I come to you with over 25 years as a professional automotive technician with an ASE masters and I'm also Ford Senior Master Tech. Now I teach automotive at the high school and college level. My life revolves around the transportation field. In 2004 I started racing the Spec Miata class with SCCA. That lead into me starting a business in Spec Miata rental and repair. With more than 14 prepared race cars available, I have become the go-to guy on the west coast for Miata repair, parts, setup, and rental. it is my goal to help you make safe and inexpensive repairs to your Spec Miata, Mx5 or Autocross cars.
To remove the crank bolt I removed the swaybar brakets and attached the socket and a braker bar to the bolt, lowered the car and jump started it. I didnt work till the 7th try. But at least it did XD
Al, I'm super grateful for you sharing your experience summarized into such a well made video. I have a specific use case which I really hope you can give me some help with, I'm building my miata for hillclimb (Europe), it's turbocharged and my suspension and tires (size and type) is completely free. What would you recommend for say 205/50/15 hillclimb soft slick as far as height and alignment goes? I was thinking I wouldn't really want to run on bump stops and maybe also would like to have a bit less camber and more toe than in your application?
Great video...being in the Rocky Mountains with thinner air density, do you think the optimal pressure is higher? I typically like coming off track on RR's at 33 or 34. hearing that you come off at 31 sounds a bit low. Am I crazy?
I never run on a track. I run RS4s 200tw. So just street. -2 cam all around, 1/8 toe-in total each axle and 6.5 caster without PS. 5" ride height for KY roads. These are the setting I found work best for my driving style on the road and for the average condition of the roads in my area. I have tried more aggressive settings and they work great on smooth roads but I drove to many times on rough roads. Love your videos
Whats Up Al! Loving all the videos - I'm currently back at tracking and have a 02 nb se with ac + power steering. Watched the video and I know you can take de-powering the steering rack a step further by removing it and doing the full de-power or buy one already but if you just do the method in your video - would you consider it safe enough for tracking - currently I'm in the NASA hpde program working my way up. Im keeping the ac it gets hot in the south. Your videos are awesome and inspiring, I'm currently doing the timing belt + water pump change...thanks man.
If I have a sloped driveway and can't safely pull the transmission from underneath, is this the best/only way to DIY a clutch job? Do you have to evacuate the AC refrigerant? Thanks?
awesome info as always Al, Thanks! -- an added PSA to anyone scrolling.. loctite those flywheel bolts if you're replacing or resurfacing. I blew up my clutch mis shifting this weekend because the flywheel bolts broke loose from the strain of putting into 2nd at nearly 80mph. Sounded like a rock tumbler coming off track. Also made quick work of the rear main seal. hard lesson!
Thanks for the video Al! As always, great stuff!! What alignment specs would you suggest for front / rear for a ‘94 Miata with 200 tread wear tires for track days?
Wait till you learn about how aerodynamics is affected by toe, that one will surprise you. Hint, toe out improves aerodynamics, and the more toe out you run, the better, aerodynamically. I know it's bad for tire longevity, and handling, but from a strictly aerodynamics POV toe out is better than toe in, by a wide margin. Toe out moves the turbulent wake from the tire outboard, while toe in moves the wake inboard.
the directional rating is usually for wet driving, ive ran numerous tires "backwards" when I would rotate my tires for track days, and it gave me no issue.
Have you ever run into the common clutch chattering issue? Is there an aftermarket clutch that you would recommend for stock power that would alleviate this?
I know it's an older video but do the pinion gears lose teeth with 1.8l's aswell? Currently having a tap on accel and decell and occasionally grinding connected to wheel speed from around the rear end. Going to drop the fluid and put a probe in there to see for sure but would like an opinion of possible causes from someone more experienced than me.
Are you sure you are not hearing a hub bearing? Does the noise speed up or go slower while making a turn? That will tell you what side the problem is on
Another great video as always. I know you have to train a new camera guy, but cut him some slack. They can't all be Mike....LOL!!! Speaking of turbo Miata.....When?
Al - So, how do you remove those rear bolts if one of your students snaps one off? Any tricks? Just torqued one to death when I used the wrong torque spec. Also, would you leave it alone if the other three are torqued correctly? Will the absence of that one bolt = a leak? (FWIW, it's one of the smaller "top" bolts".
