This ain't no build thread!

[chiefmg]

Finally got my thumb out and sent my EV14 injectors off to have them looked at. Hoping they will get back to me so I can install them before going back to work.

[chiefmg]

Played a little with a Mazdaspeed Protege on the way home from taking my stepdaughter to work. Guy didn't seem to be an aficionado as when I pulled up next to him at a light, he asked me, "What's that, a Miata?" Although in his defense the front end of my Miata probably doesn't look like one.

My injectors are showing as having been delivered, I'm curious to see how long it takes for them to get done and shipped back.

[chiefmg]

I had noticed that the clutch master I replaced a while back was showing dark fluid.


I flushed it once and it came back, suggesting to me that it was leaking by internally. The past few times I drove it I felt like there was some difficulty changing gears so I decided to finally overhaul the original master and swap them out.

I bought an overhaul kit last time I was gone from RockAuto:



Tools you need:



It helps to have a vise to use, as there is a circlip holding the master internals in place. I used a Phillip's head screwdriver to put tension on the spring (pushing down) and then removed the circlip using my pliers.



Releasing the tension on the spring should allow you to remove the piston. Mine was a little stuck so I used some needle nose pliers to grab inside the clutch rod recess and pull it out. To get the other pieces out I turned the master upside down and tapped on the side until they came out.

I cleaned out the bore with brake cleaner and then inspected it to make sure there were no grooves etc inside.



Mine was clean so I proceeded. Here's a look at both the old and new internals:




Here's the old and new pistons side by side, you can see how the seal on the old one is flattened:



Assembly is the reverse of disassembly. Use brake fluid to lubricate the seals before putting the internals into the bore. You can't see it in the pictures but there is a brass/copper washer in the new kit, that is to be used as the spacer (I put that into the bore first so the spring wouldn't dig into the bottom which as it turned out was wrong. The washer wouldn't come out when I figured out my mistake so it's still in there. I reused the old nylon washer). You can bench bleed the master if you want (this puts brake fluid inside the bore), I didn't so I wouldn't have to worry about getting fluid on the car. This will just mean a little longer time to bleed.

Once it's all back together remove the old master. Note if you have cruise then first remove the cruise vacuum actuator, it makes life much easier. You need a flare nut wrench (10mm) to safely remove the hydraulic hard line going to the slave cylinder. I loosened the two 12mm nuts first, then the flare nut. Remember that brake fluid will remove paint so put some protection underneath the hard line (I use a couple of paper towels wadded up). I then removed the nuts completely and finally the hard line. Take care removing the master as there is a gasket underneath its mounting flange. It seems to be thin paper but I didn't have a replacement so I didn't want to bung it up.



Once that is off check inside the hole in the firewall. There is a double wall in that area and a rubber grommet should be in place in the innermost wall. Mine wasn't for some reason, so I pulled it out and sprayed around it with silicone to lubricate it, then put it in place. A little bit of fiddling and you should be able to get it in place.



After that install the overhauled master the reverse of the removal of the old one. Add some brake fluid, bleed the system and you will be good to go. I have to wait on my youngest to get home from his school trip to bleed mine, the wife refuses to do anything with bleeding any car system. I keep telling her it's a cheap workout for her legs but that doesn't fly.

[Demon I Am]

Very cool, I've never overhauled one before.

[—tsingson—]

Great writeup on the rebuild!

[chiefmg]

Very cool, I've never overhauled one before.

It's pretty easy. Note I made a mistake on my assembly order, see my revised post.

Great writeup on the rebuild!

Thanks. As I told Tony I screwed things up but I corrected it. I have a copy of the FSM page showing the exploded view of the master, I just have to figure out how to post a .pdf file.

[chiefmg]

Called FiveoMotorsport, they confirmed receipt of the injectors and said they would be cleaned today. Might actually get them back in time to install before going back to work.

[chiefmg]

Well it seemed to have taken Fiveo longer to get to my injectors than I was told, but they are en route back to me and scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

I've been thinking about my oversteer problem, it's mostly caused by power but the rear does sometimes feel light in steady-state cornering. I decided to swap back to the larger (27mm) JR tubular front bar I still have to see how that changes things. Got that all done tonight, hoping the rain clears off so I can test it out tomorrow.

[chiefmg]

After my little drive this afternoon I will be disconnecting the rear sway. Front feels good but for some reason it feels easier to go into oversteer.

USPS sucks, my injectors sat in the PO in CA for two days and were only forwarded early this morning (they were supposed to arrive today). Hoping now for tomorrow.

[chiefmg]

The injectors didn't show on Saturday which was really annoying. I ran autocross with Corvette Troy on Sunday at Kil Kare Raceway up in Dayton, it was a blast. The course was fast (naturally), I had understeer during my first set of runs running with the rear sway disconnected so I dropped front tire pressure by 2 psi. Second set was better, my times were a second (or less) behind some Mustangs which were pushing more horsepower (and wider tires!) than me so that was fun.

I received notification my injectors were delivered to my local PO this morning, too late for delivery today. I armed myself with the tracking number and went up to see if I could liberate them. I was able to do that, when I asked if I had any recourse since they were sent Priority (two day delivery) I was told they only guarantee Express shipments. That little bit of info is now tucked away in my head.

Had some other stuff to do so didn't get around to installing them until tonight. Fiveo did me right, I had asked for O-rings to fit the top of the spacers. Not only did they send me those (two different sizes) they also sent me four new spacers.



I had to dig through my wiring diagram to remember the fuel pump relay location to disconnect that before starting the job (to relieve pressure off the system). For an NB1, you want to remove the plate beneath the steering column, get on your back and look up. Inboard of the steering column you will see a block with five connectors. The one for the fuel pump relay is the one closest to the firewall and closest to the steering column. I have seen it said to start the car, then disconnect the relay and let it run until it dies. I decided to go ahead and disconnect it, then cranked the car 4-5 times. This was enough to relieve the pressure, I did still have a little fuel in the lines to the rail when I removed them. Then it was just a matter of removing the upper half of the intake manifold, removing the fuel rail and injectors, then installing the new ones and assembling everything the reverse of disassembly. Note to be sure to lubricate the O-rings with engine oil and push things together with a twisting motion to keep from tearing the O-rings. Got that all done in about two hours, and she fired right up. No fuel gushers, I'll test things tomorrow.

[chiefmg]

Test drive went well. I have little of the gas smell remaining under boost and throttle response seems better as well. I went out and did some autotuning this evening, I went back to a previous save point when I last had these injectors installed (so I will lose some but better to run it with the injectors now installed). Now I just have to drive it as much as possible over the next few days and get some more tuning done.

[chiefmg]

Swapped back to the MSM front sway this morning. Ride is a little better, I can't push it hard enough on the street to see how it has changed handling at the limit. I just want it to be non-threatening for my wife to drive. Had to make a run to the local pick-n-pull and finally thought to get a couple of floor mat holders out of third gen Proteges. It is a direct fit for the left side of the driver's mat (I may have to enlarge the mounting hole so I can put it under the seat bolt) but I will have to extend the right one somehow. I just don't like the screws Mazda wants you to put into the carpet, and don't understand why they use those when so many of their other cars have metal brackets for the mats.

[chiefmg]

Friday I washed her and swapped back to the Lightspeeds. This reduces my stress level as if the wife curbs one while I'm gone, I know I can get it replaced. That is it for a while as I'm headed back to work.

[chiefmg]

Due to head home in about three weeks. I've made a couple of small purchases while gone that I'll be installing when I get home (and documenting as well). Then I'm basically just going to drive it as much as possible. Might be making a trip to FL at some point, I'll see if I can connect with some folks down there.

One of my purchases (just made) is one of MS Labs' (reverant) CAN wideband interfaces. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a box that allows you to use the digital output of your wideband unit to input directly into the MS. This avoids noise problems and signal loss that can happen if you use the analog input (which you then have to correct for). I was a little worried about being able to get one with the issues with Greece going on now, but I discovered that Trackspeed Engineering is carrying them so that's where I ordered from. Should be waiting for me when I get home.

[RustRat]

Paypal accounts are not blocked, exports and imports happen as usual, it's just the banks that are closed. But no big deal, since you found an alternative