The thread where Skidude asks stupid questions
#41
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Can anybody tell me what solenoid I need to reinstall for vtcs (a description or something)? I took that whole area of the engine bay apart thinking it was all emissions crap and I can't remember which solenoid I need for vtcs.
I still haven't remembered the startup log, but I do intend to post it as soon as I read this thread from my home computer.
I still haven't remembered the startup log, but I do intend to post it as soon as I read this thread from my home computer.
#42
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So nobody can help me with the VTCS solenoid? I took pictures of that area of my engine bay before I disassembled everything, but none of the pictures show which solenoid that hose went to. It's all obscured by other stuff. I suspect it's the orange sensor I have, but I honestly don't know.
#43
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This is the hose that runs to the actuator, if anybody could take a picture of the solenoid, or describe it to me or something.
Here is how my garage looks right now. I reserved an engine lift tomorrow to put the motor back in the car.
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#44
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Also, here is a log of one of my typical starts last fall. I think. It looks like it, anyway. I also think that is the msq that goes with it. I could be off a couple days, but the symptoms were the same every day.
#45
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Well, for anybody still paying attention, I put the engine back in on Saturday, and hooked it up enough to start it on Sunday. Is there a trick I missed to putting the engine in? It took me and a friend more than an hour to get the motor mount bolts lined up with the holes. Granted, we didn't have a load leveler for the engine lift, it still felt a lot harder than I expected.
The engine looked really nice in the bay, all clean and painted, and then I put all the harnesses back and plugged them in, so it looks like a rat's nest again, but a slightly cleaner and more painted rat's nest. If I were more patient, I would do a wire tuck, but I am not, so it will have to do.
On the list of things to do tonight is fill the coolant and transmission fluid and maybe stick some dynamat strips in the doors. I have a little bit I'd like to put in strategic places, so I figure a couple strips in each door, a couple more up on the parcel shelf, and beyond that I am open to suggestions.
Now, since this is a stupid questions thread, here is the stupid question: On the 6-speed, which side of the transmission is the fill-hole on? I looked quickly once this weekend and saw one bolt on each side that kind of looked like it could be a fill hole. I plan to open that hole, then just fill the trans through the turret until fluid comes out of that hole. It will be easier that way, I think.
The engine looked really nice in the bay, all clean and painted, and then I put all the harnesses back and plugged them in, so it looks like a rat's nest again, but a slightly cleaner and more painted rat's nest. If I were more patient, I would do a wire tuck, but I am not, so it will have to do.
On the list of things to do tonight is fill the coolant and transmission fluid and maybe stick some dynamat strips in the doors. I have a little bit I'd like to put in strategic places, so I figure a couple strips in each door, a couple more up on the parcel shelf, and beyond that I am open to suggestions.
Now, since this is a stupid questions thread, here is the stupid question: On the 6-speed, which side of the transmission is the fill-hole on? I looked quickly once this weekend and saw one bolt on each side that kind of looked like it could be a fill hole. I plan to open that hole, then just fill the trans through the turret until fluid comes out of that hole. It will be easier that way, I think.
#46
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Driver's side. Fill and drain are both on the driver's side. Do not touch the passenger side bolt that looks like a drain!
Some cheap vinyl tubing from Lowes Home Racing + a funnel will allow you to run the hose down past the brake master and stuff it into the hole. 1/2" ID tubing will fit almost exactly, and seal well enough that when the fluid gets to that level it will start backing into the tubing, making checking for when it's full very easy. That way if you spill something, you spill it in the engine bay.
Some cheap vinyl tubing from Lowes Home Racing + a funnel will allow you to run the hose down past the brake master and stuff it into the hole. 1/2" ID tubing will fit almost exactly, and seal well enough that when the fluid gets to that level it will start backing into the tubing, making checking for when it's full very easy. That way if you spill something, you spill it in the engine bay.
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It's the "Magic bolt of transmission rebuilding". I can't find my pdf of the manual for the 6 speed, the M.net link in the garage doesn't work unless you buy premium access to hypershares, and the boostedmiata link doesn't work either. But it holds stuff in place internally, and if removed, the transmission has to be taken apart to get the stuff back in the right position.
The fill bolt is the higher (duh) bolt forward towards the bellhousing.
Image shamelessly stolen from the interwebs. Link to m.net article here.
The fill bolt is the higher (duh) bolt forward towards the bellhousing.
Image shamelessly stolen from the interwebs. Link to m.net article here.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/general-miata-chat-9/37343d1332279568-thread-where-skidude-asks-stupid-questions-fill_bolt_location_driver_s_side.jpg)
#49
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New stupid question:
How much noise is a turbo supposed to make? Mine makes a very faint tic tic tic noise as it's slowing down after I turn off the car. I can't tell if a blade is making contact with something, or a bearing noise, or what, but I don't remember hearing it before I had the ends off.
Thoughts? This may be worth its own topic...
How much noise is a turbo supposed to make? Mine makes a very faint tic tic tic noise as it's slowing down after I turn off the car. I can't tell if a blade is making contact with something, or a bearing noise, or what, but I don't remember hearing it before I had the ends off.
Thoughts? This may be worth its own topic...
#50
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Is there any way to get those stupid clamps off the coolant system without taking the hoses off? A bunch of the OEM "spring" clamps aren't tight enough so the hoses are leaking. I want to replace them with worm clamps, but I don't want to empty the coolant. I will try just bending them off, but that may or may not work. Tips are appreciated.
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That's pretty much your choice - manhandle them off however they will come off.
Although the OEM spring clamps do wear out eventually, I like them on radiator hoses. They will self-adjust for temp expansion/cooling. Replacements are available at any parts store. Worm clams will eat into the hose. Be a baus and go t-bolt if you don't go with spring clamps, they won't cut into the hose and you can get them tight enough that expansion don't matter. Siliconeintakes.com
And the t-bolts will easily go on without taking the hose off.
Although the OEM spring clamps do wear out eventually, I like them on radiator hoses. They will self-adjust for temp expansion/cooling. Replacements are available at any parts store. Worm clams will eat into the hose. Be a baus and go t-bolt if you don't go with spring clamps, they won't cut into the hose and you can get them tight enough that expansion don't matter. Siliconeintakes.com
And the t-bolts will easily go on without taking the hose off.
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Do I recall there is not much need to upgrade coils on the NB2s? I think I am getting a misfire at low RPM and boost (I haven't investigated yet) and wondered if weak coils could be the cause.
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^Made that same mistake with mine... only mine was way more than "slighly d-shaped"... it was seriously mangled. Good news is that the metal is very soft (copper?) and can be re-massaged into a roughly round form. Get it as round as you can, then use a worm-type hose-clamp on it, that will give even pressure across the surface. The factory pinch-type clamps will leak under pressure unless the pipe is very close to perfectly round. I used half-a-roll of teflon tape on mine and double clamped the ---- out of it to get it not to leak.
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That said, do you have a cutoff wheel/die grinder/dremel?
Just cut the clamp through and it will fall away and you can open up and thread the worm clamp around the hose.
#54
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Dude, Sam TOLD you to not use them in February. If you are going to ask for advice you should at least follow it.![Giggle](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/gay.gif)
That said, do you have a cutoff wheel/die grinder/dremel?
Just cut the clamp through and it will fall away and you can open up and thread the worm clamp around the hose.
![Giggle](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/gay.gif)
That said, do you have a cutoff wheel/die grinder/dremel?
Just cut the clamp through and it will fall away and you can open up and thread the worm clamp around the hose.
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Yes, I have a dremel. I can give that a try, but I am afraid I will damage the hoses. I haven't gotten much practice on it so I'm not too steady.
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I'm leaking oil. It's coming from that stupid T-fitting beside the oil filter. I was really careful to put some thread sealant on all the threads, then I tightened them down pretty good, but it still leaks. Are there any common mistakes associated with this part? I think it leaked all last year as well, and so I put it together very carefully this time but I guess I didn't do it right. Are there some thread sealants more suitable for oil lines than others?
To be clear, I put sealant on both ends of the fitting that attaches to the block, and both the oil pressure sensor, and the end of the turbo-line fitting that goes in the T fitting. Not on the AN end of that fitting.
To be clear, I put sealant on both ends of the fitting that attaches to the block, and both the oil pressure sensor, and the end of the turbo-line fitting that goes in the T fitting. Not on the AN end of that fitting.