Another build/rebuild thread Sierra + MX5

[Ianr]

I've been her a while and have had a few of my build questions answered in a number of other threads so I thought it was time to bring it all under one thread. I am now retired so thought I'd better get this build in before its too late.
I built my first car when I was 18 and it was a Lotus 6, a rebuild of a wreck I got from a scrapyard. Two more followed, an Opus HRF and a Ginetta G15 before a move to bikes and a Norton Commando 850 at age 21. I've rebuilt cars over the years and also built a two berth bilge keel yacht. Until a sudden attack of common sense I had bikes as well but eventually sold my Honda Pan European.
I fancied another go at a kit car and looked at GBS Westfield and MEV Exocet but money was an issue so I decided to find a part built Robin Hood 2B+. Then it went wrong and I found a failed build Haynes Roadster. It looked promising and was - er - 95% built. Where have I heard that before?
I got the car home and as I looked at it I found the chassis was fine but much of the mechanical stuff was badly built or dangerous. I removed the Pinto engine and 4 speed box and replaced with a 1.6 MX5 engine and box. Equinox body panels were removed. Everything has been taken apart and replaced or refurbished so I have finally started on the rebuild - or maybe - the build of the car. At the moment I am starting at the rear and have just stripped and rebuilt the rear end with a Sierra diff and drum brakes. A new fuel tank has been sourced from another forum member and will be properly fitted soon.

So at the moment I have a rolling chassis with lots to do.
I have a build blog at http://ianhaynes20.wordpress.com if you want to see where I am at the moment. It gets updated when it rains so its not always fully up to date.

Target - IVA'd by this time next year, I want to take it to the Nat KitCar Show 2016!

IanR

[vmax1974]

Good luck with the build am hoping to get mine on the road next year assuming funds allow

[dubzter]

Good to hear Ian, I was already following your blog. Look forward to seeing the progress.

[Ianr]

Ok so I'm not up to date with my blog, one rainy day and it will be up to date. In the mean time I've got to sort out exhaust manifolds and things so I have a question.
Mine is a 1998 Mk 2 1.6 MX5 donor so I am going to have to have a cat etc. At the back of the engine at the moment is a pipe from the exhaust manifold to the inlet manifold. I guess its an EGR or manifold heater, not sure.
The question is - do I need to keep it to keep emissions correct or can it be removed. I intend to use all the sensors and ecu from the donor car?
Any ideas?
IanR

[garyt]

hi yes its the egr pipe, have read that you can blank them off but it throws a fault code on the engine management, I left mine connected....
Gary

[Ianr]

Thanks Gary - I was going to get a 4 into 1 manifold so I'm going to have to do a rethink to get through IVA

[flyerncle]

Some egr valves sense the amount of lift in the valve body and usually have 5 wires ,leave it connected and try blanking it off,should not effect emissions as have seen scoobys go through mot with no cat and emissions are spot on (then failed it for no cat fitted :D )

[Ianr]

Ok thanks for that. I've got to sort out an exhaust manifild for the car, I was hoping to put a Mk 1 manifold on but it doesn't have an outlet for the EGR. I guess I'll have to see what I can do with the Mk 2 manifold with crude (mine) rerouting of the pipes. That way I can keep the EGR and no probs with IVA. If I was sure just blanking off the egr would give no mil light I would be happy with that. The issue I suppose is not knowing what will happen when I put the wiring loom in and an exhaust and fire it up.
Thanks for the help guys.

[flyerncle]

Blank egr port off and leave valve connected to wiring and see what happens,its more to do with it being there and ecu see's it as working and does not actually know if there is gas going through it only its position relative to maf and tps engine load and revs.

Hide EML light !

[Ianr]

I've posted this elsewhere but have had no reply yet, can anyone here help?
--------------------------------------------------------------
I'm building a Haynes Sierra/MX5 Roadster with a Mazda MX 5 1.6 Mk 2 steering column. I bought a steering wheel and boss from ebay which had been fitted to a 1.8 Mk 1. Ok I knew there would be issues with the airbag and horn but I was surprised to find the splines on my Mk 2 column are about 15mm dia where the boss I have bought is about 25mm. Looking around many suppliers say a Mk 1 boss will fit a Mk 2 but with no airbag or horn connections.

Does anyone know what the column diameters are on the various models - or have a boss that will fit my Mk 2 - I don't want to buy a Mk 1 boss to find it will not fit again.

Thanks
Ian

[Stot]

MK1 splines are never an inch. They take a 17mm nut IIRC and 15mm sounds right. NA and NB Mazdas are the same, dont know about NC.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/bosses-fitting-kits/car/mazda/mx5-90-05/omp-steering-wheel-boss-kit

Same boss for 90-05 cars.

Sounds to me like your boss is wrong.

Cheers
Stot

[Ianr]

MK1 splines are never an inch. They take a 17mm nut IIRC and 15mm sounds right. NA and NB Mazdas are the same, dont know about NC.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/bosses-fitting-kits/car/mazda/mx5-90-05/omp-steering-wheel-boss-kit

Same boss for 90-05 cars.

Sounds to me like your boss is wrong.

Cheers
Stot

Thanks Stot - that is exactly what I thought, I have been back to the seller of the boss who is insistent on it came off a 1.8 MX5. Looks like I will have to buy another.

[Ianr]

Sorry guys, its been a long time since an update and as some of the (non) progress has been detailed elsewhere I'll do a summary. (Sorry its a bit long).

The engine and gearbox were in, steering and suspension sorted, radiator mounted and I've sorted out all the plumbing so I tried to sort out the wiring. The MX5 I broke up was working when I stripped it so I thought all was well with the wiring but just to make sure I laid it all on the car and hooked it all up to test it out with the original loom. I had previously removed wiring for electric windows, air con, things that were not connected and tidied the loom up a bit.

I hooked it up and although the speedo lit up with its mileage and the engine turned over the batt light didn't come on. I spent ages looking for wiring diagrams for my Mk 2 but could never get an exact match so testing voltages was difficult. Eventually I found water damage to the plugs on the ECU. I bought some from a guy on facebook and after waiting ages they didn't arrive. I found some more at MX5 city, they didn't arrive so after talking to them, apologies, they had forgotten to send them. A set arrived, the wrong ones, for a Mk1. More apologies and eventually another correct set arrived. I replaced the ECU plugs but no change. I found a very useful sheet which give all the expected voltages and what they connect to for the ECU but couldn't get them to match correctly. I checked inside the ECU and lots of corrosion, wires missing and lots of green corrosion. Now I replaced the ECU, immobiliser computer and the transponder key set and steering lock.
Eventually I got it hooked up and it turned on with proper dash lights. I hadn't got the fuel sorted so a delay.
I fitted the loom properly with clips every 200mm or so, ditto the fuel system, made a battery tray and put it all together properly.
Final connection of fuel pipe made today at about 3pm. Hooked up the FP to ground contacts on the diagnostic socket and the fuel pump worked, put some fuel in stolen from the lawn mower and let it prime.
Turned the key and IT STARTED!!!!!!!!
Never thought it would after all the time spent getting nowhere and I don't understand why it ran before being dismantled but Hoorah, its finally coming together after 8 weeks messing with the wiring!

[CTWV50]

Bloody hell well done for persevering! :)

[Ianr]

Sorry guys, this has really been too long but now is time for an update. I lost the will to pursue the car over winter, there is not much room in my garage so I started again with the weather improving. LOTS of jobs have been done with loads of problems solved but the car is now finally built and today I sent off my IVA application together with cheque for £450!
I have hundreds of photos to update my blog and will update it - eventually- so apologies for not doing. This blog has been brilliant though, I have a problem, search for a solution, and there it is! If its not there it always has been on the Locost blog which is why I haven't done very many posts. Promise to keep you all updated over IVA though :-)

[garyt]

Well done for pulling back into the build and glad your to this point, I didn't say finished cos they never are lol
Good luck with the iva hope you don't have long to wait

[Ianr]

This morning at Norwich at first attempt - IVA PASSED!
Dennis the tester was excellent, he pointed out a couple of things that I was able to quickly rectify, a little bit of edge trim, a brake pipe rubbing on full lock and a tether for my filler cap. Hadn't been able to check the speedo but that was 2 mph high throughout the range, emissions well inside the limit, brakes test ok and only 94db on noise. Now for battle with the DVLA and get it on the road for - er - November?

[chris_smith]

Congrats Ian well done

On another note, the ecu plugs for the mk1 incorrectly sent to you, have you still got them? I need a set and am struggling:mad:

[Ianr]

Hmm - not sure Chris - I'll have to have a rummage in the garage, I'll let you know

[garyt]

Congratulations on a first time pass

[Ianr]

Thanks garyt, appreciated

[Baz1]

Well done on passing. Hope to see you on the roads in South Norfolk soon.

[Ianr]

DVLA sorted. The car was registered on 14th October just 11 days after its IVA. Danielle at DVLA was brilliant, very helpful and when I phoned to get an idea how long registration was going to take she said not to worry, she would find my file and would sort it all out herself that day and she did! An email with the documents needed to get plates made arrived and a few hours later the plates were on. A quick call to Adrian Flux and my £98 fully comp insurance had a registration instead of a VIN number and out for the first drive. Its quick (by my standards anyway). So a quick er 30 mile trip later I got back home with a few things to sort, all minor and the main one was the bonnet chattering which was cured with some draft excluder tape. Now where is the sunshine....

[garyt]

Well done feels great that first proper drive doesn't it now a wee bit of nice weather to enjoy her