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 )

[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?
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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