Servicing questions

[MrGrey]

I realize that all these questions are a bit subjective to each person, kinda like asking which beer is best, but I would love to hear your opinions.
If it helps, my car is a 1990 1.6l na automatic (yeah, I know, auto is ewww)

1) how often should you replace your fuel filter?

2) when I do my next service, should I get the engine, transmission & gearbox oil all done at the same time? (I'd be paying a garage to do it)

3) are name-brand oil filters worth the extra cost? or are OEM oil filters fine?

4) are performance spark-plugs and leads worth getting? if so, are there any particular brands or models to go for?

6) what sort of oil should I run on a daily driver?

7) would my car be suitable for the 14 degree timing mod?

8 ) what sort of lifespan do the water pumps have? should I look at replacing mine at the same time as when I get around to replacing the cam belt? (regardless of whether or not the pump is working fine)

9) why was there no #5?

10) are intake pipes worth getting?


thanks for your feedback

[Angreal]

1) how often should you replace your fuel filter? <-- I got mine done last service because I have no idea when it was last changed (if ever).

2) when I do my next service, should I get the engine, transmission & gearbox oil all done at the same time? (I'd be paying a garage to do it) <-- Manual says to do it every 80,000km for transmission and gearbox but I had metal shards in my diff so I'll probably do it a bit more often nowadays.

3) are name-brand oil filters worth the extra cost? or are OEM oil filters fine? Personally I think if you change your oil every 4-5000km then it shouldn't matter too much. I like the ones Mazda sell, otherwise I just get them from Repco as they're pretty cheap and do them at the same time as the oil.

4) are performance spark-plugs and leads worth getting? if so, are there any particular brands or models to go for? I've never had problems with the original ones. I only ended up with my thick chunky ones because they were red and sexy. If you need a bigger spark then you're better off doing COPs but for a stock car then the standard ones are fine.

6) what sort of oil should I run on a daily driver? I think Mazda put in 5W 30 but I think I like 10W 40? This one I'll leave for someone else more knowledgeable to answer...

7) would my car be suitable for the 14 degree timing mod? I guess yes even though it's an Auto?

8 ) what sort of lifespan do the water pumps have? should I look at replacing mine at the same time as when I get around to replacing the cam belt? (regardless of whether or not the pump is working fine). If you're already in there doing the cambelt, you may as well do the pump and seals.

9) why was there no #5? It's late

10) are intake pipes worth getting? I have one similar and I didn't really notice any real performance other than an awesome intake noise. I may have lost some slight mid-range and gained some very minor top end but it could all by psychological At the very least it sounds good.

thanks for your feedback

garage.php?mode=view_gallery_item&type= ... age_id=770 <-- That's the intake I have except I replaced the filter at the end with an Apexi one.

[authentic]

For peace of mind, replace filters and change oils now and then find out how long you should wait to do those services again. And if you're new to a Roadster, then it will help you learn your way around the car. Theres info for this stuff on this forum, and on Miata.net's garage section.

For the extra price you pay, 'performance' plugs and leads wont give you any decent gains over a set of say, NGK plugs and leads on a stock engine. $90 - $100 for leads on Trade Me, $27 for plugs from Super Cheap Auto.

I won't comment on the other things as I'll probably say something incorrect, so I'll leave those for someone else to answer .

An intake pipe like that will look a bit flasher, so if you want that then go for it. Theres a product out there called an 'ARC chamber' which is basically (excuse my bro-science) a chamber that holds a larger volume of air at the ready so the engine can quickly suck it in when you plant your foot, giving better low end power and throttle response. I'm sure someone on the forum has one installed and can give an insight about its performance.

Heres a link to one if you have the money http://rev9autosport.com/na/engine/arc- ... -1-6l.html

But for that amount you could pick up a Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake which I have installed. They claim a 14HP gain which is probably a little bullshit, but it sounds awesome and looks cool so I'm happy with it.

[warrior]

yes the 14 timing bump is well worth it

[MrGrey]

I just dropped into the local mazda dealership to get some prices on OEM parts..

drivers side seatbelt - approx $150+ freight (aftermarket only as they don't make them anymore)

oil filter - approx $25

brake pads - approx $120 for OEM (the guy said I should be able to get aftermarket ones for the $70-80 range)

does this sound like its in the right ballpark? or does anyone have any ideas for cheaper, quality aftermarket alternatives?

I hope my barrage of questions doesn't piss people off too much

[chris]

Seatbelt seems steep.

Ask on the forum, someone may have one.

Brake pads, go aftermarket

Oil filter sounds right

[warrior]

I agree with chris.........try Broomfish motorsport for pads, filter about right, seatbelt go secound hand.

[Angreal]

I thought the filter was cheaper when I bought it off Mazda. Around $10ish

[brownie]

in my opinion;
1,Fuel filter ,Every 4 or 5 years will be fine,Give it descent fuel too,95 grade

2,Give it the one big service now,wont need to go that far for quite awhile.

3,Repco/Ryco filters are fine,use a known brand 15/40,No need to go overboard.

4,Just get NGK BKR5E-11 and NGK leads,you can't go wrong.

5,Damn...there is no 5....

6,refer to 3,just run a good 15/40 grade oil,it's a old car be realistic,and being Auto your not going to being pulling huge numbers.

7,Not sure ,but your auto,are you Really going to push to need every last bit of power ?.

8,Change the water pump when doing Cambelt,It's easy to do both at once.

9,refer to 5

10,only if you can feed it COLD air,otherwise,it's for wank value.

Above all else,be realistic,you have a 23year old 1600 auto car,but do enjoy it and use it !!

[MrGrey]

thanks everyone, sound advice

[broomfish]

I realize that all these questions are a bit subjective to each person, kinda like asking which beer is best, but I would love to hear your opinions.
If it helps, my car is a 1990 1.6l na automatic (yeah, I know, auto is ewww)

1) how often should you replace your fuel filter?
One of the most overlooked service items on vehicles today, it is not uncommon for a fuel filter to have been on the car for 100,000km or more.
Recommended interval is as low as 40,000km on some models, dont know what the mazda recommended interval is sorry.
Fuel filters are available at he bromfish store
http://www.broomfish.co.nz/products_ymm ... &Year=1990

2) when I do my next service, should I get the engine, transmission & gearbox oil all done at the same time? (I'd be paying a garage to do it)
Gear oil interval is generally 50,000 km

3) are name-brand oil filters worth the extra cost? or are OEM oil filters fine?
OEM Filters are designed to fit the engine but are made by a filter manufacturer and branded for the OEM. Name band filter are designed to meet or exceed the OEM specificaions so are fine to use
Oil filters are availale at the broomfish store
http://www.broomfish.co.nz/products_ymm ... &Year=1990

4) are performance spark-plugs and leads worth getting? if so, are there any particular brands or models to go for?
NGK leads are a well priced replacement when the original leads wear out and short causing a misfire. Iridium plugs give a better spark with longer life and are well priced at the broomfish store
Ngk plugs and leads are availale at the brromfish store
http://www.broomfish.co.nz/products_ymm ... &Year=1990

6) what sort of oil should I run on a daily driver?
I find 10w40 semi synthetic works nicely. Any reputable brand is fine

7) would my car be suitable for the 14 degree timing mod?
Yes

8 ) what sort of lifespan do the water pumps have? should I look at replacing mine at the same time as when I get around to replacing the cam belt? (regardless of whether or not the pump is working fine)
Depends on how well the cooling system has been serviced. At 100,000km when replaceing the cambelt, your wold be wise to replace the waterpmp also as the chances of it lasting another 100,000km are low.
Water pumps are availale at the broomfish store
Water pumps are available from the broomfish store
http://www.broomfish.co.nz/products_ymm ... &Year=1990

9) why was there no #5?
Unsure, but check out all the parts at the bromfish store
http://www.broomfish.co.nz/products_ymm ... &Year=1990

10) are intake pipes worth getting?

I have a 77mm intake pipe on my na8 and noticed a big difference
thanks for your feedback
Thanks for the opportunity for several shameless plugs, sorry for the typos, this pad cant keep up with my fat fingers

[MrGrey]

Thanks broomfish, that makes things very convenient
I will definitely be ordering some bits from you in the future. Oh and thank you for the air flow meter adapter, if fitted perfectly and my ride sounds a lot better.

[ross]

If youve just bought a mx5 and doing servicing change the heater and radiator hoses.
Ive sold to many replacement engines due to hoses letting go and cooking the engine.
I have them in stock, cheap peace of mind.

[Skilfil]

Thanks for the opportunity for several shameless plugs, sorry for the typos, this pad cant keep up with my fat fingers

Ahh I had forgotten all about your site, thanks for reminding me there are a few things I'd like to grab off there next week

[MrGrey]

OK, thread resurrection time

My WOF is next week so I figured I should give it an oil change. I have ordered a Ryco oil filter and some iridium sparkplugs (yeah I know the plugs are overkill) and.... once again.... I have some questions

1) how much oil capacity does the 1.6NA have? 4 liters? and is there much difference between 15w40 and 10w40 oil?

2) why do they call groups like one direction boybands when none of them play instruments? wouldn't the correct term be boys choir?

3) when it comes to oil, should I go for fully synthetic, half synthetic or just run of the mill natural oil? (on my last care I didn't really give a toss about it so I just used whatever was cheapest at supercheap)

4) should I use one of those engine additives you put in before you drain the oil? eg those ones you pour in, run the engine for 10 mins then drain everything out?

6) how tight should I make the sparkplugs? I have a horrible memory from 20 years ago when I overtightened the sparkplug on my motorbike and shagged the thread so I don't want to mess this up.

Thanks again for your input

[SkilletKid]

1) how much oil capacity does the 1.6NA have? 4 liters? and is there much difference between 15w40 and 10w40 oil?

Can't quite remember the exact quantity for it but when I did mine the other week I just put in ~3L (maybe less), waited 5 minutes then checked the dipstick. Continued adding, waiting then checking until it was near the full line.

Don't think there would be much difference between the 15w and 10w but if you have a ticking coming from the engine (see Valve Lifter Ticking) some people (myself included) found switching to a lower viscosity helped. I'm sure there are others on here more knowledgeable though haha.

2) why do they call groups like one direction boybands when none of them play instruments? wouldn't the correct term be boys choir?

What about a Merry Band of Jesters?

3) when it comes to oil, should I go for fully synthetic, half synthetic or just run of the mill natural oil? (on my last care I didn't really give a toss about it so I just used whatever was cheapest at supercheap)

Will need correcting from those who know more; apparently the more synthetic, the longer before the next oil change.

4) should I use one of those engine additives you put in before you drain the oil? eg those ones you pour in, run the engine for 10 mins then drain everything out?

Is your engine making a loud ticking noise (as I described in #1)? If not then you probably don't need to. Just run the engine for a bit to give it some temperature to make the old oil come out a bit easier.

6) how tight should I make the sparkplugs? I have a horrible memory from 20 years ago when I overtightened the sparkplug on my motorbike and shagged the thread so I don't want to mess this up.

Have access to a torque wrench? If you are putting anti-seize on the threads then ~13-15 ft/lb. If no anti-seize then ~15-17 is what I got from miata.net's common torque values for the mx5.

Most people can do it by feel but I'm way too pants on head retarded for that.

7) A Wild Number 7 Appeared!


Hope it helps, good luck and have fun =]

[broomfish]

Thanks for the order Steve, they will be on their way to you today

My Opinions:

1) About 4.5 litres. I use a 10w40 semi synthetic and the car really likes it

2) because it wouldn't be good marketing to call them "a group of boring kids"

3) see #1

4) Using an oil flush prior to drain doesnt hurt, especially if the oil is really dirty, but generally isnt neccesary if the engine has been regulary serviced.

6) wind them in gently until the gasket washer hits the head, then give them a 'tweak' which is about 1/8 to 1/4 turn.

7) I prefer a cucumber, but any vegetable will usually suffice

[warrior]

Use the best full synthetic you can find...it is cheap insurance and I flush my engine as it just gives it a good clean out before you put in good oil,

[chris]

Thanks for all the info! After I nearly cooked my engine with my cone circling on the weekend I figure I should start some maintenance

Can a mod sticky this thread?

[Kieran]

1. 3.5L-4L Good Full Synthetic 10W-30 (mines been in for nearly 10000Kms still crystal clear)
2. Because you can't advertise them as what we want to call them
3. See 1.
4. Only if it hasn't been regularly serviced
6? Really does 5. not exist anymore
5! 15-22 N.m/11-16 Ft. Lbs. And Anti-Seize! Anti-Seize! Anti-Seize!

[authentic]

When I changed mine about 3000km ago, I used 5W-30 full synthetic Castrol, and it got rid of the HLA ticking that was there when I got the car.

Oil is still nice and clear.

[MrGrey]

thanks for the replies guys, is there a particular brand of anti seize you could recommend? or are they all pretty much the same?

[marcellarius]

NGK specifically says not to use anti-seize on their plugs, generally not necessary on plugs that have a shiny metal coating on the threads. Anti-seize can lead to over-torquing them. I didn't use anti seize. I did use a torque wrench.

Reference: http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/pdf/TB-063 ... isieze.pdf

[SkilletKid]

Guys at work use the Penrite copper-eze stuff. I have a tub that I bought ages ago, does the trick. Can't remember how much it cost though.

[marcellarius]

I got a tub of Copper-eze from Repco for under $25. It's pretty useful to have around although it's probably more than I'll ever need.