What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter Perfect Balance
- 6,673 comments
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- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Oh I've got a socket set (and a torque wrench), I just didn't have the right length extension (the plugs are pretty deep) and it's hard to get hold of stuff on a Sunday. Still, I got my money back so I don't really care.
Will the car still work okay with one different plug in there? It'll only be driven for a few miles tomorrow and the plugs I took out were all in good nick. A spark's a spark, isn't it?
Will the car still work okay with one different plug in there? It'll only be driven for a few miles tomorrow and the plugs I took out were all in good nick. A spark's a spark, isn't it?
Rotary Junkie
Premium
- 9,810
- Canton, MI
- RJs_RX-7
As long as the car wasn't misfiring beforehand you're fine.
It'll be absolutely fine, probably would be for a very long time.
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Nice, cheers guys 👍 Obviously I'd prefer it having all the same plugs but as long as it runs for the time being I'll be happy 
The Vanishing Boy
Premium
- 9,000
- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
-> Me and my friend installed a LED license plate light on my S. Silvie's lice-lights were dimmed for the past 6 months, and luckily every cop in 3 States (Nevada, Utah, & California Highway Patrol) in 6 Cities (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Los Angeles, St. George, & Barstow) just passed me by without my lice-plate lights!!! 
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Bad news from the car today, but not something I didn't expect.
Took it in to have the brakes changed, as the disks and pads were pretty much dead.
First thing the mechanic pointed out to me was a cracked nearside coil - broken right at the very bottom so effectively still doint it's job, but all the other coils looked pretty bad too so I got them to order a set (checked prices myself first and the garage actually get them in as cheaply as I could get them myself).
Next problem: The calipers have seized. All round. That'll be years and years of awful weather finally taking their toll. So I've also got them to order reconditioned calipers for all four corners.
Taking into consideration springs, calipers and labour on all that plus fitting the discs and pads, I'm staring down a £900 bill. The good news is that I can actually afford it at the moment. Plus, it'll feel like a completely new car with a new set of springs and new brake components all the way around.
Took it in to have the brakes changed, as the disks and pads were pretty much dead.
First thing the mechanic pointed out to me was a cracked nearside coil - broken right at the very bottom so effectively still doint it's job, but all the other coils looked pretty bad too so I got them to order a set (checked prices myself first and the garage actually get them in as cheaply as I could get them myself).
Next problem: The calipers have seized. All round. That'll be years and years of awful weather finally taking their toll. So I've also got them to order reconditioned calipers for all four corners.
Taking into consideration springs, calipers and labour on all that plus fitting the discs and pads, I'm staring down a £900 bill. The good news is that I can actually afford it at the moment. Plus, it'll feel like a completely new car with a new set of springs and new brake components all the way around.
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Wasn't doing anything fun! Wouldn't surprise me if it's on the original springs, 19 years old. They all look very shabby and the passenger side front has finally succummed. God knows how long it's been broken though. The roads around where I live are awash with speed bumps, pot holes, badly repaired road sections, sunken drains and all sorts of other crap that send a proper crash through the chassis. Any one of them could have been enough to snap the spring and it could have happened months ago given how infrequently I drive the car.
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
However it happened, I still want pics. I've never seen a spring break clean through.
Really? Happens a lot over here. Think the combination of rain, salted roads and pot holes and speed bumps puts paid to a lot of springs. It's apparently a common problem on older MX5s, but it's also happened to two of my parents' Saabs before, and my best mate's old E46 3-Series went through two front springs and a rear one in the five years he owned it...
Any idea how bad the pistons are? Would it be worth
- 11,343
- Chicago, iLL
- GTP_Nismo
Yeah, broken springs are nothing uncommon. The chicago winters took one my GFs eibach springs after just 2 years. Broke right in the middle.
nobuffalo
Premium
- 2,692
- USA
^ Dislike, and quite frankly, there's no excuse...
About to shed 170lbs, just for the fun of it.
It's all things that can easily be reinstalled.Edit: 170lbs may have been a bit of a generous estimate, maybe more like 140... I'll weigh everything when i'm done.
Last edited:
- 23,800
- Philippines
Ah... I think I see... we don't have snow or salt on the roads... got lots of pot holes, though.
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Nah they're past it. I was considering changing the calipers anyway since they were looking very ratty but didn't because of the expense... and now I have to anyway.
I had a look when the technician showed me. They used all manner of tools on them to push the pistons back in but they weren't budging.
I think given the car's age it'll be nice to have some new ones on there anyway. The car is a bit of a project and most of that at the moment is bringing it mechanically back to shape, after which I can start doing things that I want to do with it.
^ Dislike, and quite frankly, there's no excuse...
Heh, I know. It's not for the want of driving it more - it was immobilised most of winter when the slave cylinder went (in hindsight a good thing given how awful our winter was and how much salt they put on the roads) and recently I've been ridiculously busy. Also, the worse the brakes have got the less I've wanted to drive it before replacing them, and now I've got to the stage where the only time I'm going to drive it now is to the garage to have them replaced. Especially given the state of the suspension too.
After it's all fixed up I'm definitely going to be out in it more!
- 3,433
yay for previous bad jobs
the lacquer was like concrete, paint and base layer softer than chalk 
and as shown on the drivers door, someone had painted over the previous lacquer but only that front part, found so far 
go back to metal on a few bits to get through the ruststill got bumpers and bonnet to rub down then start the painting and rubbing. shopping list of few parts i need, weatherstrips, door handles to go through, shipping is bit pricy so spacing it out or finding someone who has it all. someone breaking one happens once in a blue moon
nobuffalo
Premium
- 2,692
- USA
About to shed 170lbs, just for the fun of it.
Edit: 170lbs may have been a bit of a generous estimate, maybe more like 140... I'll weigh everything when i'm done.
Including hard top........224lbs
I'm estimating there is another 30 to be removed.
The feeling? Incredible. Most of that may have came from putting the stock wheel/tire combo back on. Still. Incredible.
Quick question for those more knowledgeable folks, how does removed weight compare to increased horsepower. Suppose I remove 250lbs, is that roughly like gaining 12hp? Going off a base weight and power of 2300lbs and 115hp.
Rotary Junkie
Premium
- 9,810
- Canton, MI
- RJs_RX-7
He meant more in terms of straight line acceleration... And to answer:
By my maths, yes.
By my maths, yes.
- 152
Dropped my spare set of cylinder heads in to get reconditioned/ported slightly this morning.
And so it begins...
And so it begins...
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
Re-insured it for another year. Gone with the renewal this time since it's not that much more expensive than all the other quotes I found, yet it's a lot easier.
It's still an utter, complete rip-off though. My insurance has gone up by £100 this year, even though I've got a completely clean licence and no claims since I started driving over 7 years ago. It's daylight robbery.
I certainly don't condone people who go uninsured but I can sure as hell understand why they do it.
I don't mind paying extra for petrol, I'm not even that arsed about road tax even though that's a rip-off too, but I certainly object to having to pay through the nose for insurance when I make damn sure that I don't get into any trouble.
It's still an utter, complete rip-off though. My insurance has gone up by £100 this year, even though I've got a completely clean licence and no claims since I started driving over 7 years ago. It's daylight robbery.
I certainly don't condone people who go uninsured but I can sure as hell understand why they do it.
I don't mind paying extra for petrol, I'm not even that arsed about road tax even though that's a rip-off too, but I certainly object to having to pay through the nose for insurance when I make damn sure that I don't get into any trouble.
- 922
- lpb-gt-r-is-cool or GTP_ParisPeach
Why has it gone up? thats just stupid, I thought it was meant to go down.
- 27,222
- United Kingdom
In theory it should do, but insurance companies are money-grabbing children-born-out-of-wedlock.
- 87,786
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
Same here. On each car.
I've started my work towards getting Red back on the road this winter today. Because money's a bit tight, she's insured - keeps her covered and the NCB for her running - but we've not been running her - saves on gas and road tax. I stripped her a little back in the spring before she had an MoT - which she failed on a couple of points. We've probably put that right (I've not had chance to road-test the brakes) but I haven't put her in for another one yet.
While she was stripped, I cleaned her a bit and today I came to look at the seats - I'm putting the SE's interior into her - and decided that I'd take the entire interior out and clean out all the accumulated crap and detritus while I was at it. So the next few days are:
* Strip back completely (including bumpers and body trim)
* Vacuum, wash and clean all exposed interior metal
* Clean all interior panels
* Swap seat mechanism from V6 seat to SE seat
* Install SE interior
* Install best aggregate interior panels
* Install JDM tyte y0! wing mirrors
And, if there's any funds spare, I'll refurb the SE wheels and swap them onto Red. She needs four new tyres anyway, so why not put them on the (wider) SE rims?
Then she's ready to take on the winter.
What's being put off, for funds reasons, is a full respray and a replacement condensor and aircon regas. But I don't need the aircon and a temporary exterior valet, refresh and protect will keep her red-ish in the interim.
- 3,174
- Pinckney, MI
- NISMO_S13
- If I had the money
Suspension is done. Now al wel have to do is adjust it.
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