- My model of MX-5 is: 1996 1.8 __
- I’m based near: _Market Weighton _
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __ how to fix the camshaft so the camshaft sprocket stops failing.
About three months ago the engine stop unexpectedly, it took abit of working out what happened but found the sprocket on the drivers side snapped, so replaced that and all started and ran perfectly. Just last week, same happened again . No real warning, it stopped and it’s the same sprocket. What I like to know is if this has happened to anyone else and how to fix it in future, as I’m sure if this keeps happening. It will destroy the engine?
Any help or advice would be appreciated
Got any photos of the failures? The sprocket are not getting oil contaminated are they?
I sorry I don’t have any photos. I thought I did. If it helps just before the engine stopped, there was a ticking sound that increased when I accelerated.
There is an oil leak from the cam cover gasket.
Bad enough to be contaminated the sprocket?
I seemed to remember something in the workshop manual about ensuring that the sprockets don’t get contaminated but all I can find is a warning that says “don’t use cleaning fluids on them, clean them with a soft rag”.
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Could the head cause the sprocket to fail? If it was causing unnecessary wear?
Would fitting a new camshaft sprocket and replace the belt with a Camshaft Timing Belt Kit and new camshaft oil seals fix the problem and stop contaminating the sprocket?
Or would it be better to replace the camshafts?
I can’t see it being an issue with the actual camshafts.
That’s fair enough, would replacing the head fix the problem. The garage I’ve sent it too, said to just replace the whole engine! I don’t think this is the right decision. But not sure?
Have seen this happen on other makes of engine & primary cause has been poor oil flow to camshaft causing
camshaft to seize.So first port of call is remove exhaust cam to see if any evidence on bearings of lack of oil.
Sometimes this has only showed on one bearing & does not always cause permanent seizure of camshaft, on other occasions I have seen camshafts snap in two & engine still run with permanent misfire when it has been the rear cam bearing which has been starved of oil.
If there is evidence of metal particles on bearing surfaces please be careful of next plan of action as just changing head could result in particles which may have been passed around rest of engine flowing via the oil pump & causing failure number 2.
As these engines are generally very reliable getting a good secondhand unit should be very easy & not to expensive .
One MX5 breaker once told me they could replace a engine cheaper than doing a head rebuild.
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