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Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

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Comments

  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Cheapest option would be a junkyard or WTB ad on craigslist. Dealer can get them, but they'll cost an arm and a leg. Sunvisors really aren't much use. I have them, but don't use them much. A good hat and sunglasses is better. :-)
  • daedalus1daedalus1 Member Posts: 1
    Can anyone out there help me out? I just bought a 1995 Miata so I'm new to the community (though I'm happy to finally own a car that's fun to drive). My oil pressure seems low when the car idles, and gets lower as the RPMs increase. I did some initial research and learned that the fuel pressure sensors Mazda used had a tendency to act up, so I assumed this was the problem, as there were no other indications of low oil pressure (no valve noise, knocking, banging, or overheating).
    However, I later discovered that after driving on the highway at speeds exceeding 3,000 RPM, there was considerable valve train noise upon slowing down and an increased operating temperature, all indicating that oil is not getting to the valve train. Further research indicated that this condition could be caused by either an improper grade of oil or a partially blocked oil pump screen.
    I cahnged the oil, which was obviously not the proper grade because the hot stuff I drained was thicker than the cold 5W-30 I replaced it with. However, this didn't fix the pressure reading. I've driven the vehicle around town, careful to keep it to under 3000 RPM, which seems to be the magic number, and the engine runs srong, sounds good, respondes well, and gives absolutely no indications that there is an oil flow problem. Tomorrow I will taike it on the highway and run it above 3,000 and see if I there is any noise.
    I think the problem was a combination of imporoper grade of oil and a faulty pressure gauge. I know this seems unlikley, but when I drove the car today, the gauge indicated no pressure, yet the vehicel performed fine (I was very careful). Once the car warmned up, I got the same readings (low idle, lower operational). I seems plausible that oil which is too thick (say 10W-50) would not work well at the high RPM the Miata was designed to sustain. Simultanoeusly, it also seems plausible that a faulty gauge would give bad pressure readings regardless of the oil used.
    The only other option I can think of is a clogged screen at the oil pump intake, which I will check if I get valve noise after running at 3,000+ RPMs. What I want to know is if there is anyone who can think of something I've missed, another cause for this that I should also check into. Obviusly, if the oil pressure drops when the RPMs increase, the problem is at the oil pump feed side. However, I've pretty much been a 6 - 8 cylinder guy prior to this, so any additional thoughts, advice, or information is greatly appreciated. Thanks and I look forward to more discussions.

    Daedalus1
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    1995 models had a dummy guage, I believe. By that I mean it didn't actually measure the exact pressure, but instead worked like an on/off switch, measuring only the presence or lack of any pressure at all.

    I have a 1993 model, one of the last years that actually had the true, working gauge. I'm not sure if 93 or 94 was the last year, but I'm pretty sure it was a dummy gauge by the 1995 model.

    So don't trust the gauge.

    Surely the wrong oil was being used. You might want to use an engine cleaner treatment to flush it out, then drain and fill with thinner oil, or synthetic perhaps.
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    94 was the last real oil pressure gauge until 06. Have a mechanic check it out. Miata.net is a good resource for problems/solutions.
  • dilgerdilger Member Posts: 2
    i'm 6'2, so i removed the sun visors on my 91 and now have no problem seeing out.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I did the same with my '93.
  • dean21dean21 Member Posts: 1
    my miata idles ok and after 2000rpms it has power but real slow take of speed and no power at all under a load ,going up a hill ect...we have replaced fuel filter,plugs,wires,airflow meter,both temp sensors still no power on the low end, im stumped any suggestions on what that might be? almost like you step to floor on the gas and once it gets past 2000rpm its fine but under that forget it....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Our 1995 Mazda 626 V6 was losing power like that, and a throttle-body service it was made the difference. That cleaned up the fuel system.
  • cellis06cellis06 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1990 miata with 194,000 miles. I am certain that the crankshaft is bad (the key broke off but has been fixed). The car showed signes of a bad map sensor, so i replaced it. that did not help. i just recently bipassed the fuel pump relay and the car will idle great. Occasionally, it wants to die and will rev to 2000 rpm very slowly, then rev just fine. other times, it will rev from idle with no hesitation. my machanic and i are out of ideas. what could be causing this issue? i am not sure what all has been replaced, or it the car has proper timing. i was thinking a fuel filter is clogged or injector. anyone have any ideas?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Stock timing is 10 degrees before top dead center. Might as well set it as that's a fairly easy process.
  • cellis06cellis06 Member Posts: 2
    at what rpm should the idle be to set the timing? would a stopped up catalytic converter cause my issue?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    This is purely from memory, but I think it was 850 rpm.
  • lantzkalantzka Member Posts: 2
    Very interested but never purchased a Miata, I have a line on a '96 with 113k miles on it for $5300. Looking for any advice on what to look for or be prepared for before taking the plunge.

    Cheers

    kevin
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's a good year in terms of reliability, but with that kind of miles it's all about the care it received, so ask for service records.

    The top is 11 years old so if it's original budget $900 plus for a replacement. If it's not cracked already it will be in the next year or two.
  • lantzkalantzka Member Posts: 2
    Have found a 2000 that's closer to home, a little more ($8300) and fewer miles (66k). Any tips for this model?

    Thanks.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    IMHO that's a better deal.

    The re-do came in 1999, so that's a newer generation.

    I believe some early cars had some clutch chatter issues, not all of them, but a few. Make sure the clutch engages smoothly.

    That's a good price, though.
  • pasquali56pasquali56 Member Posts: 21
    Found a great looking blue/grey 2005 Miata LS, 24k miles, driven with extreme care by one female adult owner, tan leather, automatic, BOSE, with factory warranty for one more year. They came down to $16k, which is pretty far below the book. Only problem is that prior owner was a smoker, although I believe the odor can be eliminated (and the seller is doing much to help out in this regard). How does this sound to you guys?

    Also, I'm wondering if you would recommend buying an extended bumper-to-bumper warranty -- not from the dealership, but from my credit union where I've bought warranties before with great success ($1300 for a 0 deductible, 4 year or 100,000 miles). Thanks.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The only things that would turn me off are the fact that it's an automatic (you wouldn't prefer a manual in a Miata?) and the previous smoker, the latter because I have some asthma.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    I have a '93 Miata that is still nice and tight except for a loose feeling/noise coming from under the steering wheel when hitting a big bump. With a little experimentation I discovered that the removable panel section just under the steering column is not connected to the panels on both sides very well. I screwed a 14 inch long, thin strip of wood along the bottom of the panels, connecting the three of them tightly together and the noise went away completely.

    It is amazing how such a small thing can cure the feeling that the whole dashboard area is coming loose. I don't wince when hitting a bump or going over railroad tracks any more.
  • keli449keli449 Member Posts: 4
    Hi, I have a 1990 miata and I can hear water swooshing when I stop but I dont know where it is comming from? I do know its somewhere in/or the passenger side.

    Thank you
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Probably in the door sills.

    There are drains near the jack points, if you can find them, use a paper clip to loosen any debris that may have clogged it.

    The drains are just holes, basically, nothing special.

    Warning - do *not* look up at it while you do this, else you may get an eye full of dirty water and debris. :sick:
  • johnchunjohnchun Member Posts: 20
    Ok, this is what I do when the outside air is over 90 and the engine is cooking! I use a motorized battery 1 L Water bottle sprayer!

    I LIGHTLY spray these parts in order while the engine is running:

    1=Radiator when air pull motor runs (Crack behind the AC Condenser)
    2=rubber parts
    3=Valve Cover
    4=Fast Evaporation in a few seconds
    5=Don't spray the turbo or exhaust manifold (heat shield ok=lightly)
    6=Many guys at the SCCA AutoX meets saw me doing this & started the same to cool off their engine compartment quickly. 7 States! 12 tracks.
    7=1/2 Liter when Hot, 90+ and 1 full Liter H2o when 100+

    Photo of AA battery operated 1 L Chinese made water sprayer below.
    $4.50 at Home Depot. Never any engine damage, in fact my cars run better than most due to a clean engine compartment! Rubber hoses remain soft and last long (450k miles on a Mercedes). Engine BELTS last longer too! Did this since the 1970s and over 1.5 million miles of vehicles. Diesel and gas & most of the them with turbos. Not my Porsche 911. Many High Output cars too.

    Sprayer also works great as a H2o Drinking Water bottle, car wash, suntan cooler, Tail Gate Remover (shoot in air), Hair spray, ANY SITUATION THAT WATER IS USED... I have a 2nd Battery Sprayer for Chemicals, Simple Green, Windex, etc. I put Gatorade in a bottle once and market it coolant!
    I then drank it as a joke! Faked choking! That was funny!

    Could this "H2O COOLING TREATMENT" be the reason my engines last so long, rubber parts remain so new, engine fluids look barely worn when drained? Well, the engine is made 2 take a beating (dirt, heat, liquids, etc.) so a little cool air mist never did hurt my engines! 1 thing I did notice, RAW CUT OR GRINDED STEEL PARTS did tend to rust, so I would use some touch up paint to cover up these parts. No problems with the Miata.... I learned this trick at the race tracks in Hawaii aka Hawaii Raceway park where the outside temps. are normally over 95 and humidity is over 90%... The hand spray bottles were a "[non-permissible content removed]" to use, so we used the pump insect bottles! Those worked great to cool of the car & people... Guess growing up in Hawaii was a benefit! Hey, If I damaged my engine, I would know, and I would stop! But only "BENEFITS" seem to come of this "light spray habit"... I'm just sharing my experiences with engine maintenance for the last 30 years with 1.4 million plus miles and 20+ cars...

    PS: Gents, it also cools off the interior of the car quickly when your Miata sits in the sun & cooks for hours! I spray everywhere inside and the car cools so fast, it's "MAGIC" vs. waiting for the AC to OVERWORK! I use this method almost every time with the ENGINE MIST...

    Indemnification: I am not a certified mechanic or Engineer, so my experiences are not advice for the members of this web page or the entire internet community. Any behavior or ideas expressed here are only for the entertainment of the readers and are not advice in any way. The writer, repo4sale, states none of these methods should be copied unless you are 100% willing to accept the results, negative or positive, of your behavior!
    Sorry, gents, but these ideas are being issued by REPO4SALE, A CALIF.LLC aka California Limited Liability Company with Zero Assets!
  • johnchunjohnchun Member Posts: 20
    Today, 6Feb.2008 I replaced my Front Pads only!

    Back pads had 50%+ left so we left them. 101k miles

    Finally replaced front Bumper Skin with a "junkyard MSM skin" due to the Ninja accident about 6 months ago. Allstate is a "[non-permissible content removed] Liar"! Paid $60 for the used MSM Bumper skin, and $60 for 4 MSM Rotors and 8 MSM pads from a Damaged Car. Used only 4 Front Pads, rotors are great like back pads...

    Is this normal for Miatas??? Pads lasting 100,000 miles with abuse?

    Got $4100 from Allstate and spent $315 fixing Miata ($200 labor + $60skin + $55 alignment). Kept the balance from the Court Judgment against Allstate! $3785 =

    Paid $50 for brake job and $15 (4 pads)=$65 for MSM brake job!

    Miatas are FRUGAL 2 OWN! I'm real real real FRUGAL!

    Top material is like Mercedes/Bmw Material paid $200(vs. $550) + $180 labor = $380 for a Mercedes Type Top! What a deal!

    Porsche Boxer owner sold his car, said it made love 2 the mechanics! So he then sold me a special Top ONLY Cover. 2 Velcro straps 2 windshield wipers & flaps under wipers, 2 clips under door bottoms & 2 straps in trunk! This is an 85% fit vs. the Porsche Boxer... I also used 1 can Scotch guard on the new top & 1 can on the top cover! I'll post a photo of this Porsche Top cover later, perfect to keep the sun & bird stuff off a new top!

    OH, FREE REMOVE & REPLACE AT 99K MILES MSM CLUTCH WITH MSM CLUTCH DUE TO SHOP MESSING UP TRANS OIL CHANGE (plugs on right side vs. left)! MSM Clutch Kit was from a MSM 2004 with only 4k miles on it!

    I'm so happy, this car is FRUGAL + FUN + FRIENDLY + FRICKEN FANTASTIC TO DRIVE!
  • jimlmathisjimlmathis Member Posts: 1
    Help ! I have called Toyota about whether or not this car is setup for keyless remotes , when I gave them the vin # its not shown on the options sheet however they told me if its a default option it may not show on the list . according to Edmond's.com it is a default option . When I look on Ebay for remotes they mention about a OEM version vs a Dealer installed rs3200 system . The car does not have the owners Manual and I can't find a damn thing of the web . If anyone out there can tell me anything it will be much appreciated . Can anyone tell me where to look in the car for the security / remote entry module ?
  • jamzskijamzski Member Posts: 1
    Hi, JAMZSKI new member here in CT JAMZSKI. As woe as me as I want to do, I'm trying to sell my Miata. Yeh I know, why and how blasphemes! But I originally bought it for my daughter in 2003 who use to own a 1990 red one before she was t-boned by a drunk driver thereby totalling it. She really loved that car, so when I saw this one for sale I scooped it up. Have had it since waiting for her to take it over but due to unforeseen circumstances she'll never be able to take it over anytime soon, so therefore it being for sale. Love the car but need a more every day car. Any idea what a good price to sell it for? It's a special anniversary edition w/optional hardtop, 59k on it, pristine condition, A/C recently charged, dealer maintananced, non-smoked in. Just thought I'd throw that out to one and all. Thanks, JAMZSKI
  • coocookajoocoocookajoo Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Miata with 66K miles that has a small crack in the exhaust manifold. Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions as to where (other than the dealer) to buy a replacement, preferably one that will increase the power of the engine? Thanks for any help that you can give.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ask in the Real World Trade-in Values thread.

    A few members there work for dealerships and can tell you what you would get wholesale trade, and guesstimate the private party value as well.

    KBB is often way off, so don't let that set your expectation.
  • keli449keli449 Member Posts: 4
    Hi, son hit rt side tires on a curb now car stays to the right not driveable any idea what could be broke? i was thinking tye rods not sure how much it would be or if it would be worth it though car is in good shape minus the electrical system and water swooshing which i still cannott find out where it is. Thank you!

    Keli hard
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Must be. You can probably get parts from a local junk yard pretty cheap.

    The water sloshing is probably under the doors. There are drains at the jacking points under the car.

    Go in there with a paper clip to loosen up any debris that gathered up and clogged the drain. That's a simple fix.

    Wear eye protection so that dirty water doesn't pour on your eyes.
  • keli449keli449 Member Posts: 4
    I cannott find the drains under the door but will try again, any idea on the price to get tye rods fixed? I am not a mechanic.

    Thank you for your reply!
    keli
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sorry, no idea on the suspension fix.

    On the Miata, Look under the door sills, right where the jacking points are.

    If any body work was done in the past, perhaps the body shop sealed up the hole?
  • jrdennisjrdennis Member Posts: 1
    I've found a '99 Miata without an AC. My mechanic is willing to pull an AC from other Miatas in the junkyard, but does anyone know what years will work in this 99?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Not specifically. The NB ran from 1999 to 2005, though.
  • chrisa222chrisa222 Member Posts: 17
    Hey guys,

    Im looking for a 2nd car and came across a 97 Miata...a car that I always wanted but was never able to pull off because here in CT the winters would never allow it. Now I can have another "Fun" car.

    Im trying to stay under $5K and this is the only one I have found under 100K miles (it has 99K, haha). Looks to be in very good shape, aside from hubcaps instead of rims :-(

    Anyone have any thoughts? Anything specific I should look for/ask about? Was this a reliable year for the Miata?

    Thoughts on finding/prices for used rims?

    Appreicate any info. Im going to see what I can find over at Miata.net.

    Thanks again and I look forward to comments, comments, and more comments!
  • jeff84redjeff84red Member Posts: 3
    1990 5 speed with 176k miles . The car recently started to stumble while accelerating and acts like it is loosing power. I did the usual external check of all the wires, vacuum lines etc. but nothing loose. The check engine light does not come on. It does this all the time and not just when cold or after running a while. Any suggestions where to start?

    Thanks, Jeff
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For any 12 year old car I would start with a compression test to see if the piston rings are sealing well and to see if the head gasket is OK.

    I see no particular reason to avoid it.

    '90 models had some crank issues early on, and '99 models had clutch chatter and some other issue (I forget now). But overall major issues are few and far between.
  • jeff84redjeff84red Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the input. I actually replaced all the plugs and wires with a performance set. Two of the plugs where fouled and two of the wires had resistance values way out of spec. Car runs great now.

    Jeff
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cool.

    Wires for these should be replaced every 30k. I have a while to go.
  • toydriver1toydriver1 Member Posts: 11
    I'm wondering how many miles (over and above the 60K recommended by mfg) owners have driven their Miata's prior to changing the timing belt ?
    Can someone expect to get 90K miles on the original tb ?

    I recently bought this one owner commuter car from the dealership that sold it originally. They told me that "all required maintenance had been done". Since then I have found that the timing belt has never been changed ( 82K mi on the odo now ). The car has otherwise been cared for with maintenance records showing everything else having been done. ( The owner obviously traded the car prior to doing the expensive timing belt )
    I have been keeping the RPMs relatively low ( below 4500 ), but I do realize that I need to change out the TB soon.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I just had mine changed this weekend. I was overdue - 76k miles.

    They used a whole timing belt kit and did the water pump, too.

    The job got a bit pricey but it's the first major expense I've had in 8 years, so I can't complain.

    On a bum note, I had my timing advanced to 14 degrees BTDC, and they set it back to stock 10 degrees. Would you believe I feel the difference?

    I gotta find those old instructions so I can advance the timing again.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    I have the same problem with my '93 Miata. It has 60,000 mile on the clock and I only drive 3 or 4 thousand miles a year so I figure the belt might last until 2018, when the car will be 25 years old. I searched the internet and couldn't find a case of the belt failing in less than 90,000 miles . . . but age may also play a part.

    If it fails before the rest of the car I will report on how many miles (or years) the belt actually lasted. I understand it is a non-interference engine so a broken belt won't trash the pistons and valves.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, it won't do any harm but you may end up stranded.

    I advanced the timing, and it fixed the power loss issue.

    They had it set to 1 degree BTDC, it's supposed to be 10 degrees!

    I advanced it more than stock to 14 degrees. Runs like a champ now. :shades:
  • lsa_1977lsa_1977 Member Posts: 2
    Due to the fact that my '99 miata's engine has died to the point of a rebuild, I have opted to install an R1 engine and transmission into it. However, I do not have the resources or the time. Does anyone know of a shop who could do this in the Alabama area. I'm willing to travel to Georgia and Florida.

    Lisa
  • chrisa222chrisa222 Member Posts: 17
    Whats an RI engine?

    You should go to www.miata.net, a lot more readers there that know a lot about their cars.
  • lsa_1977lsa_1977 Member Posts: 2
    reading my post, I guess it was a little confusing. I was talking about the engine out of an RX-7 R1, which is the model type. kind of like you have your gt's, r/t's and slt's. It's a twin turbo on '93 models.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    I googled "rotary engine Miata" a year or so ago and got a lot of information about a few attempts at doing what you are thinking about.
  • lboundlbound Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1990 MX5 with a new engine. 2500 miles. The oil pressure guage does not show oil pressure till about 2000 rpm then at best only slightly. I know it must be better or I would have motor problem by now. Previous owner installed new motor so I don't know much about the work done. Car runs and performs well. Need a new sender? What should the pressure register?
    Loren
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, the 1990-1994 models had real gauges that actually measure oil pressure, not just a dummy gauge like the later ones.

    Mine reads low until I rev the engine, but not zero, just low. It jumps up when the engine revs, then stays pretty steady and increases slightly with high rpms.
  • toydriver1toydriver1 Member Posts: 11
    I have an intermittent "squeal" noise when I first start up my '04 Miata, when the engine is cold. It also happens (on ocaision) when I first turn on the a/c ( goes away when turned off ). After about a minute the squeal goes away. I think it is coming from both the a/c and alternator (belts).

    I haven't driven the car for several months. The drive belts were changed about 10K miles ago. ( Purchased the car about a year ago, but haven't had the chance to drive it much until lately ).

    Is this common ? Should the belts be adjusted ? Other common causes ?
  • rwillis2rwillis2 Member Posts: 1
    I recently ordered a replacement headlight switch for my '97 Miata. I am by no means a mechanic! My switch was deemed bad by a professional. I am now facing the task of replacing it. How?! Do I remove the steering column cover or steering wheel? Help! I have no headlights or taillights! And the dash lights aren't working either. Can anyone give me simple directions to replace the switch and come back to the LIGHT!!!! Thx!!!!
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