it is me or
 

Is it me or has this forum kind of died off a lot when I first joined there was about 240 active members and I have just noticed that we are down to just 90 active members

thoughts?

yeah its not the best, i tend to use locost builders but still post on here hoping it will help pick things up abit, also i don't think it helps as im sure the forum doesnt really work properly, the new posts button never really works for me so i have to manually look though each section to check

It's certainly not the most active forum I've been on and as mentioned the problems with the forum don't help when you have outages for days. I still haven't started my build after taking delivery of my chassis but hopefully that will change soon. I tend to keep one eye on this place and the other over on locost builders

Its one of those things when building something where you get lots done in a short space of time and then fits and starts and the possibility of jacking it in all together and not bothering to come and visit here cos you are sick of it.

Human nature....

I've been using this site since 2009 both as a resource for information and a platform as a supplier and I've come to the conclusion that there are two different types of forum user. There are active forum members who will sign in and post about their progress or lack of it with their builds and comment on just about every thing, and others that will just sit and read the forum using it as a resource and never post a single thing. There are also other online means such as face book which is a much more actively used site and is tied in to much of daily life with mobiles and tablets.

My ten pence worth, being fairly new to the forum I have no comparison to previous years. However i am not sure how well advertised the Haynes was all them years ago, and the attraction what brough builders to consider this site.
I came across the Haynes by pure chance (I was 90% convinced to go Westfield route before actively searching the hell out roadsters).
Maybe in today's era the likes of Gbs,etc all seem to be pretty proactive in enticing and maintaining relations with there customer base and owners clubs.
On here it's more of a social environment divided across wherever for general build advice.

I do think there is great potential to use this site as an owners club or similar, would just need someone to take the time to arrange things, find deals and create site chat. These sort of areas surely would generate some activity?

Further ten pence worth, it's also noticeable as a newer builder that suppliers of Haynes parts are also diluting. Of course metal work is available but there are limited suppliers bodywork etc...
I have heard stories of Saturn sports running bbqs at weekends with builders just for general chat and banter.

I think it mostly depends on the number of cars being built now. When I started mine 4 years ago, I think there were more than 10 cars being built at the same time, so it gave a lot of activity on the forum, both with build threads, and problems/questions/answers. How many car are being build now? Perhaps not even the half of what it was at that time, so this should explain the lack of activity on the forum.

Even if my car is finished now, I read the new posts every day, and try to help whenever I can (when I don't raise a problem I'm having myself.. still :) ). But more and more built are MX5 based now, and I wish I could help more, but I can't because I have a Sierra based Roadster experience (and perhaps many members from the "completed-car club" feel the same?). So we are in a transition period between these 2 concepts, and this might be another factor.

Just my humble opinion :)

No offence to anybody reading this so don't take any.

In the days of Saturn and the very start of this forum there were people involved and making a living from the roadster and there was a hardcore of builders always present on here ready to go the extra mile and as Neil said Saturday was open house and good banter and lots of help from them too,through no fault of his own and circumstances changing Spud sold the business and the sad loss of a lovely lady that I was privileged to meet saw Handy Andy selling his car and no longer doing chassis kits.

Things happen and the new Saturn owner was no more,people don't tend to come on here who's car is finished,its a crying shame that the things that go happen through the common cause (building a car) could not be taken into daily life,who goes to someones house they don't know and have never met other than on here and helps/lends tools etc,no one.

It is what it is and lets hope the marque continues.

Was not meant to be a sermon .:D

Just re-reading the post and I have been here since 2008 !!!!

The single seater did not go down well either.

i Come in here almost everyday, I stopped building the Haynes when I found a local build chevron in NZ. I used an MX5 donor so this is great resource for coming back to builds and seeing how problems were solved. I use the search a lot. Not posting but Im here.......well on the other side of the world:)

There seems to be an awful lot of guests lately I am wondering if we are due another spam bot frienzy

Sometimes when I browse via my mobile it doesn't log me in automatically and shows me as a guest.

The forum was setup to give support to people building a Haynes Roadster. It fulfils that roll well I think but yes it is technically an awful forum. When I joined there was a lot more happening but there was also a lot of trash talk with bickering suppliers and so on. It's quieter now but you can still get the answers you need. If you want a social forum then I'd look elsewhere. I actually like the fact that it's quiet on here, there is more substance to the posts that are made than on a lot of other forums.

I'd like to see plans created for another donor car, the MX5 is almost perfect for the job of donor but how about an S2000 and BMW donor (that docent have a stupidly tight fitting engine). That may bring more life back to the forum.

There is a lot guests also and people who read but don't post, I'm sure the forum is helping more people than we are aware of. People who disappear after build completion do so mainly because they get bored and move on to the next challenge, I guess that is just an inherent factor in people that decide to build a car from scratch.:)

Westfield do an S2000 kit £13999.

I was nosing at that a couple of years back at Newark show iirc

What about a Jag S-type?

Solid Ford engines in a variety of configurations, and dirt cheap. The electronics add an extra element of "challange", but then they do that on all modern cars.

I suppose I am one of those who use the forum occasionally as I am part way through my Haynes /Sierra/MX5 build. One reason for fewer people may be the problems getting proper registered access to the group. It took me several attempts to get registered. Maybe.
The other is that this forum already has a wealth of knowledge and solutions stored within it. I often reach snag points and then search the site and lo and behold the answer is already there! So often I don't do a post where in the past I may have done. I do think it is good when I do have an unsolvable problem as a post on here usually ends up with a solution.

At the moment I am wiring loom wrestling. The MX5 I had had a fault where the engine would turn over but no ignition and oil lights etc on. Then , a click, the lights came on and the car started every time. Now I am putting it all back together the fault is back. I'm still checking things that I can but maybe a help post coming soon.

Interesting!:)

What year engine?

1998 Mk 2 with transponder key and 1.6 engine

Mmm, difficult one that. Could be the immobiliser. I don't have wiring diagrams for a 1997 only 1996. There is a wire that goes to the starter but also to the ST SIGN fuse that then feeds the ECU and fuel relay. If this wire is damaged you could turn over the engine without out it starting. The "click" sounds like it could be the fuel pump relay is faulty but it could also point to the other two possibilities.

So bypass or replace the fuel the pump relay and check the continuity of this feed wire to the ECU, if you still have the issue then possibly an immobiliser issue! HTH :)

Ive fitted an S2000 engine in my Haynes (sierra donor originally ) Just a matter of engine and gearbox mounts and engine electronics - I went for Omex. I got the engine and box really cheap and got it all in and running for about 2.5 k, that may sound expensive until you price up a 250 bhp Duratec engine.

Thanks Chris, the relay has been checked and is ok but replaced it anyway, the other suggestions I'll check after we say goodbye to the grandchildren we are looking after at the moment

Have you got a build thread, how did you find dealing with the engine height?

I remember this one from years back.

https://haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=6867

Worth checking the main relay as well as it feeds the fuel pump relay if you haven't already done so.

Edit:

If you don't get any brake or charge warning lights when you turn the key as well then there is a good chance that the issue is with the ignition switch or the white wire that feeds the ign switch or the blue wire that runs to the meter fuse.

I only have decorating to do today so I'm quite happy to try and get this resolved for you. I hate decorating, can you tell!! lol

HaHa - know what you mean with that one - I've seen the diagrams listing the blue wire but my Mk 2 doesn't have a blue wire - Power arrives at the ign switch and I have checked on an ohm meter where the switch sends it as you turn the key and that appears to be ok. I think its a beak in one of the wires but as yet haven't found out which one it is. I've got lots of Miata wiring diagrams but as yet no Mk 2 UK one for my year car. I'll get there eventually. Anyone want a 5 year old and 18 month old to look after so I can get back to the car

I don't think they made a mk2 in 1997, but sounds like your on the right track to getting to the bottom of it. Couple more weeks and they'll all be back at school! Thank god!:rolleyes:

Maybe I wrote it wrong earlier, I didn't think I had, its 1998 - at 18 months school is immaterial for one of them, thankfully the better one to manage :)

Oh dear did some check and found I had somehow connected the rear loom where the dash loom goes and vice versa. Corrected the fault but as yet no change. hope I haven't fried the ecu etc :(

Oh dear. :(

checked all your fuses?

I doubt S2000 would be very popular. It's a ~£2500 up-front cost just for the donor drivetrain. My impression is that the 'on a budget' aspect is very popular on this forum, not many builders here are building without tight monetary constraints. Probably those who can afford it just go for a kit from Westfield or others.

BMW 3-series, E36-E46, on the other hand, would be great. Globally available and not expensive.

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It gets worse - I couldn't find 12 volts at contact 1A but could at 1b where it was ok. At a local mechanics suggestion I took the ECU apart and found all this corrosion. 1A has rotted away completely! Looks like a new ECU. lucky I have one - hooked it up together with the immobilizer and new keys - and -- back to square one. The cars electrics work, headlamps, interior light, relays click when the clutch or brake pedal get depressed as they should but the ignition circuit still does not light up. Still think its a dodgy wire so back to checking again

Oh dear, but at last you can move on with the diags.

Yes they are expensive but you can get a whole car for £2500 and sell all the bits you don't need drastically reducing costs. I reckon you could recover £1500 of the original purchase cost. I've done that with mx5s costing £500. My concern would be engine height though. Westfield make a custom sump for there donor build. Also you wouldn't want to fit 17" wheels to one of these cars, fitting smaller wheels would mess up the speedo and the gearing I guess.

FIXED IT!!!!!!! MX5's have black wires all over the place which get joined up and end up at an earth point. The joints have 6 or 7 wires held together with a crimp. That crimp didn't work on the earth to the main relay so a bit of rewire and solder and it finally turns on.
3 weeks to find that out :)

Well Done! :D Very satisfying sorting out wiring issues.:)