The Ohio Random Thread... aka We Should Probably Be Working

[PrinceValorum]

This is straight from the dude. They have a lot of miles, but like I said, if I can find replacement--I can probably work a deal that is super cheap because obviously these aren't doing him any good---he can't sell them unless someone is looking to slam a 3-wheeler or pull a miracle like I am..

I dunno, the way I'm reading it (which is usually incorrect) replacement parts sounds like parts of the coilover assembly, which does not necessarily mean an entire unit. I could be totally wrong, but he's probably already checked on getting a replacement, which is the common sense thing to do. I'd say check with Mazdaspeed or KW or whoever yourself and verify that you can't get a single replacement entire coilover assembly, and then just call it quits if you can't. Sometimes there are these great deals that you've gotta pass up because they just can't be worked out. If you already had this suspension and needed a rear one as a replacement, you would be in a position to buy his stuff, I think. I've been in this spot before and you don't want to buy his stuff and then be stuck being the new seller, you know?

 

[jri4]

Oh yeah...I really wasn't even that interested since they already have 30,000 miles. I mean 10,000 miles maybe, but...
At the same time, a set of coilovers for, let's say I offer him $250shipped plus $200 for a replacement= $450 for a set of Mazdaspeed coilovers....thats about 75% off MSRP! I might see what I can do, but don't really have the time right now to put in a lot of effort on a wild goose chase!

 

[PrinceValorum]

Ehh, I wouldn't count on 200 for a replacement, anyway. I'm not sure how long coilovers last, but with 30k already on the clock, they may be due for a rebuild shortly, themselves.

 

[THE Phen]

30k is high mileage?


Has it been raining back home a lot? If so, then Wes, your problem may be caused by old and fracturing plug wires. It's common to have random misfires on an FS in damp weather if the plug wires are s***. I'd check those.

 

[THE Phen]

This is when everyone will simply mock you for having an FS-DE...

That is very strange though... But then again, Kevin's 13b took a crap when I flushed the coolant so who knows. Did you look under the hood and see anything yet?

Turbos and rotaries hold a lot of heat after being shut off. More than you would really expect. Hot iron + cold water = bad s*** happening.

 

[princess peach]

What are the chances I can get a single 'Mazdaspeed' coilover from somewhere? I don't need the whole kit, just the driver front unit--the entire coilover unit for the driver front. From what I understand, neither Mazda nor KW (the manufacturer) will send out replacements...

talk to Chris from SU, he might be able to hook you up

 

[wannabe]

30k is high mileage?


Has it been raining back home a lot? If so, then Wes, your problem may be caused by old and fracturing plug wires. It's common to have random misfires on an FS in damp weather if the plug wires are s***. I'd check those.

and coil packs

 

[PrinceValorum]

Has it been raining back home a lot? If so, then Wes, your problem may be caused by old and fracturing plug wires. It's common to have random misfires on an FS in damp weather if the plug wires are s***. I'd check those.

Yeah, it had been raining a lot, but I don't think it's that. They were changed last fall, and maybe have 8k miles at most. I don't drive much at all. I just did a compression check, and it came out

190, 195, 200, 170

and after adding a spoonful of oil,

220, 220, 245, 235

I dunno what's the next step, now. In my shop manual it said 171psi is standard, 119 is low, and 28 is the max deviation between cylinders.

When I was letting it warm up for the comp check, it wasn't stumbling, but the exhaust smells horrible, not like it used to.. The tail pipe is soot black, like a coal train...

Turbos and rotaries hold a lot of heat after being shut off. More than you would really expect. Hot iron + cold water = bad s*** happening.

Good point. Jon (MagnumP5) said it takes a good 7-8 hours to cool down completely

and coil packs

It's got a distributor.. I'm rockin that old stuff!

 

[o0n8]

hmmmm.....running rich?

 

[THE Phen]

talk to Chris from SU, he might be able to hook you up

Yeah... you can do that...

but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Leave any talk of SU in PM's. They're banned here and therefore, you're not allowed to talk about them or promote sales for them.

not my rules. Forum rules.

 

[THE Phen]

Yeah, it had been raining a lot, but I don't think it's that. They were changed last fall, and maybe have 8k miles at most. I don't drive much at all. I just did a compression check, and it came out

190, 195, 200, 170

and after adding a spoonful of oil,

220, 220, 245, 235

I dunno what's the next step, now. In my shop manual it said 171psi is standard, 119 is low, and 28 is the max deviation between cylinders.

When I was letting it warm up for the comp check, it wasn't stumbling, but the exhaust smells horrible, not like it used to.. The tail pipe is soot black, like a coal train...



Good point. Jon (MagnumP5) said it takes a good 7-8 hours to cool down completely



It's got a distributor.. I'm rockin that old stuff!

Like...what kind of smell? Personally, since you don't drive much, I'd say to take it out on the highway and flog it in lower gears a bit. Or, if you're not comfortable with that, just drive around the back roads of Ravenna / Kent in 2nd gear.

 

[PrinceValorum]

hmmmm.....running rich?

It could be, I'm not sure. I think it's more probable that it's from burning oil, though. I know that it does burn oil, and it burns more when the weather gets colder (engine bits shrink up and let more oil seep past while it's sitting).

Like...what kind of smell? Personally, since you don't drive much, I'd say to take it out on the highway and flog it in lower gears a bit. Or, if you're not comfortable with that, just drive around the back roads of Ravenna / Kent in 2nd gear.

It smells like a 4 cycle engine, like a leaf blower, like you choke when you smell it. I dunno, my buddy said it smelled like his 1980 Chevy van with a 350. It used to smell more gassy, but I think now it smells more oily. I can have other people give it a sniff if you need more opinions.

I don't drive it very far, most of my driving is short trips, less than 5 mins. The biggest drives I used to do were from Ravenna to KSU, which is not far at all, maybe 4 miles... I know that's the hardest on the car. I flog it at least every other time that I drive it, so that's not really a problem. Well, I've actually been driving it a bit more conservatively after I got the Miata. The think is that it's got this I guess rattling sound at WOT, and I think it's the header hitting the bottom of the engine, but I don't know that it's not pinging, so I haven't been getting on it in a while. I guess it could have carbon buildup, especially from the short trips. Time for seafoam?

Here are some pics.

This is the inside of the head through the oil cap, and it looks pretty gunky to me.

Is anyone good at sparkplug diagnoses? Something is different about the 3rd cylinder (left to right, 1 2 3 4, same order as I took them out), it had the highest readings, and it's the one that's black, as opposed to the other cylinders.

 

[o0n8]

do you mean 2-cycle? they are the engines with the gas and fuel mixed together. seafoam can't hurt but that is odd about the 3rd plug



http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/tech_support/spark_plugs/faqs/faqread.asp here's a thing about plugs

 

[PrinceValorum]

do you mean 2-cycle? they are the engines with the gas and fuel mixed together. seafoam can't hurt but that is odd about the 3rd plug



http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/tech_support/spark_plugs/faqs/faqread.asp here's a thing about plugs

I thought 4 cycle were the ones with gas and oil mixed, like trimmers and stuff. I googled it because I can never remember.

I think the 3rd plug looks like the dry fouling picture on that page, but I can't figure out what it means.

 

[THE Phen]

Is it a new distributor cap? Sometimes a leaky cap can cause fouling on one single plug. That looks carbon fouled to me...

So... ideas that can cause it...

Stuck valve
Dirty injector
Cracked or leaking distributor cap
Dirty air filter
faulty wires.

 

[PrinceValorum]

The distributor cap and rotor were replaced along with the plugs, wires, and timing belt all done last fall, so I'd tend to rule those out. The air filter is some ebay one off of a CAI system, and at most has 10k miles on it, but I've never cleaned it.

So I guess that narrows it down to a dirty injector or stuck valve, and I'd probably lean more towards the valve. Would that cause it to burn oil, too?

 

[wannabe]

It's got a distributor.. I'm rockin that old stuff!

old school. nevermind then about the packs...

 

[THE Phen]

A stuck open valve has potential to introduce oil to the combustion chamber, sure. If your compression was lower, I'd blame the rings... but that doesn't seem to be the case. Hmmmm

 

[PrinceValorum]

A stuck open valve has potential to introduce oil to the combustion chamber, sure. If your compression was lower, I'd blame the rings... but that doesn't seem to be the case. Hmmmm

Based on the workshop manual I downloaded, it says that after the introduction of oil to the combustion chamber, if the compression increases, the piston, piston rings, or cylinder walls are worn. If the compression stays low, the valve may be stuck, or improperly seated. The numbers all went up, especially cylinder 4, a jump of 65psi. A leakdown test would probably give more definitive answers, but I don't have a tester, and I'm not sure I want to shell out 70$ for something I don't even have an air compressor for...

 

[THE Phen]

Oh good call. My brain wasn't working right. You're right.