Old Timer's and Maintenance

Hi all,
It's disturbing to hear Leon's not been around but then again who am I
to complain... I don't recognize anybody but Lanny. 'Guess I just
dated myself (and him.)
Bambi's coming up on 200k miles and I've got all the parts ordered for a
timing belt change... timing belt, tensioner spring, cam & crank seals,
water pump, CAS O-Ring, valve cover gasket, woodruff key and auxiliary
belts.
We've also had cooling problems in the past so I ordered I a lower
thermostat housing & o-ring, complete hose kit (radiator, heater &
bypass), thermostat, radiator cap and complete set of freeze plugs. I
don't plan on doing the freeze plugs on the sides or the radiator cap
until I get intake and exhaust manifold gaskets so those will be put
aside until later.
My questions a
1 Can you suggest any other parts while I'm in there?
2 I plan on taking 3 days plus a weekend to do everything minus the
freeze plugs in case I have to order an idler or tensioner for the
timing belt. Does that sound reasonable? (Bambi's my only ride.)
3 What should I cover besides the alternator, ignition coil and fuse
block before pressure washing the engine compartment?
4 I've looked in the garage section of miata.net, have an enthusiasts
manual (and a Haynes in case I get stuck.) Any other tips or tricks?
5 Has anybody replaced or seen all the freeze plugs on an M1? If so,
where the heck are they? Should I replace any while I have the timing
belt covers off?
Thanks for any suggestions, comments or encouragement... Bambi's getting
old, but so am I. Hopefully we've still got a trip though The Gap
waiting for us.
Thanks & God Bless you all,
Ephar & Bambi
'92 A Classic Red
The Original Winkin' Miata

Getting old? Aren't we all!? At least we're all doing it at the same rate.
Hey, my only comments (aside from 'I'm impressed with your thoroughness) on
your maintenance plans would be that if you haven't previously changed the
idler pulley and the tensioner pulley, just do it! What the heck are you
waiting for, them to go up in smoke ;-( Also, I don't see any mention of
the water pump. You should probably be going on your third water pump (if
you've replaced at reasonable age rather than at failure). Lord, if the car
still has the original water pump then, now you know why you're having
cooling issues. The propellers probably don't have any blades left! You
know, there's always something else, isn't there ..... if you're still on
the original valve cover gasket and you keep cleaning it up, band-aiding it
and putting it back in there, you should probably replace that too. Ummmmm,
how old are your plugs and wires? Ok, I'll leave you alone before you accuse
me of being a nagging old (wo)man ;-)

Anyway, you've got a pretty good size job there in front of you but ya, you
should be good for awhile after that.

Chris
99BBB

"Ephar" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
> It's disturbing to hear Leon's not been around but then again who am I
> to complain... I don't recognize anybody but Lanny. 'Guess I just
> dated myself (and him.)
> Bambi's coming up on 200k miles and I've got all the parts ordered for
> a
> timing belt change... timing belt, tensioner spring, cam & crank seals,
> water pump, CAS O-Ring, valve cover gasket, woodruff key and auxiliary
> belts.
> We've also had cooling problems in the past so I ordered I a lower
> thermostat housing & o-ring, complete hose kit (radiator, heater &
> bypass), thermostat, radiator cap and complete set of freeze plugs. I
> don't plan on doing the freeze plugs on the sides or the radiator cap
> until I get intake and exhaust manifold gaskets so those will be put
> aside until later.
> My questions a
> 1 Can you suggest any other parts while I'm in there?
> 2 I plan on taking 3 days plus a weekend to do everything minus the
> freeze plugs in case I have to order an idler or tensioner for the
> timing belt. Does that sound reasonable? (Bambi's my only ride.)
> 3 What should I cover besides the alternator, ignition coil and fuse
> block before pressure washing the engine compartment?
> 4 I've looked in the garage section of miata.net, have an enthusiasts
> manual (and a Haynes in case I get stuck.) Any other tips or tricks?
> 5 Has anybody replaced or seen all the freeze plugs on an M1? If so,
> where the heck are they? Should I replace any while I have the
> timing
> belt covers off?
> Thanks for any suggestions, comments or encouragement... Bambi's
> getting
> old, but so am I. Hopefully we've still got a trip though The Gap
> waiting for us.
> Thanks & God Bless you all,
> Ephar & Bambi
> '92 A Classic Red
> The Original Winkin' Miata

Hi Chris,
The water pump is listed in there if you look. Got the parts today. The
reason I left the idler & tensioner out is they're about $50 and $70
respectively and I've heard they make their status known vocally if there's
a problem. I'm taking the extra time in case I need either, and I hope
they can be replaced easier than the belt itself if needed in the next few
years.
The last timing belt broke at 107407 miles, 2 blocks from the local Mazda
dealer. I even had a buddy in the car at the time to push and police
escort to stop traffic. The dealer did the replacement with water pump,
CAS o-ring, and valve cover gasket so I'm certain it was done right (this
was before the ford intrusion.)
The belts & hoses are getting replaced now but the plugs, wires & filters
will wait for regular scheduled maintenance at 210k.
I've got 102k miles myself on this car and still love it. I've looked at
the new hard-tops and could afford one but they don't have the same
attraction. You've got to love an auto maker's simplicity in only using
two oil filters for 20+ years and they're interchangeable!
Next up: At home top replacement with a hard dog roll bar.
Thanks for the reply, and don't forget to wink or wave... My last wave
came from a 2004 RX-7. I also saw one with a personalized plate that read
17KREVS. You gotta love it.
Zoom-Zoom!
Ephar & Bambi
'92 Classic Red A
The original Winkin' Miata
The old man (45) who'll walk up to you and start a conversation with you
in a parking lot if you're driving the right car.

Epher,

DO NOT fail to replace the tentioner and idler when you change the belt
and water pump !!!!! Yes, they make them selves known by sound but, it
is when they come out thru the front of the timing cover and into the
fan and a lot of other things that are in the way ! When you remove the
belt and try to spin the tentioner and ideler, if they spin, "they are
shot" . Don't go to all the work of changing all the other parts then
have those items fail. Never fail to replace them !!

Bruce Bing '03 LS

I can't confer with Bruce on this (although he may very well be correct, I
don't remember) but, check all of your parts prices at this place they are
the best (cheapest I've found) and the quality was the same as I've seen
from elsewhere;

http://www.ajsautowhs.com/Catalog/CatalogResults.aspx

Good luck,
Chris
99BBB


"BRUCE HASKIN" > wrote in message
...
> Epher,
>
When you remove the
> belt and try to spin the tentioner and ideler, if they spin, "they are
> shot" .
>
> Bruce Bing '03 LS
>

You guys just need to beleve me on this one. I have seen 2 cars that
this has happened to. One car came to the shop with the belt off and a
big hole in the front of the cover. The other one happned right in the
shop when tha owner was trying to explain the noise that was coming from
the front of the engine.
IF, there is very low or no resistence when you try to spin them, they
ARE going to come apart on you.! Change them now that you have them
apart to change the belt.

Like the water pump, just do it while you have it apart.

Bruce Bing '03 LS

In article >,
(BRUCE HASKIN) wrote:

> IF, there is very low or no resistence when you try to spin them, they
> ARE going to come apart on you.!

Another common symptom of incipient idler failure is a gritty feeling
when turning them by hand. Replacement at every other 60k mile belt
change is a good rule of thumb. Along with the water pump, even if it's
not already leaking.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

The link in my previous post has those parts for about half what the OP
listed their cost at so, hopefully that will be of some help> It's amazing
how much money you can easily pay out just to do serious preventative
maintenance, even if you're doing the work your self. And this is on one of
the worlds most reliable cars!

Chris
99BBB

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (BRUCE HASKIN) wrote:
>
>> IF, there is very low or no resistence when you try to spin them, they
>> ARE going to come apart on you.!
>
> Another common symptom of incipient idler failure is a gritty feeling
> when turning them by hand. Replacement at every other 60k mile belt
> change is a good rule of thumb. Along with the water pump, even if it's
> not already leaking.
>
> --
> Lanny Chambers
> St. Louis, MO
> '94C

Lanny Chambers wrote:

> Another common symptom of incipient idler failure is a gritty feeling
> when turning them by hand. Replacement at every other 60k mile belt
> change is a good rule of thumb. Along with the water pump, even if it's
> not already leaking.


My rule of thumb is to wait until 90K miles, and then replace
everything. I have seen two Miatas have the water pump go out between
the 60k & 120K timing belt service periods, one at a nice 86K miles.

By contrast, the only Miata timing belt that I have ever seen fail
before 120,000 miles was a defective one that only made it about 25,000
miles.

From my experience with a number of early-model Miatas, the timing belt
tends to outlast the water pump.
I would certainly find the replacement of the water pump at 90K miles to
be far more important than replacing the belt at 60K miles as far as
reliability goes.

Going with the replacement of everything at 90K miles works for me,
especially since I have never owned a vehicle for 180K miles and so am
unlikely to ever need to do the job twice to the same car.

Pat

In article >,
pws > wrote:

> I would certainly find the replacement of the water pump at 90K miles to
> be far more important than replacing the belt at 60K miles as far as
> reliability goes.

I can't disagree with your experience, Pat.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C