Okay so I'm trying to get it booked in this week for a head gasket change because I just don't have the time to do that myself right now and then it can have cam belt and pump done at the same time.
Luckily there are a lot of MX5 specialists so hopefully one of them can fit me in.
It looks like I've caught it fairly early so fingers crossed no head work.
If that can't get done within a couple of weeks then I'll scrap it and get another.
I've got some cool parts for it anyway
Yesterday when trying to get the crappy 15x8 Rotas off the front a I sheared a wheel nut because the previous owner had used
"lightweight" alloy nuts and over tightened them to about 5,000,000 Nm.
I have a chap coming while I'm at work tomorrow as I didn't have anything to get them off.
Not enough left to smash a socket on.
Another
£65 pi$$ed away.
It's a xxxxxx struggle but hopefully it's gonna be worth it.
I dunno why I do this to myself.
I've swapped out the shitty smoked lights and changed the gaskets on the rear lights
(no more wet boot
) and fixed wiring for the O2 sensor and side lights.
More wiring to go.
I'm swapping the new bonnet on today and putting the vented one up for sell.
Hopefully I'll fit the hardtop this week as well.
I really hope i can get this one on the road as I'm stupid enough to think I could fix the problems quick on this one and have some fun before I get the 2 back.
Oh well, now I have two cars out of action.
List of previous owner bodges and fuckups that I have fixed or will do shortly:
1.
xxxx wheel nuts overtightened more than any I've ever seen
2.
Almost all wires just cut and twisted together, sometimes a few inches from connectors which could have just been unplugged, and at best with only a shitty little bit of tape over the twist
3.
Front wings wrecked by his attempt at
"rolling" the arches
4.
AFM/filter not mounted to anything and just sitting on the body
5.
Hose clips loose on intake
6.
Suspected K-seal or Radweld in the the coolant
(now totally flushed)
7.
Side lights bonded to the bumper with bird xxxx and PVA glue
8.
Wrong heater controls fitted
9.
Driver door gutted and window held up with a piece of wood
(regulator now replaced)
10.
Crappy aftermarket door cards stuck on with black mastic
11.
Boot drilled badly for BGW
- oval holes
I can't wait to just be back at work and too busy to think about how much of an idiot I am for thinking this would be a couple of odd jobs and on the road.