Hi, I have left my 1993 Eunos Roadster dry garaged on a flat floor for the past 8 years - Breaks not on.
Any advice on how to get this car back on the road to enjoy this summer.Ā
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Plugs out and a little oil down the holes would be my first action. Let it sit in there for a day or two. Although me being me I would wait about ten minutes, I am not a patient man.
Change the oil in the sump obviously too
Fresh fuel would not be a bad idea, add some redex or similar to try and help get rid of the gum that will have built up once itās running
After a suitable wait, turn the engine over with the plugs out. Let it turn over a bit to get the nice fresh oil around the now pretty dry internals.
Refit the plugs and give her a whirl.
Edit:
The rest of the car will just need going over to make sure things havenāt leaked. Change the brake n clutch fluid and the coolant too. Tyres will be useless and the rest of the moving parts may take a while before they loosen back up. Basically give it a good going over and change anything that needs it.
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Change and flush the oil
Change and bleed the brakes and clutch fluid
Remove spark plugs. Tea spoon of oil down each bore. Turn over the engine by hand (plugs out)
Check the plugs; some will use a blowtorch to burn off any residue, but new NGKs are cheap. Refit plugs.
Check the coolant; flush and change if in doubt. You are going to need to change the cambelt and waterpump at some point.
Take off the intake trunking, and check there are no blockages, things nesting inside. If its a 1.6 check the AFM flap moves ok.
Not sure how much fuel you have in it; add some fresh fuel with probably one of those fuel cleaner additives. Ideally, fit a new fuel filter. On these cars, there isa drain plug on the fuel tank, so you can get rid of the old fuel. I would chuck in half a tin of Silkolene Proboost, and run it. Its a so-called octane booster (I think it has a lot of kerosene in it). Its the only additive whoās effects I have noticed, and mostly because I suspect it does a good job of cleaning the injectors (repeated applications have diminishing returns).
New battery. Refit intake.
Remove fuel injector fuse (engine bay fuse box); crank the engine until the oil pressure needle starts to move
Refit fuse, start engine.
Let it run for a bit, try slipping it in gear, and move the car back and forth to see if the brakes are locked off or not.
You could try cranking th eengine without sparkplugs:
Thanks folks, this helps confirm the next steps a bit although this isnāt whats happened so far,Ā
- So a couple of weeks ago, I called a nearby garage about motāing it. They sent over a cool mechanic as it is within walking distance (5 mins away). They, added a battery booster pack, removed the coil pack leads and test cranked the engine to ensure is wasnāt seized. Fortunately it wasnāt. We left it at that as we couldnāt have safely moved the car as I had misplaced 2 retaining nuts for a strut brace and front suspension top nuts - I found them later and put them back on. I also had to recharge the old battery that was in there - I have aĀ Ring RCB320 Battery Charger and aĀ Exide ea472 battery. I charged the battery for about 5 hours during which the battery condition indicator went from black (time to recharge) to green (ready) several times. I continued the charge because the maths didnāt add up right, charged at 20ah for 2-3hr should have been full, it was āreadyā in about 1.5, so went black to green, then black again during charging? I will check again but need to dig out my volt meter to test. Maybe i just need to get a new battery.Ā I hardly used the āoldāĀ one, only for like 6 months and had disconnected it when i left the car in storage. 7 years later, iām going to just try and charge it and see if it holds, if not, new battery time.Ā
(I wonder how long can shops store car batteries and tyres - damn is my spare space save tire now too old to be save too?)
The mechanic said, once the battery is charged, book a mot and drive her over - itās 2 short streets/roads - i was reassured not to worry about the old oil and fuel, as it wont/cant hurt the engine - i plan to do this soon: the taking it to the garage/ not exactly hurting the engine. I should have checked the brakes too - worried now that although breaks were not engaged, maybe the caliper pistons could be seized? This leads to another issue too: the handbrake has a drift button (i know its a bit daft now but i guess at the time i did not know about real drifting as to needing a hydraulic brake kit fitted or welding the differential etc) anyway, iām pretty sure that needs to be changed back for mot - the handbrake can be engaged as long as the button is pulled out - i think i need to unscrew and re add a spring but will need to check.
The mechanic did say once its at the garage, they can deal with repairing rusted sills and the overallĀ change of fluids and filters.
I am planning to order service parts from Mx5 heaven: https://www.mx5heaven.co.uk/product/mazda-mx5-mk1-service-filters-plugs-belts-ht-leads-blue andĀ following oil recommendations as to;
engine oil 5w-30 3.5liters, transmission oil and for gear stick turret, 75w-90 gl4 (2 litres), differential; 75w-90 gl5, and replacing dot-4 brake fluid.Ā I am also considering magnetic drain plugs:Ā https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VR-RACING-M14x1-5-Black-Magnetic-Oil-Drain-Sump-Plug-Oil-Drain-Suit-Honda/362603358910?hash=item546cd82abe:g:aZwAAOSwKbNcoMu0Ā x3 - i need to check but think all 3 pans use the same plug size.
Great tip about the fuel and the fuelĀ drain plug - thatās handy, i was going to order a siphoning kit. but this leads to another question,Ā is the really fuel still useable? the mechanic said is should be drained out but i have read and heard that its no so much of an issue?Ā - The car had at least 3/4 when I left it back in 2012. Itās now got just over half on the gaugeā¦ condensation i guess.Ā
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iām now wondering if i should do all the maintenance bits myself and just give the car for sill repair and motā¦ hmmm.Ā Ā
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Whats your take?Ā
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Oil sludge can block the strainer on the oil pump, and make the engine sound like a bag of nails.
Fuel can go stale, plus rust from the tank might make it through the filter. Mechanic says not to worry about the petrol, but wants you to drain it anyhow? Drain plug is smaller than the sump plug.
Oil should be 10W40.
If you are changing the turret oil, order a new set of rubber boots, as yours will be shredded.
You mean evaporation not condensation.
Why dd the car end up being unused?
The mechanic checked the engine oil dip stick and said it wasnāt sludgey so āshouldā be okay (iām going to check it myself again), as for fuel, for a couple of minutes to the mot garage, they said it āshouldā also be fine - they will change it all after anyhow. I do worry about trusting mechanics as āShouldsā can end up costing a lot more time and money when things go wrong or could they be intentionally wanting me cause damage to charge more etc.
From the logic, i guess there can be damage that could be felt later like more engine wear, less power etc.
- maybe i really should do the maintenance work myself or get help from them and just take it to the garage for sills and motā¦ or just trust them and let them take care of things -hmmm.
Thanks about drain plug size - looking here, https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postsm4375_Engine-Gearbox-Diff-drain-plug-sizes-and-torques----NA--MK1--NB--MK2--NC--MK3.aspx confirms for gearbox and diff being the same size but the engineās being smaller;
And about the oil - i guess i was thinking thinner, to be easier to run until the next proper change, and clean out etc. Good point about the turret rubber boot - i vaguely remember doing this before when adding a new leather gaiter and illuminated gear knob but will double check.
yep, evap - silly meā¦
why the car ended up unused - very silly me, basically life happened, initially put away for winter, then girlfriend who became now wife didnāt like it as didnāt have airbagsā¦(you donāt need them, until you need them) and i never really wanted to part with it so left it garaged at my sisters who has/had the space. I then brought bits here and there, now and then, thinking i could do weekend project jobs with and do when i could but just never got around to it all with weddings 2x, moving home 2x, having a kid, changing jobs, going on holidays i didnāt want to go to but had to keep up with the jonesāes etc etcā¦ yes, very silly me. car ran like a dream - master break stopper made brakes feel great, engine damper made gear changes even better, chassis braces helpedā¦damn I miss the care free days of enjoying driving rather than it being a bit of a boring chore these days.
anyhow, I am determined to complete on this project, call it a mid life crisis/distraction maybe - Iām 35 this summer.
Anyone interested in taking this off me for cheap?
Itās been months now and I havenāt done anything much since the last post due to family issues and not really having access/would be insensitive to do car stuff etc.
- Iām losing motivation/determination to carry on with it, just more time and money that my wife wants to waste insteadā¦
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The car is in Chingford and will come with everything needed to get it up and running (except all the fluids) plus many extras, e.g. hardtop spoiler, bolt on lambo door hinges. Dammit, just typing that makes me want to cling on.
All I really need is a garage in London to store it in. Insurance and road tax are only about Ā£350 for the 6 months of āsummerā I would get it out for.Ā Ā
- Any one else had similar woes and found any working solutions?Ā
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So just a little update, I added a new battery - didnāt crank over straight away, mechanic advised changing spark plugs and ht leads, did so and voila, it roared away after all these years. Took it to a mot garage nearby, had it tested, failed, outer sills rusted, and a rear spring fracturedā¦fair enough I thought, went to see the car and pass on a rear tower brace as it could be put on when the springs are and my mechanic gives me some more bad news, driving off the ramp to park in positionā¦the timing belt has snapped. At 72k miles, I guess I let it go for too long - was unsure if it could last 100k miles or do at recommended 60-70ā¦ oh well the time has come nowā¦
Snapped belt shouldnāt be a problem as these are non interference engines. Only time that it could be a problem is if it has had any head work previously (e.g. skimming) - in theory the pistons could then be in the same area as the valves which would be a problem.
As mentioned above, the belt and pump would have needed changing anyway.
Hope you get it sorted.
Thanks PhilGee. So Iāved ordered a replacement timing belt and water pump from mx5parts, and my mechanic said thatās all thatās needed so thanks.
However, looking online on youtube vids and even on mx5 parts, replacing the camshaft seals x2 and crankshaft seal is recommended- how necessary would you say this is? Iām thinking, while things are out, why not, itās relatively cheap and makes sense as to rubber wearing as the the belt has etc. I ordered them and have sent them for my mechanic too.
It looks straightforward to do, I just hope my mechanic doesnāt get funny about it/going beyond what they said etc.
Another issue is that they say they may not be able to have it ready within the 10 working days of the mot as they are quite busy. I really wanted to make it for the 15th sept event - my cars registration is even a bit of a novelty: has 3OWV at end. I guess I may have to bite the bullet and pay the extra Ā£50 for the mot again or go elsewhere like halfords or a half price mot place maybe, itās just the added shame of missing out on the event.
On the other hand, this mot garage seems to do a lot of black taxi repairs and as those cars are needed for someoneās living, while mines just more or less a bit of toy, I agree and prefer those cars get sorted asap before mine.
Anyhow, Iāll live in hope and hopefully at least the car could be ready for the 15th. As to the replacement seals - any advice please?
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Hi Abdul,
Itās probably worth doing while itās apart - any signs of leaks from the seals?
The crankshaft seal could add quite a bit of time to the job as the bottom pulley needs to come off. Mine took about an hour just to get it off and access in that area isnāt great.
Whatās the condition of the alternator and power steering (if fitted) belts? They need to come off to do the timing belt, so worth changing at the same time.
Hope you get it sorted in time for the rally.
Phil
Thanks again PhilGee,
I ordered the seals, the alternator belt and power steering air con belts as suggested and had them all sent over to the mechanic.
Iām not going to be able to make it for the 15th as my garage/ mechanic has has let me know, due to losing a mechanic and not being able to replace them, the car cannot be repaired with them until November. So Iām in a bit of a jam now but thatās life and it could be worse.
I have messaged that I donāt mind waiting, as I can save up some money in the meantime for other bits I want on there, like a decat pipe, under sealing, maybe new brake disks all around, but am waiting to see if they can store the car till then or are they turning the car away because of the day of work it needs or the space with which they could do other jobs?
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rear springs to be changed - springs provided
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rear sills to be welded - ready patch panels provided
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Timing belt change, that includes renewing pulleys, seals, and drive belts
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I may have to call in for a mobile mechanic if the garage is turning it away for times sake/space to do other quick jobs - part of me wants to give it a go myself after watching things like the car passion channel on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKHv5_d1a6I for the timing belt.
Taking the crankshaft pulley looks easy to pull out from the vid above but I appreciate things are not always as easy as they seem and maybe he was just lucky.
Have a great time at the rally - hopefully Iāll be there for the next one.
This is me Abdul above - sorry, I used my old original login from yonks ago.
OMG - my timing belt has not snappedā¦
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I checked out my 5 last Saturday at the garage, it went from initially, where it wouldnāt crank at all, 2nd attempt, it started but died, then I went to have a look at basics, all leads secure, tapped on the afm, then checked the fuel cap, as I opened it, it hissed out with some pressure, then I went back in, in neutral, with the clutch down, turned the key, then bingo - it ran smoothly just as it did before. The mechanics couldnāt believe it. Neither could I but was more chuffed as it meant less work was needed right now or it needing to be taken elsewhere.
The mechanic said that when they tried to start it, it wouldnāt crank over and also sounded and felt really rough and didnāt want to cause any further damage if there was. They said there was no compression neither. Given the current mileage, 72k miles its due a timing belt change anyhow so kinda made sense that it could go.
I think the rough sound/feel may have been as Saz9961 mentioned as to old oil and fuel so will get that sorted when it all gets going again.
I trust them, and now for mot, all it needs is the rear sills to be welded in and the rear springs to be swapped out with new ones - I have provided the springs and the pre-made patches for welding in. Iām going to leave it with them to sort out in November after the TFL taxi work is all finished (new regs til nov 1st means its all hands on deck for the taxis).
So plan is for me to get a waterproof car cover for this weekend and we will go from there - maybe I will try to change the springs myself sometime soon too to save some cash or may leave it for later and get a decat pipe to have put on when the springs are changed on the lift/ramp and also do a bit of a service as to changing all fluids and filters.
Then maybe discuss with the garage next steps as to help me add the lambo door hinges (direct bolt on and trim/fold back inner wing) to complement the tr lane side bars to go in (but bloody hell thatās going to be a bit uncomfortable to get into, lift door out and up, step over side bars, pull the pull strap down to bring door down, pull in to close the door and hope the door card has enough clearance with the tear drop trimā¦ then its like maybe the steering wheel is too big and could do with a quick release boss tooā¦ ahh mods mods modsā¦ is there anyone in London who knows about this stuff willing to give a hand - I have a spare rear roof visor spoiler (that needs a little repair) and spare rear tower brace I was going to give away at the next meet or give to a mx5 buddy that I could go to meets with/ keep in touch with regards to the car etc.Ā Ā
I think I have done more day dreaming about this car than actual driving of it - Anyone else like this?
Also, has anyone else had this start up issue before, or know why it may have happened? (Iām guessing blocked fuel pump or oil strainer)
Thanks
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