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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
Sorry, thought I responded? Ya, I like it a lot...never could have done the 5 speed swap without it! Quick up and down, now that I fixed a bad fitting that only allowed a quick and no going down!!!
What have you done to your Miata today?
- Thread starter Antoine
- Start date
Sorry, thought I responded? Ya, I like it a lot...never could have done the 5 speed swap without it! Quick up and down, now that I fixed a bad fitting that only allowed a quick and no going down!!!
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- 2016 GT ST 47A
But you did respond? Guess the grandkids wiped you out the other night. Lol
Yes I do Bruce. We told him that swapping out that shift knob would lead him down this path. Lol
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- 2016 GT ST 47A
Woot! Great to hear you tamed that little red head Levi! Shes looking good.drove it 700 miles on a little roadtrip to see some friends this past weekend. I recalibrated the o2 sensor and did some pulls/tuning, shes pretty healthy now! (drive2)
went to a Cars and Coffee event yesterday before i left Lancaster, someone liked the car and took fancy pics of it.
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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
[emoji12]haha![emoji129][emoji130]
That looks great. I would have been lost about half-way through.
Ok, ok, but sways are it!!!
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We've all heard it before...
So, you gonna rub it in with Phen now?
That means you didn't get enough out of your course walks. If you don't have it in your head after your first run, you're in trouble.
And actually yesterday I was in trouble lol.
This happened to 1 of the guys driving with me this weekend in the 1st heat (I drove in the 2nd):
He hit 2 side-by-side cones and it pretzled the passenger side rear splitter mount. Between runs in grid I was running back and forth to the truck, grabbing tools, pulling the splitter and mount off so I could straighten it (ie: hit it with a hammer using my trailer's frame as an anvil), then when he was done running, we pulled the bumper off, re-installed the mount, bumper and splitter in grid, and had it again for my runs. It took me about 3 runs to get cooled off and my head screwed back on straight and start actually attacking the course.
Which is a really round-a-bout way of saying that a massive part of autocross is mental.
LOL, He was my copilot for the road trip. I believe he stated "this ain't my car anymore" haha
I've been looking through my Tuner Studio settings to see if I could find anything wrong. Decided I would go ahead and recalibrate my TPS, IAT and check my AFR table to make sure it was showing the correct wideband sensor. TPS calibration was off for some reason. Went for a drive after that and my idle was down where it should be. Well, except for when it went into idle droop. I'll have to work on that.
Yesterday I got around to removing the adhesive foam on the bottom of my trunk storage piece. Here is how it looked beforehand:
I got most of it off using a single edge razor blade. Sat down today to remove the rest, I tried some acetone but that didn't work as well as it has on other surfaces so I broke out the 3M specialty adhesive remover I have. Using that to soften it up and then rubbing with a thumb I got it looking pretty good after a final cleaning with denatured alcohol:
I used some industrial strength Velcro to put it back in place, figure that will be easier to remove in the future:
That's back in place and feels like it will stay in place pretty well.
I didn't get around to putting the Feal top hats on yet, maybe tomorrow.
Yesterday I got around to removing the adhesive foam on the bottom of my trunk storage piece. Here is how it looked beforehand:
I got most of it off using a single edge razor blade. Sat down today to remove the rest, I tried some acetone but that didn't work as well as it has on other surfaces so I broke out the 3M specialty adhesive remover I have. Using that to soften it up and then rubbing with a thumb I got it looking pretty good after a final cleaning with denatured alcohol:
I used some industrial strength Velcro to put it back in place, figure that will be easier to remove in the future:
That's back in place and feels like it will stay in place pretty well.
I didn't get around to putting the Feal top hats on yet, maybe tomorrow.
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
another pic from Sundays Cars and Coffee....
Looking good!
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Finally got around to pulling the rear shocks today. Let's take a walk through the procedure...
First thing to do is remove the shock from the car. Lots of information on this so I didn't document it. If putting on new top hats you should loosen the spring locking rings to relieve the preload on the spring before removing the shock. You can do it afterwards but it's a little bit harder. Once the shock is out you want to turn the damping all the way clockwise. Next is the removal of the adjuster using a 14 mm wrench (it just unscrews):
With that off you can see the reason for turning the adjuster all the way down. There is a rod running through the middle of the shock shaft that needs to be down so that you can use an Allen wrench to hold the shaft from turning while removing the top nut. If you squint you should be able to see the hex machined inside the shaft:
With that off you can disassemble the shock parts:
Notice there is a spacer on top of the top hat that fits into the bore on the top hat, one on the bottom and then another spacer that is machined. This lower spacer serves to locate the dust boot, it fits over a tapered section of the shock shaft. It needed some persuasion with a dead-blow hammer to get it loose off the shaft.
I couldn't find any instructions for using the Feal top hats with Ohlins. GoodWin says you can use them but the various spacers etc make it a little confusing. I ended up using the dust boot locating spacer along with the rubber spring isolator on the bottom of the top hat, and one of the provided washers underneath the lock nut on top. With everything put together I wasn't able to get the correct spring compressed length. For now I went back with the Ohlins provided top hats. I did replace their bumpstops with some cut-down Integra bumpstops as seen in the BBB thread:
Note these are loose on the shaft but that shouldn't be an issue, they will just sit on top of the shock under normal circumstances. When I was messing around with the shocks I found that the spring preload on the right side was higher than the left side. I'm not sure how that happened because I recall checking those measurement several times when setting them up during my initial installation (and the locking rings were tight). In any case they are both even now.
First thing to do is remove the shock from the car. Lots of information on this so I didn't document it. If putting on new top hats you should loosen the spring locking rings to relieve the preload on the spring before removing the shock. You can do it afterwards but it's a little bit harder. Once the shock is out you want to turn the damping all the way clockwise. Next is the removal of the adjuster using a 14 mm wrench (it just unscrews):
With that off you can see the reason for turning the adjuster all the way down. There is a rod running through the middle of the shock shaft that needs to be down so that you can use an Allen wrench to hold the shaft from turning while removing the top nut. If you squint you should be able to see the hex machined inside the shaft:
With that off you can disassemble the shock parts:
Notice there is a spacer on top of the top hat that fits into the bore on the top hat, one on the bottom and then another spacer that is machined. This lower spacer serves to locate the dust boot, it fits over a tapered section of the shock shaft. It needed some persuasion with a dead-blow hammer to get it loose off the shaft.
I couldn't find any instructions for using the Feal top hats with Ohlins. GoodWin says you can use them but the various spacers etc make it a little confusing. I ended up using the dust boot locating spacer along with the rubber spring isolator on the bottom of the top hat, and one of the provided washers underneath the lock nut on top. With everything put together I wasn't able to get the correct spring compressed length. For now I went back with the Ohlins provided top hats. I did replace their bumpstops with some cut-down Integra bumpstops as seen in the BBB thread:
Note these are loose on the shaft but that shouldn't be an issue, they will just sit on top of the shock under normal circumstances. When I was messing around with the shocks I found that the spring preload on the right side was higher than the left side. I'm not sure how that happened because I recall checking those measurement several times when setting them up during my initial installation (and the locking rings were tight). In any case they are both even now.
Got my new license plate lights today. The new ones are slightly different from the originals as you can see on the left (fixed) side of both:
The stopper on the new one has a flat area while the old one had a peak. The new one is much easier to get in and out. To remove either type you slide it to the right (follow the arrow imprinted on the plastic) and then gently pry up the other side. With the old style installing was easiest by putting the fixed (left) side into the opening and then pushing down on the right side. With the new one it is easiest to install the opposite of removal (insert right side, push over then push down on the left side).
Got some tuning done, she's running well although I still have the gas smell under boost. As for handling, it is probably my imagination but it felt a little more balanced side to side from how it was before I adjusted the spring preload in the rear so it was even on both sides.
The stopper on the new one has a flat area while the old one had a peak. The new one is much easier to get in and out. To remove either type you slide it to the right (follow the arrow imprinted on the plastic) and then gently pry up the other side. With the old style installing was easiest by putting the fixed (left) side into the opening and then pushing down on the right side. With the new one it is easiest to install the opposite of removal (insert right side, push over then push down on the left side).
Got some tuning done, she's running well although I still have the gas smell under boost. As for handling, it is probably my imagination but it felt a little more balanced side to side from how it was before I adjusted the spring preload in the rear so it was even on both sides.
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- 2016 GT ST 47A
Nice write up Mike.
Maybe I missed it but did you order license plate lights from a different year? If not, its odd that they used two different designs.
Gave her a quick detail this afternoon in prep for tomorrows club run. Magnets are on the fenders, CB handset is connected, SD card for the dashcam is empty. All I need now is to top off the tank in the morning.
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Maybe I missed it but did you order license plate lights from a different year? If not, its odd that they used two different designs.
Gave her a quick detail this afternoon in prep for tomorrows club run. Magnets are on the fenders, CB handset is connected, SD card for the dashcam is empty. All I need now is to top off the tank in the morning.
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No, I used the part number from Mazda Motorsports. It looks to me like a production change for improvement of the part.
Took my buddy to cars and coffee today:
He loves riding in the Miata.
I was planning on doing a fun run autocross tomorrow, but a new issue has cropped up. Under steady throttle my AFRs start jumping around intermittently (going rich mainly) for no apparent reason. I don't know if this could be an ignition or injector problem but no performance driving until I get it figured out.
Took my buddy to cars and coffee today:
He loves riding in the Miata.
I was planning on doing a fun run autocross tomorrow, but a new issue has cropped up. Under steady throttle my AFRs start jumping around intermittently (going rich mainly) for no apparent reason. I don't know if this could be an ignition or injector problem but no performance driving until I get it figured out.
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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
Sadly, nothing to report, it was pouring this morn, so I bragged the autox[emoji19]
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- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
you da man!
Beat everyone who wasn't in my car by 1.2 seconds
good workWarning: some back patting and humble-braggery to come.
It took the whole season, but I finally got beat in my own car. He put a run together where I couldn't and it showed. I've gotta say though, it's really gratifying that 2 different drivers used to fast FWD cars were able to get in, and in a handful of runs get up to speed in it. Both of them commented on just how easy it is to drive fast, and how well mannered it is. And the car really is better than I am right now. It does everything you ask it to do. If something goes sideways it's because you asked it to do it, and it shrugged its shoulders and said "alright, you're the boss, we'll do it your way."
We had our Champion of Champions event which is run like a National Tour but in a single day. Everyone gets 3 runs in the morning, the course is changed, and everyone gets 3 runs in the afternoon. I had FTD in the morning, my buddy Dave (the guy who built the cage in fact) got FTD in the afternoon, but with a few tenths of margin enough to pip me for Fast Time of Event.
In any case, the courses were a TON of fun, and the car is utterly metronomic in its performance.
In conclusion: got beat, but in the hardware I built (and I'm one of those people who likes getting beat in my own car because it shows what it's capable of with a REALLY fast driver behind the wheel).
It took the whole season, but I finally got beat in my own car. He put a run together where I couldn't and it showed. I've gotta say though, it's really gratifying that 2 different drivers used to fast FWD cars were able to get in, and in a handful of runs get up to speed in it. Both of them commented on just how easy it is to drive fast, and how well mannered it is. And the car really is better than I am right now. It does everything you ask it to do. If something goes sideways it's because you asked it to do it, and it shrugged its shoulders and said "alright, you're the boss, we'll do it your way."
We had our Champion of Champions event which is run like a National Tour but in a single day. Everyone gets 3 runs in the morning, the course is changed, and everyone gets 3 runs in the afternoon. I had FTD in the morning, my buddy Dave (the guy who built the cage in fact) got FTD in the afternoon, but with a few tenths of margin enough to pip me for Fast Time of Event.
In any case, the courses were a TON of fun, and the car is utterly metronomic in its performance.
In conclusion: got beat, but in the hardware I built (and I'm one of those people who likes getting beat in my own car because it shows what it's capable of with a REALLY fast driver behind the wheel).
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- 92 & 16 Meyatas
Man that car sticks like glue to the track! Nice bit of drivin fright there!!!!
With firearms, the addage is "it's more accurate than I am". If I do my part (I did on Saturday) it does everything I ask. If I don't, like I did Sunday, then it won't save me lol. There were a couple spots that really messed with me visually and didn't mess with my codriver. Dave's video shows him diving in, hitting an apex and driving out, and mine shows a lot of hesitation as I try and pick up the entry and apex cones (specifically that section at the bottom of the hill in the afternoon). On courses where I manage to keep my eyes up and pick up the key cones (ie: maybe a dozen of them per course, max), it's magic. The physical embodiment of Jinba Ittai
