What have you done to your MX-5 today? (Part 2)

Terrible, use gloves look after your hands, they’re the only thing you can use to feel your precious joy :joy:

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Ordered the same and fitted these based on the link and Richard’s info very happy …

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Transmission oil change, in between ferrying kids to their various weekend activities. First time attempt at this job for me, but - ignoring the sheared bolt on one of the undertrays - seems to have gone okay. Diff tomorrow, time permitting.

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A well timed race against the sun this morning. :sponge:

Meguiars soft top cleaner seems to do a decent job. Halfords drying towel was a defo necessity for speed too!




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Finished replacing the old cheap double din unit which was in the car when I bought it as the radio wasn’t working properly, interface was buggy and I wanted DAB. Replaced with a Sony AX5650.

The existing fascia had been butchered and wasn’t cut straight, and wrong size for the new screen, so I decided to design and 3D print a replacement. Might sand it down eventually to smooth it out, but in the car it’s not noticeable. For now it does the job intended to make use of the nice weather!


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Nice work, great looking head unit :clap:

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very nice mod :wink:

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That looks a treat. :+1:

What resin did you use? Is it temperature resistant? :thinking:
The interior of a car in summer can get pretty toastie. :hot_face:

It’s PLA so it should be okay for now. Generally it doesn’t “soften” until 60C constant heat and under strain. I’ll be keeping an eye on it and any problems I’ll look to reprint in ABS which should be good up to 110C (and also more of a pita to print) :slight_smile:

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I’m about to replace shock absorbers and getting a bit antsy because I have no impact wrench and other ways sound more likely to snap something? It’s a somewhat-rusty NA, for all I know these parts haven’t been undone since it arrived in the UK so I’m not expecting a good time. I have a 1/2" Halfords Advanced socket wrench, spanners, and 2ft breaker bar. It’s also had an overnight PlusGas soak and another dose this morning. Never used a blowtorch (nor done this job before), can get one.

This is an MOT failure repair without much on the clock for free retest so disaster will probably add another MOT cost.

None of the local Lidl/Aldi have impact wrenches so an impulse purchase version is out, next best immediately available thing looks like a 400nm Ryobi with 4A battery and charger for about £120. Which is fine, it seems well liked, but I’m not sure I want to unless it’s going to beat everything it ever has to. I don’t mind spending a bit on whatever keeps mechanics/retests/strandings away, it pays for itself.

Any suggestions? Buy an impact wrench ahead of time or worry less about what a breaker bar will do?

I’m a little confused because people say a breaker bar worked when an impact wrench didn’t, and vice versa. And impact wrenches that have sheared when breakers haven’t, and vice versa.

A liberal dowsing with PlusGas penetrating fluid or similar my might help before you begin.
Also, heat (like a blow torch) can work wonders too.
Sometimes tightening things before attempting to undo a nut can loosen it up.

Good luck.

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Silly question but do you have a spring compressor?

I managed with the similar tools as you using 3/8 inch drive, no impact wrenches. However, you will need a spring compressor.

I replaced the rear springs, dampers and mounts. The breaker bar is seriously good for the bottom suspension bolts.

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I do actually, but it was cheap and flimsier than I was happy with and had a garage mount the coils instead last time.

However! This time it’s a Pedders Ezifit kit, so not much to do. But stuck parts have always taken up an excessive amount of time. Most tools I buy on sale before I need them, never realised the value of an impact wrench so didn’t get around to it.

I think I’ll just see what happens and pick up the Ryobi if i end up working hard on the breaker. Avoiding another paid MOT would cover half the cost of it right off the bat.

Sounds like a good plan, good luck. :+1:

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Likewise I did both of mine over the weekend, diff much easier to do but needed an extra leg to loosen the drain plug.

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Nice one. I didn’t manage to get the diff oil change done - could not get the fill plug off and ran out of time. Will give that another go later.

Mine passed her MOT - woo hoo!

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Not strictly today, but I turbocharged my NA over the winter. Had the car back from the Dyno a few weeks ago and she made 250bhp at the fly!

Also added a load of other goodies, including an oil cooler, AFR gauge, Fluidampr, oil temp/pressure sensor, COPS, radiator, coolant reroute, etc, etc, etc…

Did some testing at Bedford autodrome on Monday and the car is a proper handful, even on semi-slicks. I’m a very happy boy :grin:!

Next on the cards is a big brake kit as the brakes were smoking on Monday after 5 or so laps. EBC discs and pads aren’t quite up to the job now. Although it may be best to wait until payday as I’ve spent an absolute fortune on it.

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Washed off the underneath of the car in advance of it being treated by Vincent Motor Works next week.

I remember a reasonably recent post where someone was asking how to clean the underside without access to ramps. I used this which attaches to a power washer. Comes with multiple heads for different sprays. Very impressed with it. Posted in case of interest to others.

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If you need to re-do it, PET or PETG is easier to print than ABS and has a higher temp tolerance than PLA. I found PLA will soften and distort, even with minimal load in UK hot weather.

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