Car died

Started making a loud rattling noise. By the time I got off the highway and
stopped there was a burning rubber smell, car starts but won't idle.
Managed to get it to the parking lot at work. Alternator?????

Frank Berger wrote:
> Started making a loud rattling noise. By the time I got off the highway and
> stopped there was a burning rubber smell, car starts but won't idle.
> Managed to get it to the parking lot at work. Alternator?????

Have you looked at all of the belts? The crank pulley is a possibility.

On Mar 16, 9:42*am, "Frank Berger" > wrote:
> Started making a loud rattling noise. *By the time I got off the highway and
> stopped there was a burning rubber smell, *car starts but won't idle.
> Managed to get it to the parking lot at work. *Alternator?????

Pop the hood and you tell us....kinda hard to figure out from here.

In any case, I hope it's nothing too serious...

Chris

Hal wrote:
> On Mar 16, 9:42 am, "Frank Berger" > wrote:
>> Started making a loud rattling noise. By the time I got off the
>> highway and stopped there was a burning rubber smell, car starts but
>> won't idle. Managed to get it to the parking lot at work.
>> Alternator?????
>
> Pop the hood and you tell us....kinda hard to figure out from here.
>
> In any case, I hope it's nothing too serious...
>
> Chris

I murdered my car. Well, it was a '96 needing a top, shocks, dent
repair....... Dipstick came up dry. Something is warped in the engine.
With oil added, it runs, but something is banging. How irresponsible is
that? I could have sworn I checked the oil a month or so ago. Dumb, dumb,
dumb.

I think I need to replace my wife's Explorer and drive that myself for a
while before I consider replacing the Miata, as hard as that is to say.
She's having hip replacement surgery in June and needs something easier to
get in and out of. I have no idea what to get. A mechanic friend suggested
a 2009 Camry from a local auction. Probably a fleet or rental car. 30K
around 13,000. I've heard they're peppy with the V6, but don't handle as
wall as an Accord. But the local Mazda dealer has a nice looking 2006
Miata, green and tan. Hmmmm.

Frank Berger wrote:

> I murdered my car. Well, it was a '96 needing a top, shocks, dent
> repair....... Dipstick came up dry. Something is warped in the engine.
> With oil added, it runs, but something is banging. How irresponsible is
> that? I could have sworn I checked the oil a month or so ago. Dumb, dumb,
> dumb.
>
> I think I need to replace my wife's Explorer and drive that myself for a
> while before I consider replacing the Miata, as hard as that is to say.
> She's having hip replacement surgery in June and needs something easier to
> get in and out of. I have no idea what to get. A mechanic friend suggested
> a 2009 Camry from a local auction. Probably a fleet or rental car. 30K
> around 13,000. I've heard they're peppy with the V6, but don't handle as
> wall as an Accord. But the local Mazda dealer has a nice looking 2006
> Miata, green and tan. Hmmmm.

I am very sorry to hear that.

My parents are looking for a new car to replace their 1994 Camry. It was
a rental and has served them well for 14 years.

The current attitude towards Toyota may help in negotiating the price. I
will buy a Toyota, but probably only a proven design like a Camry, and I
would prefer that it have as many parts as possible from Japan rather
than North America.

The Camrys don't generally handle as well as an Accord, but the
difference between a Camry and an Accord is not huge, nothing like the
difference between an Accord and your Miata.

That 2006 MX-5/Miata sounds interesting.

Good luck to you!

Pat

>
> I murdered my car. *Well, it was a '96 needing a top, shocks, dent
> repair....... *Dipstick came up dry. *Something is warped in the engine.
> With oil added, it runs, but something is banging. *How irresponsible is
> that? *I could have sworn I checked the oil a month or so ago. *Dumb, dumb,
> dumb.
>

A MONTH ago?! And to think 96 and 97 are rumored to have the strongest
internals of most of the BP engines out there. Sorry to hear you tore
yours up.

I've not done an engine swap on a Miata but it doesn't look too hard.
You could probably get a used engine from a local wrecker and install
it yourself, or have a shop do it, and be driving again for somewhere
around $700(you do the work) to $1200(Shop does the work). Sometimes
the wrecker yards will do the installs for you as well, and having
their guy do it when you buy the engine from them might only cost you
a couple hundred bucks plus any parts you want changed on the
replacement engine(I'd do a water pump and timing belt/cam /front/rear
seals at the very least since the opportunity is there).

Good luck with it.

Chris

"Frank Berger" > wrote in message
m...
> Started making a loud rattling noise. By the time I got off the highway
> and stopped there was a burning rubber smell, car starts but won't idle.
> Managed to get it to the parking lot at work. Alternator?????
>
Frank, what the heck? Has your car been going thru oil on a regular basis?
You're saying you let it run dry!? You never witnessed a serious oil loss at
any point? This is pretty strange.

Don't forget that you can buy a used engine and drop it in pretty easily if
need be.

Chris
99BBB

Hal wrote:
>> I murdered my car. Well, it was a '96 needing a top, shocks, dent
>> repair....... Dipstick came up dry. Something is warped in the
>> engine. With oil added, it runs, but something is banging. How
>> irresponsible is that? I could have sworn I checked the oil a month
>> or so ago. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
>>
>
> A MONTH ago?! And to think 96 and 97 are rumored to have the strongest
> internals of most of the BP engines out there. Sorry to hear you tore
> yours up.
>
> I've not done an engine swap on a Miata but it doesn't look too hard.
> You could probably get a used engine from a local wrecker and install
> it yourself, or have a shop do it, and be driving again for somewhere
> around $700(you do the work) to $1200(Shop does the work). Sometimes
> the wrecker yards will do the installs for you as well, and having
> their guy do it when you buy the engine from them might only cost you
> a couple hundred bucks plus any parts you want changed on the
> replacement engine(I'd do a water pump and timing belt/cam /front/rear
> seals at the very least since the opportunity is there).
>
> Good luck with it.
>
> Chris

Given the condition of the rest of the car, I think it's time to say
goodbye. I'll miss it.

On Mar 16, 9:42*am, "Frank Berger" > wrote:
> Started making a loud rattling noise. *By the time I got off the highway and
> stopped there was a burning rubber smell, *car starts but won't idle.
> Managed to get it to the parking lot at work. *Alternator?????

Frank, Where are you located in the US ?

Bruce Haskin

Frank Berger wrote:
> Hal wrote:
>>> I murdered my car. Well, it was a '96 needing a top, shocks, dent
>>> repair....... Dipstick came up dry. Something is warped in the
>>> engine. With oil added, it runs, but something is banging. How
>>> irresponsible is that? I could have sworn I checked the oil a month
>>> or so ago. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
>>>
>> A MONTH ago?! And to think 96 and 97 are rumored to have the strongest
>> internals of most of the BP engines out there. Sorry to hear you tore
>> yours up.
>>
>> I've not done an engine swap on a Miata but it doesn't look too hard.
>> You could probably get a used engine from a local wrecker and install
>> it yourself, or have a shop do it, and be driving again for somewhere
>> around $700(you do the work) to $1200(Shop does the work). Sometimes
>> the wrecker yards will do the installs for you as well, and having
>> their guy do it when you buy the engine from them might only cost you
>> a couple hundred bucks plus any parts you want changed on the
>> replacement engine(I'd do a water pump and timing belt/cam /front/rear
>> seals at the very least since the opportunity is there).
>>
>> Good luck with it.
>>
>> Chris
>
> Given the condition of the rest of the car, I think it's time to say
> goodbye. I'll miss it.

That was the point I got to with the 1991 Silverstone that I had. It had
body damage and a warped head. It needed many other things like shocks,
a rear finish panel, the list went on and on.

It would have taken at least $5,000.00 to have it back on the road in
good shape, and it might have had a total value of $4,000.00 at that
point, probably less.

Good luck on finding a replacement!

Saint Patrick