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Thread: The Long Road Back

  1. #316
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    I think both the under and over tunnel insulation are the way to go. My NA has burnt paint on the drivers side tunnel INSIDE the car. Years of the aftermarket header and a lot of hard driving.

    After doing the same to the NB, the only hot area along the tunnel is at the hand brake. I have a larger aftermarket midpipe though.

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  3. #317
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Long overdue update:

    When I bought the bumper with its MSM lip installed, I was pumped because I'd always kind of wanted it. I figured if nothing else, I could sell the lip if I didn't like it.

    Two years later, I wasn't really in love with it. I LOVE the naked NB2 lines, and this thing was always messing it up--even though it is factory and is pretty cool. Additionally, one of the other Laser Blues in Ohio (yeah, there's TWO of us!) has the MSM lip and, while it looks good, it's just not the look I want to go for. Add in someone on Facebook putting out a "hey, I need a lip--got cash in hand" post, and opportunity is clearly knocking.

    The MSM is held on by four fasteners on the bottom, one each on the inside of the fender, and, if you got it from the factory, the lip is bolted to the bumper through the uprights on either side of the radiator opening:

    20200712_210333 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    The fastener receptacle on the upright section is attached to every lip. However, the rest of the hardware kit is, as far as I know, no longer available. Thankfully, the other 10 fasteners do the job of holding the lip on just fine.

    20200712_211130 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    I've always had a running gag that Classic Red is really "Mazda Primer". Look really close and...well, it's closer to the truth than I'd have guessed

    20200712_211146 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    And well...here we are, lol

    20200712_210252 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr

    I'll be selling the lip for more than the bumper plus lip cost me in the first place!
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  5. #318
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Walked outside randomly to the garage and looked up at The Tick. Instantly felt that I'd made the right decision. I miss the OEM nakedness.

    That said...kind of wonder if it's not time to add an RS Factory Stage lip. Kind of thinking "no" because I honestly don't feel like paying up for the real thing.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  7. #319
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Car's been at the shop since last Friday (they didn't start working on it until Monday).

    So far:

    1.) Two exhaust bolts snapped on the downpipe while they were getting ready to do the clutch
    2.) Oil pan is leaking
    3.) Rear ride height is higher than they wanted it
    4.) Both outer tie rod ends had to be replaced

    Aside from the oil pan job, this is still costing me about what I expected it to. This car better be tip freaking top when I get it back, though.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  9. #320
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    Those studs breaking on the down pipe isn't terribly uncommon. Even the wife's NB1 that spent the entirety of it's life in SOCAL had that issue. The oil pan leak is odd, is it at the rear, to the sides of the Rear main seal? Outer tie rods, not uncommon.

  10. #321
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    The oil pan leak is odd, is it at the rear, to the sides of the Rear main seal?
    They didn't say, but I didn't ask. They noticed it specifically when the transmission came off, so I suspect it was near the rear main seal. I'd noticed a constant coat of oil on the flat spot where the bellhousing and engine block meet for a while, so it's possible that I had a leak. It's not a job I'm comfortable doing, so I just told them to do it.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  12. #322
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Car's finally home. Have to say: it feels like a new car!


    The car could be lower if I were willing to change things more, but this is actually better than it looked in the photo the shop sent me.


    20200806_105611 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20200806_105603 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20200806_105552 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    20200806_105537 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr


    Love the new bushings. The ride is a lot tighter now. Steering feels much improved, and thanks to the several exhaust gaskets they replaced along with retrofitting the motor mounts (back to stock), the car is MUCH quieter than I ever remember it being.


    I have, however, two complaints (besides the fact that the shop honestly was pretty terrible at communicating):


    1.) Clutch grabs pretty high off the floor. Going to have to fix that.
    2.) Thanks, I'm assuming, to my door bushings requiring the door to be practically slammed shut at all times, the battery was darn near flat. In fact, I had to get a jump start to get it home. It's on the charger now:


    20200806_124241 by Bryan Wyatt, on Flickr
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  14. #323
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Congrats! You can easily adjust the clutch pedal on your own, FM had a nice how-to in their website.

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  16. #324
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    I think that ride height is perfect, very "OEM+".

    I sanded/shaved my door bushings a little for reasons similar to yours.

    PS, looks great and glad to see the progress!

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  18. #325
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryB View Post
    Congrats! You can easily adjust the clutch pedal on your own, FM had a nice how-to in their website.
    I looked at it. Maybe it'll make sense once I'm under the dash. The pedal feel was better than I remember it being, but getting started was kind of scary at first.

    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    I think that ride height is perfect, very "OEM+".

    I sanded/shaved my door bushings a little for reasons similar to yours.

    PS, looks great and glad to see the progress!
    Thank you!
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

  19. #326
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Awesome! Congratulations, Bryan! Looking forward to seeing more updates...sooner rather than later.
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
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  20. #327
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    I adjusted the height on the pedal, but I didn't adjust freeplay, as it seemed to be pretty good (in terms of the u-joint moving). Probably need to do it tomorrow.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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  22. #328
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    That ride height looks good to me, too I prefer functional over slammed.

  23. #329
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan View Post
    I adjusted the height on the pedal, but I didn't adjust freeplay, as it seemed to be pretty good (in terms of the u-joint moving). Probably need to do it tomorrow.
    Backed the car out of the garage and put it back in. Honestly, the engagement felt a little high, but not as bad as yesterday. I will take it out later to get some gas. I need to drive it anyway to make sure the battery charged sufficiently. I feel like I've got a small but definite area of free play--my only issue had been that the clutch didn't seem to bite as close to the floor as I'd have liked.

    Also: I goofed and had the shop change the oil with Rotella T4 (15w40) instead of the T6 I've been using (5w40). Should I be changing the oil today to get it back out?
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

  24. #330
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    The Long Road Back

    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan View Post
    Backed the car out of the garage and put it back in. Honestly, the engagement felt a little high, but not as bad as yesterday. I will take it out later to get some gas. I need to drive it anyway to make sure the battery charged sufficiently. I feel like I've got a small but definite area of free play--my only issue had been that the clutch didn't seem to bite as close to the floor as I'd have liked.

    Also: I goofed and had the shop change the oil with Rotella T4 (15w40) instead of the T6 I've been using (5w40). Should I be changing the oil today to get it back out?
    The oil is a little thick, but should be ok in the summer. Give it more time to warm up when driving so it starts to thin out a little. Once we get into autumn, you definitely want it out of there. When temps fall to around the mid-sixties as highs regularly, change to the thinner stuff.

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