Liam's NA Miata - Finally back on the road!!!
- Thread starter LeadFootLiam
- 610 comments
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CodeRedR51
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- marunda/GTP_FordMKIVJ5
Yeah, it's in kilogram force per centimetre squared. Basically his gauge should read between 2 and 3 at 1000rpm and between 3 and 4 at 3000rpm. 👍
- 2,790
- Vancouver, BC
- liampage123
Lol thanks guys. I will grab oil and an oil filter this afternoon. I'll let y'all know how it goes.
- 2,790
- Vancouver, BC
- liampage123
Okay so I changed the oil this after noon. All went well. The oil filter is in a very hard to reach place, luckily it came off easy. Since I had a valve cover leak I knew I had lost oil, but didnt really know how much, until I drained the oil. Not even a liter, let me repeat that, NOT EVEN A LITER of oil came out. I was shocked and was glad I didn't procrastinate on this.
So I filled her up with some Penziol ultra clean stuff, I forget what kind excatly, it was 5W-30. Also changed the oil filter as well. Started her up and no problems.
I also got rid of the ticking noise I mentioned earlier! A Miata owner at a car meet said to fill up with higher octane gas, so I did. Usually I fill up with 87, I filled up with 89 and after a couple minutes of driving I heard no tick. This ticking would also occur upon a cold start, and would keep ticking after a couple minutes of driving, that did not happen either since I filled up with 89.
So the car has been refreshed with new oil, and purs like a kitten with the higher octane gas. I'm really pleased!!!
So I filled her up with some Penziol ultra clean stuff, I forget what kind excatly, it was 5W-30. Also changed the oil filter as well. Started her up and no problems.
I also got rid of the ticking noise I mentioned earlier! A Miata owner at a car meet said to fill up with higher octane gas, so I did. Usually I fill up with 87, I filled up with 89 and after a couple minutes of driving I heard no tick. This ticking would also occur upon a cold start, and would keep ticking after a couple minutes of driving, that did not happen either since I filled up with 89.
So the car has been refreshed with new oil, and purs like a kitten with the higher octane gas. I'm really pleased!!!
- 2,790
- Vancouver, BC
- liampage123
Thanks. Oh, and the oil pressure is working properly, was not the sender at all, just the half liter of oil I had in my car. 
- 2,790
- Vancouver, BC
- liampage123
- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
That tick you wer hearing on 87 might have been the engine pinging since it was being run at an octane lower than it should have been. I'm curious to know what compression ratio is on one of these things. That could tell you a lot.
I'd stick with 89. You might notice it's even a bit peppier now.
I'd stick with 89. You might notice it's even a bit peppier now.
- 4,763
- Houston, TX
- 4,763
- Houston, TX
My 97 runs better on 89 than 87 as well. Ignition timing is spot on.
- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
CodeRedR51
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The Miata "lifter tick" is not caused by timing and/or lower octane gas. And the Miata is designed to run on regular unleaded anyway. A lot of cars may run slightly better with higher octane, pretty normal I think.
- 3,455
- Brisbane
- Uriehusky
- Uriehusky
ALL motors should be run on high octane, especially so if it says use premium only.. lower octane (91 in NZ) is utter garbage - spend the extra and get good quality gas =/ you wouldn't put bargain basement oil in your motor why would you cheap out on the fuel that runs it.
The MX5 has notoriously loud cams, that's just a fact. Quirk of the motor
- 34,949
- Indian Falls, NY
- slashfan7964
Yes but octane ratings changed based on country.ALL motors should be run on high octane, especially so if it says use premium only.. lower octane (91 in NZ) is utter garbage - spend the extra and get good quality gas =/ you wouldn't put bargain basement oil in your motor why would you cheap out on the fuel that runs it.
The MX5 has notoriously loud cams, that's just a fact. Quirk of the motor
- 27,219
- United Kingdom
No. No, no and no.
Higher-octane gas is more stable - more resistant to pre-ignition, which may happen at higher compression ratios in some engines.
It has nothing to do with how "long" it burns because the octane rating is nothing to do with the energy content of the fuel, nor things that actually affect the length or power of combustion, like ignition timing, combustion chamber design or the air/fuel ratio.
Any difference in power between low and higher-octane gas is, in modern computer-controlled ignition systems at least, to do with how optimal conditions are for combustion. An ECU will tend to retard ignition slightly on lower-octane gas to prevent pre-ignition. On higher-octane gas - with greater resistance to pre-ignition - timing can be a little more "optimal". Optimal ignition timing = more power, to a point.
On engines with a bit of leeway - a completely stock Miata engine, for example, or the majority of engines in modern cars - actual differences between power and response will be minimal. On an engine like @Heldenzeit is building for his car, it's likely to make more of a difference.
CodeRedR51
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- Vancouver, BC
- liampage123
Having fresh oil in the car might have helped as well, after all I only had a half a liter in when I changed it.
I will just stick with 89 for now, only couple bucks more.
I will just stick with 89 for now, only couple bucks more.
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