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Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

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What is this discussion about? Mazda, Toyota MR2 Spyder, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Convertible

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#3550 of 4340 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Apr 22, 2004 (5:53 pm)
Well I'm no a/c expert although I sure have dug into a few, but it is my understanding that you need seals, a new dryer, a new expansion valve, and you'll need to clean the entire system. Also, new a/c lines are recommended. The problem is contamination and if you aren't squeeky clean in there something's going to screw up a short while after you think you have it "fixed".   So I'm going to stick to my $500 estimate on this.   Don't know why they wouldn't fill you with R12. Maybe they don't have any, that is certainly possible, or maybe they don't want to buy it in the usual wholesale quantities just to service your one car.   I just had R12 put into my BMW last week. I did the cleaning, new lines and new dryer and expansion valve, and the system works really really well. It's not cold, it's PAINFUL!
#3551 of 4340 AC parts by thel Apr 23, 2004 (10:21 am)
Can seals, the new dryer, expansion valve, etc. be bought at an auto parts store? This could make a fun little distraction of an automotive project.
#3552 of 4340 R12 by ryoken Apr 23, 2004 (11:15 am)
I don't believe they're allowed to just refill an R12 system anymore. It's a closed system. If you're low on freon, then there's a leak, and the system has to be repaired or it will leak again. Since R12 depletes the ozone layer, the EPA has made sure that federal laws limit your ability to release the stuff into the atmosphere.   I saw an old can of R12 (about the same size as your average WD-40 can) sitting on the shelf in my grandfather's garage. It had a KMart price tag on it that said "$0.79."
#3553 of 4340 by ateixeira Apr 23, 2004 (11:57 am)
I was $17 per pound of the stuff when my Escort's A/C went out, and that was way back in 1996 IIRC. The stuff is worth more than gold now.   $0.79, that's funny!   -juice
#3554 of 4340 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Apr 23, 2004 (2:45 pm)
Sure an A/C specialist can test, capture and refill R12 for you. But if the system is contaminated, it's not going to work for very long. This is why it's a good idea to replace the dryer and expansion valve. Sometimes on these old systems the dissicate (drying particles) burst in the dryer and foul up the expansion valve. Reading the pressures will tell your tech what's going on with that.
#3556 of 4340 1990 Miata question by cabstewart Apr 27, 2004 (5:50 pm)
This question may be asked a lot but here goes... I have a 1990 Miata with approx 98K miles - I love driving the car but it rattles a lot and seems loose. When I look at Miata parts sites (like MMMiata.com) I see lots of parts like a subframe brace, rear brace, rear stabilizer brace bar, sway bars, etc. Our car is not used for racing - just fun drives. What, if anything, will help to solidify the car for a low price and home installation (my husband is handy but not a mechanic) and reduce the amount of rattles?   Thanks in advance!
#3557 of 4340 Miata rattles by kymike Apr 27, 2004 (6:29 pm)
You can make your own front subframe brace with a piece of c-channel iron. I have not seen a homemade rear brace. I would recommend adding both braces. Sway bars will not stiffen up the ride, only help if you drive aggressively. The other item to add would be the cockpit brace that extends from side to side behind the seats. The addition of all of these will make a world of difference. Finally, I would recommend new shocks if you still have the originals.   Add one item at a time in order to really guage how each pice impacts the ride.   What city are you located in? I'm certain that we could point you to a local club where there would be plenty of help installing any of these items.   Let us know what you add and what you think about the changes. Replies to this message: cabstewart (May 06, 2004 6:01 pm) kymike (May 07, 2004 9:46 am) cabstewart (May 20, 2004 7:47 pm)
#3558 of 4340 Bracing by ateixeira Apr 28, 2004 (5:20 am)
They added the rear brace for MY1993, the front one for MY1994, IIRC.   So my '93 has the rear brace, I added the front using C-channel steel as suggested above. Piece of cake, just buy a 2 foot or longer section at the local hardware store, cut to size, and bolt it on. Use the same holes used by Mazda for the 1994 and later models. I fished the bolt down from above using a coat hanger, since access is too tight for your hands.   If you're serious about doing this yourself, I can e-mail you some photos, let me know.   The rear brace has a bend in it, so that would be tougher. I'd yank one from a junk yard, I mean, "parts recycler".   Cockpit brace too. Though I don't have one.   Though mine still gets shaky above 65 mph so I think the shocks would be the biggest improvement to the ride.   -juice
#3559 of 4340 squeeks, rattles and shocks.... by markinatl Apr 28, 2004 (11:10 am)
There is a whole page at miata.net on squeeks and rattles....   http://www.miata.net/garage/noises.html   Since juice brought up the subject of shocks, I have 78k miles on my '92 and it is riding a little ragged with the original shocks. Yeah, it is that time pry open the wallet and spend some more money on the car. But I'm trying to keep this as a fun, reliable, and CHEAP vehicle. Preventative maintenance by the book. I'll spend a little bit extra for quality and for sport. After some preliminary shopping, for shocks I'm looking at adjustable Koni's (they are on the wife's bimmer) or the OEM Bilsteins Mazda put on some of the earlier first generation sport package Miatas. Quotes I am getting are about $450-500 for the shocks. And about $240 for installation. I don't want to lower this car, so I'll probably keep the original springs. Anybody have any insight or thoughts on the subject? Thanks.

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