Tony's red MK 2 1.8 UK spec Mx5

[Mazda Mender]

Tony asked me to take a look at his MK 2 and would i service her including gearbox and diff oil change...well it as been a good long while from when she was last stroked with spanners? or i thought so , she had been done every year?? but was not great with the lack of attention to details...plugs were finished,as were the Aux belts(if they had been changed?)..rocker seal is weeping i guess from not being changed as it should when this owner had the waterpump done so i am guessing it was a bit half hearted...engine cover bolts were loose with some missing/broken on the bottom engine cover that is rubbing on the crank pulley ,some of the brackets and clips etc are either missing/binned or not put back correct causing the loom to the crank sensor and AFM and Air sensor to sag and starting to catch the power steering pulley, the brakes are drier than a nuns chuff and need attention...the rear pads are shot and look they have been disintegrating around the edges (cheap pads? Damp? )Front pads are ok but the brakes are all still dry so will not be performing to the best they can and balanced, i'll check the fluid to see if that is past its best to? So to be honest i personally would not trust the work ?? That as said as been done as i am also assuming that with the lack of thought ,detail and passion that the cam a crank seals have not been done as a course of action also while in there doing the pump??? I'll deep check over everything head on...sorry Tony ..there maybe a list of Things to do that you thought was done list buddy...but you did ask...time to get deep...

So a lot had been billed over the years that had not been done...i am shocked...if she had been dropped here and not found out the history..i would of put it down to someone on a drive "having a go" or a back street garage that knows their way around cars but not these cutting corners..to find out it was going year after year in good faith to a place advertising mx5 specialists....is very very poor...last year he paid for a water pump etc,service ,new roof and a health check.... And he paid a nice chunk of hard earned for this specialist service....i will be checking the rain rail to ....


Well the story continues.....I started on a deep service of the braking system and the two rear calipers are toast...it looks like they have been pushed back at some point instead of wind back...the worm drives are dead...the one on the passenger side looks like it as popped a seal while under the push back as there is brake fluid in the adjuster well, so new or refurb are needed..not worth wasting time on then ,fronts were dry... passenger side put up a fight and was clear from the condition of the pads that it was sticking...it would of been entertaining at a good speed under braking plus the drag on a front and rear would be like pulling a trailer trying to push more for power...the upper and lower gearshaft seal/boots are dead so new on the way also...my concerns are still with whats going on behind those engine covers and the rain rail from their hands ,because as i get deeper it gets worse....any way pics to follow...

[Mazda Mender]

So the story of Tony's Mk2 No 2....the same specialists that had been around this mx with their half hearted spanner work and charged highly for their knowledge???had also been at the braking system...it was in a mess...at first glance the drivers rear pads were thin and the passenger rear had a fraction of wear...front passenger was thin and the drivers front a fraction of wear...it would of been entertaining in a emergency stop....on strip down to check calipers,clean slider clips and pins, file/clean up the carrier castle sections where the slider clips live then all greased and prepped ready for the pads to arrive to file their castle section and fit and draw all fresh fluid through...the passenger front gave a fight to be parted with the carrier..reason was the lack of lube etc as they were all drier than a nuns chuff...the rears gave a different story both were shot...it looks like they had been pushed back rather than wind back correct, resulting in the inner worm drive doing nothing,which had also damaged/popped the seal were the adjuster lug lives on the passenger side, so the well was full of brake fluid which should not of been there, so on to Atuolimx5...for two nice refurbed rear calipers...which arrived faster than a fast thing thats fast...as we were dealing with the braking system and seting up i noticed the dodgy repairs etc and with the lever once we had set the handbrake at the calipers and started to reset the tension on the lever with adjustment to 7 clicks and after a couple of tests there was a big release from 7 clicks to 12 clicks and heard something metal hit metal??..on investigation it was a old 50 p that was jammed in there for god knows how long which you can see from the condition of it bent,twisted,and gouge marks ,so it had not worked correct for years..so wind off again and reset the caliper and set the lever again....all good better than factory now..also did the upper and lower gear shaft seal/boots and fresh oil for the turret...test drive later and check over and Tony can have her back....

Pics to follow...

[Zebbysebby]

That’s partly the reason I got into doing my own jobs, tired of poor workmanship and big bills.

Curious about who this specialist is, there is MX5 specialist garage on Youtube where the staff seem dis-interested?

Can’t say I’ve ever been that impressed with specialists or main dealers.

[Mazda Mender]

I'll add pics later, its not up to me to say on who this is, but what i can 100% say is that it is "NOT" Carl at CBS autos, so he can be ruled out .
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

Pics added to the first two posts ;0)
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

Tony nipped around for a quick re bleed of the calipers and reset of the handbrake tonight now it as all bedding in nicely....