Sometime last year, Mandy had mentioned that the car ran really weakly after starting from a stop-sign for her. I had never noticed any such thing and ignored the report figuring I'd see it myself eventually. I took the car with our systems admin to a show downtown at the convention center and on the way back, it started sputtering and wouldn't quit. I pulled both a 171 and a 303 code from the car. The first is a lean condition and the second is cylinder 3 misfire.
Surfing the web suggested ignition problems. I had previously replaced the plugs and wires so I found a cheap ($100) coil pack at pep boys. No Joy.
I'll look at fuel injectors next....
Friday, November 29, 2013
That miserable parking garage pilon
...the one you think only idiots hit. It was my turn to be an idiot when I hit one in the garage at low speed after a long day and having parked in an unusual spot. I munched the left fender and part of the bumper. The estimate came in at $1600, wich was about 50% more than I might have expected given that the same shop replaced the rear bumper on the Subie for $600 or so last Winter. It looked like they were under new management, so maybe they had different bidding practices. They were nice enough to yank the fender out of the way of the wheel and put in a bolt to hold the plastic junk underneath out of the way to make it drivable. This was in September maybe.
New Clutch, throwout bearing, pilot bearing etc.
A few weeks after the squeaks started they got bad enough to take it in. Craig drove it carefully for a while to hear the squeaks (of course they were more quiet once I got there). When we got back to the garage he set the parking brake and then released the clutch right to the point where the (pilot?) bearing was squealing. $1300 (?!) for a new clutch, bearings and rear main seal and it's good to go.
...but he was a little anxious about hearing that the car was running fine once we got it back. In fact, it was running fine. I could tell that lots of things between the engine and transmission were tightened. The work was more noticeable than the lack of squeak. If you let off or stepped on the clutch quicker than usually there was less clunk and rattle than before.
...but he was a little anxious about hearing that the car was running fine once we got it back. In fact, it was running fine. I could tell that lots of things between the engine and transmission were tightened. The work was more noticeable than the lack of squeak. If you let off or stepped on the clutch quicker than usually there was less clunk and rattle than before.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Happy Oil Rings, Squeaky Clutch?
I've been driving the Miata fairly regularly the 10 minutes to work and back. High-rpm puffs seem to be diminishing. Maybe the oil control rings are loosening up.
On the other hand, I've started to hear some squeaks and screeches from the clutch. I've always heard a bit of pilot bearing rumble (goes away when clutch is depressed), but it started with a bit of a dry squeak while the clutch was being depressed. I've read that this involves a loss of lubricant of the shift shaft and isn't catastrophic. On the other hand, I heard a much more obnoxious screetch the other day that wasn't tied as directly to clutch in or out. We sat, I think in neutral, clutch out, at a traffic light when a screetch started. A touch of gas made it go up and down and then it quit. Pilot bearing finally going?
On the other hand, I've started to hear some squeaks and screeches from the clutch. I've always heard a bit of pilot bearing rumble (goes away when clutch is depressed), but it started with a bit of a dry squeak while the clutch was being depressed. I've read that this involves a loss of lubricant of the shift shaft and isn't catastrophic. On the other hand, I heard a much more obnoxious screetch the other day that wasn't tied as directly to clutch in or out. We sat, I think in neutral, clutch out, at a traffic light when a screetch started. A touch of gas made it go up and down and then it quit. Pilot bearing finally going?
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