Full thread here;
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=598275
Pictures here;
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showpost.php?p=7842932&postcount=68
9 or 10K on the car, OP had done some ECU tweaks, investigating dealer suggesting misuse as the tyres are showing ‘excessive wear’
Let’s hope this is an isolated instance and not indicative of a weakness.
When was the last time you hear of wholesale gearbox issues on any car of any make like this? Gears are a very established technology and typically a product from every batch from the heat treat furnace will get destructive testing. Problems can happen, that is what warranties are for.
That aside, that thread is a joke and the OP is a total cock. The reason he wanted to get his car towed home and wash it was more than just covering the tracks of his ECU mods, but to make sure their was no other telltale evidence lurking.
An american with a manual gearbox? could that be the issue…
Note the racing ND’s mentioned on the thread had gearbox and diff coolers.
If you had reflashed the ecu on a new car and put another exhaust on it, why tell the world that before putting it in for a warranty repair.
Nice one, NickD. My thoughts entirely.
Of course gearbox technology is mature and one report doesn’t suggest a systemic issue, what sort of driving behaviour would result in that kind of destructive damage?
The OP may be trying to cover something else up or not, it’s easy to judge from a distance.
MK2 Clutches
Chassis Rails
MK3 Bottom Ends
All had a first one.
you forgot MK2 differentials…
When you put it like that I’m glad I’ve got a Mk1…
I mentioned it at the AGM - a Club member with a Mk1 had major gearbox problems, before my time (2002) the then Club Chairman working through Mazda had a Jap engineer come over to sort it out.
Things ain’t wot they used to be - - - - -
So add Mk1’s to the list!
Mk1’s are starting to have age related problems with electrics and electronics, 1.8 late models had piston ring problems, older diffs are getting a bit soft. Loads of rusty Mk1’s but they are say 25 years old.
Oh yea - when I bought my 'stang back in 1966 had driven it carefully for a couple of weeks. Was leaving the flat one morning and coming up to a set of lights when I saw them go amber, so I shifted down from third (four gears then) to second at about 25 mph to slow down. Massic Clunk from the rear end, followed by a rattle as I stopped at the lights. Lights changed, started off (slowly) more rattles and jingles from the back end. Dropped it off at the dealer and left a strong complaint and my home phone number.
Phone rang that evening, and a mechanic with a thick irish accent said “You’re going to have to pay for this damage!” At that point I lost my cool, and yelled back at him "WHY?) “Misabuse” he replied. (try and find that in a dictionary - - - ) I replied “What’s the problem anyway?” and he replied “You’ve stripped the crown on the rear end” Long story, so the ending was, the dealer agreed with me, the crown had a fault and one of the teeth broke off, they replaced it under warranty.
BTW Martin - not all Yanks drive auto - why do you think they loved Brit sportscars? Same guys have moved on to a Miata. (though some from a 'stang!)
Quite a few Manuals in the USA, the M5 BMW is available as a manual only in the USA
That was on BBC Watchdog; the car was a run out Mk1, it had a noisy box, apparently due to mismatched internal parts. RHD Mk1s were continued to be built I think after LHD production ceased, so I suspect only a handful of cars, if any, I think it might have been before 2000.
Mk1 gearboxes are generally only worth their scrap weight, such is the low demand for them.
Another -
On my return to the UK was at the local with my step father, listening to the publicans longest tale of woe I ever heard, about his Triumph Herald. Five engine changes, some cost him for labour, endless bills and complaints.
It took at least fifteen minutes to hear the full story.
When He’d finished, my stepfather prodded me - and said “Tell him about your car”
That was about a Chevvie bought with my ex, brand new - I still love that car - - -
Picked it up on a Friday and we drove through the New England States to Cape Cod, then back again - 2.500 miles. During the trip, whenever I stopped at lights, the gear shift was wobbling about, which I thought was strange. Should have had the first service at 2,000, but wanted the dealer to do it, so took it back and mentioned the gearstick wobble.
Service Manager rang me the same day at work, and explained carefully-- - “Your car has a problem, we are aware of it; we have three more like it, and we’ve pulled an engine from one and sent it back to GM for analysis.” “Does that mean I can’t drive it?” I asked. “No - you can drive it, it’s not a major problem, but we want to get all four cars sorted fast as we can - we’ll advise you when we know what the problem is, and what the answer is too”.
Less than two weeks later, he rang again. “Can you bring your car in tomorrow please?” “You found what’s wrong then?” I answered. “Yes - we have to swop the engine” he replied. “Why - I thought the engine was fine?” I said. “There’s two cylinders bored about 5 thou out of line, on all four of them” he answered.
6 cylinder engine - 210 bhp.
Picked it up later same day, signed the warranty - labour content $300 - no charge. No more wobble.
Seems one block boring machine had gone out of wack, but they knew which engines were affected. (that’s efficiency!)
End of that story - The publican did his nut!
Marriage finally broke up - 1963, so came back here in 64 for a break, on a 12 month leave of absence.
Bought a '63 MGB (New that year I was told) -S/H. leaked like a sieve (on my foot) and used oil nearly as fast as petrol. It was one year old! Finally swapped it for a S/H Morris Oxford - same engine and box as the B, best used car I ever bought.
Finally sold it and went back to Canada for a second try, that’s when I ordered the 'stang. Had to wait till Jan 66 for delivery - was one of the first fastbacks made. Should have brought it back here, - could have kept it for a while and sold it for around £7,000 - - the price of two E types - - - ! O/K it cornered sideways, but great fun just the same!
Hey Ho!
Nearly forgot - short nose crank and wasn’t there something wrong with crank shaft bearings on some early Mk1’s? Three instead of Four?
O/K - even RR has problems, they keep them quiet though*! Apart from the 2.5 clutch, I can’t complain about mine, I now swear by Mazda to anyone. “Shoulda bought a Mazda” is my favorite expression.
Aware of the suggested problems, I did tell my MOT garage not to power drive the car on braking test, so he always uses a meter now. If there’s a problem with legs - well it’s mine, not the cars.!
Don’t you mean MK2.5 clutches and diffs?
Gra
yes, same difference. Still the best MX-5s though, despite that and the rust…
And just to show rust is not Mazda specific
This is a 14 year old Audi. The patch has been on a while.
