ABS cars.

I don’t have a second car with which to compare, but I know that the web
pages I’ve been looking at state explicitly that they won’t fit an M.  With
the shocks, I think it’ sjust a mounting tab for the ABS sensor.

–
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  I’m encased in the
                                  at               lining of a pure pork
                               visi.com            sausage!!

–
Robert
90A
"Grant Edwards" <gra…@visi.com> wrote in message

news:3f418b9c$0$179$a1866201@newsreader.visi.com…

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

> In article <87v2kv0ap2s3m4i4ma01tsq9p1gb259…@4ax.com>, Leon van Dommelen
wrote:

> >>progressive rate would be ideal.  My mechanic recommended
> >>Eibach. But, they’ve been on back-order for 2.5 months, and
> >>there’s no sign they’ll ever ship.

> > The R-edition springs are slightly lower than stock.

> I hadn’t thought about those — will they fit an ABS-equipped
> car?  Is Roebuck out of business?  www.roebuckmazda.com has
> been taken over by somebody else.

> > Someone is selling Eibach Springs on E-bay.  Claims to be
> > having ten, but this may be BS.

> I doubt they’re the ones that fit an ABS-equipped Miata. Lots
> of people have the standard non-ABS Eibach springs in stock.

> Anybody deal with M&M marketing?  I’ve talked to them a couple
> times today, and I haven’t been impressed.

>  1) Their web page claims they sell "H&R Sport Springs" that
>     lower the car 1 inch.  I called H&R, and they said they
>     don’t even make the "sport" model springs for the Miata,
>     only the "race" springs which lower the car a lot more than
>     an inch. H&R said they had no idea what M&M is selling, but
>     it isn’t from H&R springs.

>  2) M&M told me on the phone that the H&R springs would fit
>     with ABS.  I asked him to double-check, because most
>     after-market springs won’t.  He said, yes, they’ll fit.
>     After I talked to H&R, I called back and M&M admitted that
>     they wouldn’t fit.

> Moss says the JR springs will work with ABS — so far they’re
> the only ones I’ve found that are claimed to fit.  I’m still
> waiting to hear if FM springs will fit.

> —
> Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Edwin Meese made
me
>                                   at               wear CORDOVANS!!
>                                visi.com

> Thanks for the input — I’m still waiting to find out if FM
> springs will fit with ABS.

What is the difference on the springs? I replaced my shocks with Konis
and ended up using a set from a 1992 model in the rear to drop it a
little more since it has a noticeable rake with the stock springs. No
problems there.
Anyway, it looked like I could have used any set of miata springs on the
front as well. Is there something to the front springs that prevents
this on a ABS-equipped miata? As far as I know, they are the same size
as the Non-ABS cars.

Pat
’96M

In article <20030818215804.22081.00000…@mb-m17.aol.com>, GLPILOTSRV wrote:
> I just replaced my stock springs and shocks with the Flyin’
> Miata springs with the KYB AGX shocks.
[...]
> I would recommend this set up for anyone looking for a street able lowered
> Miata.

Thanks for the input — I’m still waiting to find out if FM
springs will fit with ABS.

–
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  … he dominates the
                                  at               DECADENT SUBWAY SCENE.
                               visi.com            

> The R-edition springs are slightly lower than stock.

I hadn’t thought about those — will they fit an ABS-equipped
car?  Is Roebuck out of business?  www.roebuckmazda.com has
been taken over by somebody else.

> Someone is selling Eibach Springs on E-bay.  Claims to be
> having ten, but this may be BS.

I doubt they’re the ones that fit an ABS-equipped Miata. Lots
of people have the standard non-ABS Eibach springs in stock.

Anybody deal with M&M marketing?  I’ve talked to them a couple
times today, and I haven’t been impressed.

 1) Their web page claims they sell "H&R Sport Springs" that
    lower the car 1 inch.  I called H&R, and they said they
    don’t even make the "sport" model springs for the Miata,
    only the "race" springs which lower the car a lot more than
    an inch. H&R said they had no idea what M&M is selling, but
    it isn’t from H&R springs.

 2) M&M told me on the phone that the H&R springs would fit
    with ABS.  I asked him to double-check, because most
    after-market springs won’t.  He said, yes, they’ll fit.
    After I talked to H&R, I called back and M&M admitted that
    they wouldn’t fit.

Moss says the JR springs will work with ABS — so far they’re
the only ones I’ve found that are claimed to fit.  I’m still
waiting to hear if FM springs will fit.

–
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Edwin Meese made me
                                  at               wear CORDOVANS!!
                               visi.com            

The springs lowered the car about an inch in the front and one and a half
inches in the rear, which actually made the car sit more level than stock.

The shocks can be adjusted for a wide range of damping. The roads in PA are
very rough, so I have damping set at four.  The car rides softer than stock. If
I set the damping at five or higher, the car rides stiffer than stock. (Much,
much stiffer at eight.)

I would recommend this set up for anyone looking for a street able lowered
Miata.

G. Lee