Merry Xmas all,
As we have no history on the servicing of the Euphonic, I am planning to do the cambelt, so do I go OEM for all parts or utilise the many offers that are about from Euro / GSF etc ?
I am reading up on the procedure in the downloads, how do you borrow the loaner tool for the lower pulley from the club ?
Thanks
Ian
Mazda do not make any of these parts, therefore even it comes in a Mazda box it is suck it and see. I would purchase Mazda gaskets as they appear from experiance to be better and the cam cover gasket tends to be thicker than non OEM.
I have had no problems with aftermarket water pumps others disagree and advise OEM.
You will find the contact for the service tools in softop hardtop magazine. I cannot find them on the website.
I can’t find any information on the website or on Softtop Hardtop for the club loan tools?
A good quality aftermarket cam belt and waterpump kit fitted properly will be fine.
I’ve never got on with aftermarket cam cover gaskets and always fit genuine Mazda, even though twice the cost.
Never needed to fit crank and cam seals so cannot advise but problems occur with fitting these so I would leave alone unless there is an existing issue, oil leak, etc.
For the loan tools and you must be a club member, if you email specialtools@mx5oc.co.uk with your requirements they will advise the procedure to obtain the tools.
If you look up the online copies of softtophardtop you will find pictures of the tools.
https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/stht
August 2018
Page 56
Why not use genuine Mazda parts?
Because in the opinion of two posters on this forum, who have been round the block a good few times with these jobs, apart from genuine gaskets there is no improvement in quality or longevity of these parts to be got for spending the extra on genuine Mazda parts.
As always ymmv.
I always bear in mind that most car manufacturers don’t actually make their spares themselves; they award contracts to external manufacturers to make them.
One of my sons worked as a production engineer for a UK based, Asian owned company making auxiliary engine components (including cam drive systems, pulleys etc) for a whole host of major car manufacturers (e.g. Renault, Mercedes, Nissan). These companies have no option but to work hard to save a penny cost on a part and some of the tales he told me were quite eye opening. All I can say is that having an “OE” mark the same as the bonnet badge doesn’t mean it’s the best in all respects - but it should mean it passes the requirements and represents best value for the car manufacturer.
Original Equipment parts are usually a safe bet where available, particularly for use in critical applications such as a seals, waterpump, cambelt, etc. I say OE because often dealers seem to supply their own versions of spares that are not necessarily OE, particularly where OE not available or delayed unreasonably by lead times.
OE means brand supported but often not manufactured. Manufacture will be whereever convenient and cheap but likely with control and reliability. You are unlikely to see the actual source of many parts because they are manufactured under license with a protracted path from said manufacture to the final packaged product. The price paid for this is usually very high but given the assurance of an OE part and associated labour guarantees, etc it will make for an easy life.
A lot of people like to rubbish cheap Chinese manufacture but given the reality that most parts are now actually manufactured or at least their components are manufactured in China or similar a reality check is required. Absolutely nothing wrong with Chinese manufacture where proper specification and control exercised. Take away Chinese manufacture and what is actually left?
The trick for me is to identify the basic OE parts and find the same or similar from an alternative source at a fraction of the price. With the MX5 this often means used OE parts but others have reliable sources in China for parts such as coil packs, MAF, etc.
The Cam Belt / Waterpump kits I sell are high quality with no issue to report after years of sales. Most of the parts are supposedly made in Germany but I suspect the reality of even these basic parts is of Chinese origin.
Perhaps someone can tell me why the aftermarket cam gaskets I have carefully fitted have been a waste of time.
Thanks for the special tool reference Eddie. I see it is in all the recent STHTs aside from the most recent copy I looked for them in - typical!
The crank pulley locking tool is exactly what is required from my experience.
Thanks all for the responses, and will email about the loan tool as the ones on ebay look to be a compromise but sure they would work but as it’s my 1st go at this better to have the correct version to hedge all my bets.
Fully understand OE, see it alot on the BMW mini, replaced 2 engine mounts that were made exactly by the same company they have to grind of the BMW reference when sold thru aftermarket sources boy did we save a packet on those with the jolly old voucher codes both euro and GSF seem to do everyday now.
On belts, I generally stick to either Gates or Dayco. Very long established and with a reputation to protect.
Though I should update, went to Autolink and used their Gates based kit, got the tool from the club the other evening, hopefully get it done this weekend, got it all apart, going to change the thermostat while I am at it, so far so good as they say just the big nut to crack !!