So.. What did you do to your '5 today?

White: Took my ctek to the body shop to help recover the battery. Ordered a lifepo4 replacement also. Started her. she idles as usual. Let her warm up and then shut her off again. She's filthy from having been in a bodyshop for 3 months. But the bumper is going on soon. The new paint is beautiful.

Blue: She's getting the new skuzzle clutch on now. old flywheel was a 1.6 ILM 4KG, new one is an XACT 1.8 4.2KG.

Silver: (not really an mx5, but she's a Roadster never the less) I've finally worked my way to the 50 degree cam angle tables. the tables were with a 'dyno tuned' setup and honestly I don't think the dyno tuning was that good, it's waaaay too rich on decel. I can take 10-20% fuel out most of the lower cells and it still won't go over 14.7 AFR. New front steering rack arms have turned up to go with the front steering arm ball joints/tie rod ends. The existing ones are rusted together quite strongly.

Not a stupid question at all.

at 0% TPS and very low manifold pressures a modern engine is effectively not running the injectors. this is actually what happens on my ECU.

I literally watch this happen via the AFR because when I take the foot completely off the throttle the AFRs spike (18, 20..) and then stop reading. What's happened is the MAP sensor has detected the dropping pressure and so reduced the fueling in line as the air supply tails off, it then richens up as you touch the throttle or reach the idle zone.

And this is of course completely safe, the engine isn't trying to produce a dyno chart social media post in this condition. You want it to be at least 'slightly lean' in this area. Realisitically you could also cut fuel at low TPS in this area too, but this area is also used for 'gradual decel' or 'very mild cruise' so you don't actually want a complete cut-off at over 1% TPS., you still want the engine to add some power on a flat or slight incline.

There's a lot of 'decel' area above 0% TPS that is sort of like 'slowing cruise' or similar. You've got 1-3% TPS and you're say, just going down a hill but don't want to brake completely. the air pressure inside the manifold is like 30% atmospheric and the airflow into the engine is miniscule because the TPS is nearly shut. You should be aiming for 'at least 14.7' and maybe settle on something closer to 15:1 or 16:1 AFR. This is like 1% the airflow of a loaded WOT engine, so the engine is just cycling air rather than trying to make power / speed up. Lean is completely safe in this area.

If it's running richer than 14:7 at this point it's effectively throwing fuel away for no reason. In my case I was seeing 12:1 or 13:1 on decel.

Went to take my son out for a spin in the Mazda on Friday, and it wouldn't start. Completely flat battery. That'll teach me to leave it idle for a month! Connected my battery booster and it started up first time.

Then took my daughter out in the sunshine, drove for about 15 mins to a shop, and when we got back in to come home the battery still didn't have enough juice to start it (I had brought the booster so no big deal). Will see if it's a failing battery or just needed a bit more charging, but I've got a sprint on Saturday and a trackday next Monday, so don't want to faff about with it too much.

Yeah, I'm sure I've let it sit more than a month before without it draining, so will keep my booster with it until I'm confident again. Suppose I could save some weight with one of those newfangled LiFePo batteries if I do need to change it! #silverlining

shout out for the JWM battery - I'm running the same one on the silver frog. It's a good deal if you're in the UK.

I'm going to try the same battery (near identical spec) but from Ali Express as the next battery for the White car.

www.aliexpress.com/item/4000035083939.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.6fcf1802lA3xfM

I suspect these are the actual maker.

Hi All,

Having just got back from various travels I did a pre MOT check including making sure the mixture was right at the MOT test engine speeds.
I have fitted the new TPS and set that up as well, I then discovered that the TPS plug had an intermittant contact so a new plug and pins are now on order.
The only MOT related issue is a blown bulb for the number plate.
So I will book the beast in and hope the TPS fault does not appear during the test.

Hi there.
Ohhhh, interested to know more about the MR2 experience.

But …. I am a true MK3 convert …. it all had to do with an evening encounter with Horney.

The stars where out the evening was warm ….. No, it was the way that his soft top went up and down, ooo er, you’ll find out.
I know, but there it is.
Apart from that the MK3 is just such a better car, end of. Forget all the utter bollox about ….. oh but it’s a boat it’s a heavy car.
Shut up! It’s not and it’s not.

I’ve had 3 MK3 MX-5 cars.
For what it’s worth, if anything, here are some of my thoughts.

I had a 10K miles from new 2015 PRHT 2.0 Sport Tech..
Now very weirdly this just did not do it for me, no.
It is said that the gearbox is better than the early ones and the engines are better.
In the real world, no there not.

I am back in a 2006 2.0 Sport. Showing 106,000 miles and all is good.
Obviously a very fast one …. Because it’s bright red.
It has a hard top. Well worth swinging into a deal. Have you seen the prices of these recently? Flippin heck!
I wish I had ten in the shed.

No rust on mine. They do rust, like almost any MX-5 does. Just be sensible when looking at them.

Now the prices of ones you would WANT to own are for sure going up.
Maybe it’s summer time uplift?
But honestly. I think people are waking up to the value of what you get for your money.
I would not buy a 1.8. No point when the 2.0 is so much better and sod all dearer.

If like me you want upgrades which mine has, then the market is awash with stuff.
Apart from all the wheels, tyres, brake kits, suspension the best “bang for you buck” has to be the 225Bhp ITB and camshaft blah blah package from BBR.
Not cheap, but not dear and the difference is really night and day.

If you are at the track day let’s catch up.

Regards.
Rich.