Mazda MX-5 Miata Forum

March 10, 2010

Gutless 90 model

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 3:26 am

I have a 1990 Classic Red . It has 85,000 miles. It has no power until
you get the revs up to about 4000-4500, from there on up it runs fine.
It idles fine and starts fine. It seems like in the lower power range it
boggs down. Has anybody else had this problem or have any ideas what it
might be. Thanks

9 Comments »

  1. I have a 1990 Miata with 85000 miles. It is totally gutless below 2000
    rpm’s. Once the revs get up above 2000 it is fine. It idles fine and
    starts fine. Has anyone else had this problem or have any ideas what
    might cause it.
    Thanks…

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  2. You might wanna check the plug wires…(cheap fix)   OR …it could be a
    cracked key way on the end of the crank shaft….(expensive fix )

    Jeff Hill

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  3. Robert Perry wrote:

    > Where have you guys been??? Run that puppy to over 6500 rpm before you
    > shift…the Miata engines have most of their performance in the higher rpm
    > ranges…drive the freeways in 4th gear and 80 mph!…don’t use 5th till you
    > have to exceed warp speeds in excess of 100mph!
    > Bob, 94 M-Edition

    While getting on the freeway today I hit 85 when I shifted to 4th.

    She’s made to be wound up all the way.

    BUT, I have a late ’94 w/1.81 ltr.  My 1.8 is far from gutless.  Better
    low end torque then the VW type 4, 2 ltr in the last 914.  Better full
    range than the 2000 cc Fiat in the last Spider.  My 1.81 is a champ.  I
    have nothing on it but what came from the factory.  New plug cables,
    highest octane I can buy (95) and I keep the injectors clean with
    Techroline added every 1000 miles or so.  

    If you’ve noticed a change in your ’90s performance then obviously
    something is wrong.  If not…. well… I test drove more than my share
    of 1.6 ltr engines and I chose to avoid it.  One can still get great
    performance with the 1.6 if you are willing to modify both the car
    and/or your driving methods. YMMV


    Andyc_____________________
    my email is: andr…@bsonicb.net
    …without the "b"s

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  4. Where have you guys been??? Run that puppy to over 6500 rpm before you
    shift…the Miata engines have most of their performance in the higher rpm
    ranges…drive the freeways in 4th gear and 80 mph!…don’t use 5th till you
    have to exceed warp speeds in excess of 100mph!
    Bob, 94 M-Edition

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  5. Andy,

    unless you have your timing bumped up to 18 degrees advance, you are
    wasting your money on the expensive gas, which also has cleaning agents,
    which clean as well as you Techroline.  Recent mail on the Miata list
    suggested that the regular use of Techroline, and other cleaners similar
    to it, especially as often as you are using it, may cause problems for
    the injectors…

    If you still want to spend money on that expensive gas, take your timing
    to 18 degrees.  If not, just take it to 14 degrees BTDC, uses 87 octane,
    and enjoy the savings, and additional power you will find.

    andyc wrote:
    > highest octane I can buy (95) and I keep the injectors clean with
    > Techroline added every 1000 miles or so.


    Pete and Bruiser
    Silver 92A  with classic PhRedd stripes!
    cum grano salis

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  6. Where do you get off saying run in 4th on the highway. Why tax the engine at
    those high RPMS. Get real;, unless you have made perf mods run it hard but be
    reasonable.  My 93 has been bored out plus bigger cams and other mods. I run
    mine in 5th when on the highway and still have plenty of pep for passing and I
    can always down shift for more power. I race top fuel and other classes in the
    NHRA plus my Miata in SSFC class at div 7 races. My Miata will run mid 13s
    without Juice or forced injection. Plus it still gets 35 mpg on the highway.
    Mandie Gordon (Mandie…@aol.com)

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  7. In article <1998040721422100.RAA24…@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
    cyyberd…@aol.com says…

    >Where do you get off saying run in 4th on the highway. Why tax the engine at
    >those high RPMS. Get real;, unless you have made perf mods run it hard but
    be
    >reasonable.  My 93 has been bored out plus bigger cams and other mods. I run
    >mine in 5th when on the highway and still have plenty of pep for passing and
    I
    >can always down shift for more power. I race top fuel and other classes in
    the
    >NHRA plus my Miata in SSFC class at div 7 races. My Miata will run mid 13s
    >without Juice or forced injection. Plus it still gets 35 mpg on the highway.
    >Mandie Gordon (Mandie…@aol.com)

    Dyke,
            Don’t get your panties in a bunch! I’m sometimes in 5th too just
    cruzin…But sometimes also…just for fun I’ll feel inclined to drop it down
    into third and keep it going till redlines in 4th gear…thats about 110 in
    my 94 m-edition with Jackson Racing Headers and everything back of that from
    Jackson…I’ve also done the cold air box thing and adjusted my timing to 14
    degrees…Quite honestly I enjoy the speeds.  
            I just fly airplanes..no sensation of speed in them muthers…thats
    why I got the Miata…my ass is close to the ground at those speeds…Bob

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  8. No one (except for one person) has answered the question yet! :-)  I
    had the same problem (@4000 RPM out of 7000) with a 1988 Supra
    (non-turbo) that I test drove.  I don’t think it could be the keyway
    in the crankshaft, because that is a problem only with Miatae
    (right?).  I didn’t think to look at the spark plug wires.  I also had
    the same problem with an 88 BMW 3 series that I test drove (but it
    NEVER picked up the power).

    I guess we can safely say that I am curious as well.  My dad says the
    engine was just ‘tired’.

     Osman Ullah
    |=——————————————=|
     Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
     http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte213f

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

  9. Mike, I am experiencing the same problem with my 90 (80000 miles). I had the
    timing belt changed at 64000, and am wondering if the belt is off a tooth. I am
    also concerned with the crankshaft failure problem. I have been poring through
    the shop manual to determine the cause of the problem. Let me know how u make
    out

    Comment by admin — March 10, 2010 @ 3:26 am

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