NEw to the Mazda Miata Game
03-21-2014 | 09:43 AM
#1
Thread Starter
MFz Lurker
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 31
From: Columbia, Pa
NEw to the Mazda Miata Game
Hi, my name is Jeremy and Tuesday I had purchased a 1994 Mazda Miata
Mx5 with 115k on the dash. With the first time driving it down the highway and finally hitting 5th gear
, I absolutely fell in love. Shoot me some messages on what not to do and to do to "Bambi", yes thats her name. hahaha.
Stupid or small all input is welcome.
Mx5 with 115k on the dash. With the first time driving it down the highway and finally hitting 5th gear
, I absolutely fell in love. Shoot me some messages on what not to do and to do to "Bambi", yes thats her name. hahaha. Stupid or small all input is welcome.
03-23-2014 | 10:29 AM
#2
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,902
From: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
Is it 100% stock?
Do all the routine maintenance items unless you have receipts to show it was done.
Timing belt, water pump, check the timing belt idler and tensioner pulley bearings, change the engine oil for some Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic to clean the engine and free up the lifters (they commonly get noisy on the Miatas if the oil is old or hasn't been changed often enough), change the transmission fluid for some Redline MT-90, change the rear diff oil, bleed the brakes and clutch. If there is play in the shifter, change the bushings. Bump the stock base spark timing from 10 degrees to 15 for a little peppier response.
If you want to upgrade, change the stock shocks for some with better damping or spring rates, change to larger diameter sway bars, more aggressive brake compounds, lighter weight flywheel and stronger clutch, de-power the steering rack and get a performance alignment, get a standalone ECU (MegaSquirt), etc.
There is more...
What is your interest?
Do all the routine maintenance items unless you have receipts to show it was done.
Timing belt, water pump, check the timing belt idler and tensioner pulley bearings, change the engine oil for some Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic to clean the engine and free up the lifters (they commonly get noisy on the Miatas if the oil is old or hasn't been changed often enough), change the transmission fluid for some Redline MT-90, change the rear diff oil, bleed the brakes and clutch. If there is play in the shifter, change the bushings. Bump the stock base spark timing from 10 degrees to 15 for a little peppier response.
If you want to upgrade, change the stock shocks for some with better damping or spring rates, change to larger diameter sway bars, more aggressive brake compounds, lighter weight flywheel and stronger clutch, de-power the steering rack and get a performance alignment, get a standalone ECU (MegaSquirt), etc.
There is more...
What is your interest?
03-23-2014 | 12:59 PM
#3
Thread Starter
MFz Lurker
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 31
From: Columbia, Pa
she is about 97-98% stock, some polyurethane bushings in the rear, sway bar isnt OEM not sure on manufac, oil was just done, shifting is tight, brakes are great stop on a dime, brand new clutch, ugly 17's (who would put such a big rim on a tiny care?) and barely any tread 
uhm.. there is a sequel on start up occasionally but I am pretty sure its the belt or tensioner and my blower doesnt work that well, summer is coming up so I have time to fix that, plus Brand new top and I havent done any of the diff fluids.
uhm.. there is a sequel on start up occasionally but I am pretty sure its the belt or tensioner and my blower doesnt work that well, summer is coming up so I have time to fix that, plus Brand new top and I havent done any of the diff fluids.
03-27-2014 | 09:15 AM
#5
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,902
From: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
If you get a new top definitely install a new rain rail. Factory ones are brittle plastic and known to leak into the car. Buy a top with the rain rail pre-installed. Robbins is a good brand for a reasonable cost.
Aftermarket sway bars - red is Racing Beat, gray is Flyin' Miata. Eibach might also be red. There are others as well.
What shocks do you have?
Most Miatas had power steering and many of us de-power our racks to save weight and improve steering feel.
Speaking of feel, wheel weight is a huge factor in how well these cars handle, brake and definitely how they accelerate. If you picked up some 15x6.5 or 15x7 wheels under 12 lbs and a set of sticky 195 or 205/50/15's, it would drive like 300lbs had been removed from the car. I kid you not. And wheel offset makes a huge difference in steering feel and effort. Stay away from zero offset wheels if you want your car to feel quick and your steering effort to remain low at parking lot speeds. Good-win Racing has many lightweight choices in the right offsets for a Miata fitment. Miata Wheels and Tires - Mazda Performance Parts
Aftermarket sway bars - red is Racing Beat, gray is Flyin' Miata. Eibach might also be red. There are others as well.
What shocks do you have?
Most Miatas had power steering and many of us de-power our racks to save weight and improve steering feel.
Speaking of feel, wheel weight is a huge factor in how well these cars handle, brake and definitely how they accelerate. If you picked up some 15x6.5 or 15x7 wheels under 12 lbs and a set of sticky 195 or 205/50/15's, it would drive like 300lbs had been removed from the car. I kid you not. And wheel offset makes a huge difference in steering feel and effort. Stay away from zero offset wheels if you want your car to feel quick and your steering effort to remain low at parking lot speeds. Good-win Racing has many lightweight choices in the right offsets for a Miata fitment. Miata Wheels and Tires - Mazda Performance Parts
03-27-2014 | 08:56 PM
#6
Thread Starter
MFz Lurker
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 31
From: Columbia, Pa
I actually just traded my 17's for brand new 15in steelies with brand new tires and the manual steering is waaayyy better now that i have the right sized tires. lol
I am not sure on the shocks, I will be buying coilovers here in the next week or so. I'll keep the wheel specs in mind then too, I am also having a hard time trying to find a hardtop too and a good rollbar that wont break the bank.
I am not sure on the shocks, I will be buying coilovers here in the next week or so. I'll keep the wheel specs in mind then too, I am also having a hard time trying to find a hardtop too and a good rollbar that wont break the bank.
03-28-2014 | 01:42 PM
#7
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,902
From: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
Hardtops are tough. Watch craigslist for deals. Any factory one under $700 is a bargain. Watch out on the repro ones for quality problems.
Hard Dog M2 Sport with single diagonal is the cheapest track legal bar. The double diagonal version is a little more and has slightly improved visibility. Get their padding kit, get their padding kit, get their padding kit. It comes with HIGH density adhesive backed padding and a really nicely stitched, velcro closure vinyl cover. If you are rear ended at 15mph without a helmet on the rollbar will split your skull wide open.
Hard Dog M2 Sport with single diagonal is the cheapest track legal bar. The double diagonal version is a little more and has slightly improved visibility. Get their padding kit, get their padding kit, get their padding kit. It comes with HIGH density adhesive backed padding and a really nicely stitched, velcro closure vinyl cover. If you are rear ended at 15mph without a helmet on the rollbar will split your skull wide open.
03-31-2014 | 08:26 AM
#9
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,902
From: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
If you are looking for performance parts, Good-Win Racing and 949 Racing are great. If you are looking to spice thing up within the car, Revlimiter.net has some really cool gauge faces and switches. Racing Beat has performance and body parts, and so does Flyin' Miata.
If you are looking to learn about making the car quicker and more reliable try reading at MiataTurbo.net, just beware that they are tough on new guys asking questions and will ban new people for making unproductive posts. But there is a huge repository of knowledge over there. Read through the build threads if you want to learn about the trial and error side of modifying a Miata. They typically don't do appearance mods, but rather power, handling, and reliability mods focusing mostly on track day driving.
What sort of sites are you looking for? Maybe I can be a bit more specific.
If you are looking to learn about making the car quicker and more reliable try reading at MiataTurbo.net, just beware that they are tough on new guys asking questions and will ban new people for making unproductive posts. But there is a huge repository of knowledge over there. Read through the build threads if you want to learn about the trial and error side of modifying a Miata. They typically don't do appearance mods, but rather power, handling, and reliability mods focusing mostly on track day driving.
What sort of sites are you looking for? Maybe I can be a bit more specific.