- My model of MX-5 is: 2.5 s-vt
- I’m based near: Calne, Wiltshire
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: cam belt kits
Hi, I’m going to change the timing belt and water pump on my MK2.5. I was looking at the kit offered on MX-5 parts.com which has everything including fluids.
Are these good or are there other options I should be looking at?
I’ve not been able to find any recent posts on this. Most seem to be a good few years old so I wanted to get some up to date advice on this.
Thanks in advance
Welcome to the club Matt.
I have had my S-VT 6 years and done about 70k miles in her, one of the first things I had done was the timing belt and water pump, foolishly I skipped the cam cover gasket and a short while later it started to weep, fortunately sorting it was something within my skill set which the water pump and belt was and still is not.
While you are doing or having the work done inspect the water pump inlet pipe, which does nothing for the 2.5’s legendary reputation for corrosion.
Second time round earlier this year I supplied all OEM parts including the water pump inlet pipe. I have since also had the radiator and water pipe work also replaced so I should be good for another
5 years / 60k miles which will be around the 190k mile mark overall.
If you are planning on keeping the car long term and doing all the work yourself or handing the work on I’d recommend only using OEM parts.
For my money and my mechanics time I at least know all the parts will fit without any undue faff, with the additional benefit that I know how long the old parts lasted and how long I can expect the new parts to last. I have learned the old spend half price, pay twice saying has too much truth in it to waste my time further.
To answer your question I have not used the kit you are looking at, nor would I because I’d like to keep my car another 20 years even though I might not live that long, 65 yo already, and only two of the items on the Ultimate Kit list are genuine.
If you are not planing on keeping the car that long non OEM parts might not be an issue.
Hope that helps 
BTW even though I currentIy temporarily live in London, I have left my S-VT to the Attwell Wilson Museum in my will since there are no relatives to leave the car to and I have enjoyed visiting the museum many times.
2 Likes
I think at this time of year, having a nice heated garage so your fingers aren’t frozen stiff doing such work is key 
(I mean I did my Mk1 in the summer and it was bad enough!).
2 Likes
It certainly does! I made an MX-5 sized space in my garage so I can work in it in comfort. I’m currently rebuilding my calipers as one was sticky and putting stainless lines on it while I’m in there to get rid of the 20 year old rubber.
1 Like
Thanks for the detailed reply Art. Very much appreciated.
I think I will play it safe and go with OEM. I’ll be doing it myself as I have the space and I like to think I have the knowhow from past cars. I plan on keeping this one for years to come so I’d rather do it right.
I live just a few miles from Atwell. Lovely little museum! My neighbour has a few of his vintage bikes there on display.
1 Like
Front crank seal while you’re at it?
You’ll have everything off the front of the engine so perhaps worth considering.
The inlet pipe is a good call. The one on my car (NB) was corroded and dripping but when I took it off the inside was full of crud so was likely restricting flow too.
If you feel like it we’d very much appreciate a step by step photo report.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Guy
1 Like
Hi guy,
Yes, good shout. I’m rebuilding my calipers and new lines at the moment so that is next on the list. Hopefully over the Christmas break I can get some time in the garage. I’ll post some pictures as I get on.
I’m the meantime, here it is on its last drive out with a sticky caliper.
2 Likes
Very much like the front end mod. (Is that a Moggy Minor grille btw?)
I had a look at that conversion but went a different way.
Do you have the rear converted too?
Any other modifications?
Thanks.
Well spotted on the grill. Yes. It’s an original Morris grill with jeep wrangler fog lights.
It’s hard to tell in the picture but I had 70’s Mazda badges made to match the retro look.
Looks wise, I’ve got gv taillights and a modified ducktail spoiler for now. I’m going to remake my rear bumper to have a more lemans style.
2 Likes
Would be great to see more pics if/when you have them.
I don’t have any pics of the rear with modifications weirdly. I’ll take some pictures when it come back out of the garage.
2 Likes
Hi,
A bit late for your initial query but I did mine (1.8 mk 2.5) four or five years back and I used genuine Mazda, not OEM parts for mine.
MX5Parts do a genuine Mazda kit which was the one I bought. It included belt, idler pulley, tensioner pulley and spring, and cam cover gasket.
Make sure you have a breaker bar for the pulley bolt, and you need a couple of tools - cam locking tool and crank locking tool.
Cheers,
MarkP
1 Like
Hi Mark,
Thanks. I have that option in my basket along with a water pump and seals now with hopes my wife is putting it under the tree. 
I’ve got the cam locking tool and a breaker bar but I didn’t get a crank locking tool. Good call, thanks. I’ll pick one up.
Cheers
Matt
1 Like
Sure is! I believe that is owned by the guy who designed the front bumper.
Morris minor grill and mgb lights.
I modified mine slightly to go for a restomod style by glassing the holes where the indicators are and making mounts behind the mesh for the foglights.
It was that bumper that sold me on an MK2.5 instead on MK3.
I’d love to know how many bumpers were made as I haven’t seen any more than two others online.
1 Like
How cool to choose an NBFL for a potential of a bumper mod, mine was chosen because it was a red sportscar at a price that was in budget 
This was the crankshaft tool I used -
tool
There had been lots of comments from various sources that the crankshaft bolt was a nightmare to get loose, but mine came away fairly readily with the breaker bar, a good socket and the locking tool
1 Like
Fantastic thanks. I’ll order one. If it makes a pesky job easier for not too much money, I’m sold. 
