New 5.0 NA from east TN
#1
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
A Problem Diary - New 5.0 NA from east TN
Hello v8miata! Just got two NAs, one has an 87 5.0 transplant. The miata is supposed to be the lighter, rear drive alternative my STI for cruising mountain roads. It's also something to do in my spare time.
However, i may have bit off more than i can chew i.e. windows & power steering don't work, needs bigger clutch master, exhaust re-routing incl x pipe etc etc etc.
Here's the v8
230k+ miles, odo doesn't work. Not sure of engine mileage.
And here's what used to be the daily driver. Waiting on new oil pan, hood, and a frame straightening.
However, i may have bit off more than i can chew i.e. windows & power steering don't work, needs bigger clutch master, exhaust re-routing incl x pipe etc etc etc.
Here's the v8
230k+ miles, odo doesn't work. Not sure of engine mileage.
And here's what used to be the daily driver. Waiting on new oil pan, hood, and a frame straightening.
Last edited by Lateralgeez; 03-11-2016 at 10:19 AM.
The following 2 users liked this post by Lateralgeez:
charchri4 (05-08-2015),
SupaDupaSteve (05-25-2015)
#2
Jim Stainer
Hey welcome to the forum! Too bad you jumped on a few weeks too late most of us were just in your neighborhood. You sure do live in a great part of the world for car guys. So did you build the V8 car or buy it that way? Post up your issues and you'll get plenty of help around here.
Last edited by charchri4; 06-01-2015 at 11:13 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Lateralgeez (05-10-2015)
#3
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Just missed you! I hope to attend Miatas at the Gap.
Here's some more info about the car from my miata.net thread.
Here's how the car came to me:
94 Miata
5.0 V8 from 87 Mustang, stock with new gaskets throughout
BBK headers & glass packs
New water pump
T-5 trans with new clutch
Short throw shifter
Aftermarket M3 aluminum radiator
Turbo 2 RX-7 limited slip rear end
Melling high volume oil pump
Autopower Spec Miata Roll Cage
Eibach Springs with KYB red adjustables
Flyin Miata front sway bar
Pics https://picasaweb.google.com/lilblub...sRgCKLH0aeRksz
Video from an autocross run
Here's some more info about the car from my miata.net thread.
Here's how the car came to me:
94 Miata
5.0 V8 from 87 Mustang, stock with new gaskets throughout
BBK headers & glass packs
New water pump
T-5 trans with new clutch
Short throw shifter
Aftermarket M3 aluminum radiator
Turbo 2 RX-7 limited slip rear end
Melling high volume oil pump
Autopower Spec Miata Roll Cage
Eibach Springs with KYB red adjustables
Flyin Miata front sway bar
Pics https://picasaweb.google.com/lilblub...sRgCKLH0aeRksz
Video from an autocross run
#4
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Friday on the way home from work I noticed the water temps getting high. Just pulled into the driveway and the radiator cap spewed a shower of rusty water. Turns out the freeze plugs had rusted through.
Thanks to autozone and youtube i managed to replace them. It only took all saturday afternoon lol. Happy it wasn't worse.
Thanks to autozone and youtube i managed to replace them. It only took all saturday afternoon lol. Happy it wasn't worse.
#5
V8 Miata Participant
While that freeze plug was out I would have pulled the radiator out and flushed it and the block. That rusted freeze plug is a major red flag that the engine has not lead an easy life. Who knows what contamination has occurred to the rest of the cooling system and heater core.
Bill S.
Bill S.
#6
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Next up is a new power steering pump. Also it smokes a bit and just took 1 qt of oil after 2 weeks of driving. Looks like the engine will be coming out eventually.
#7
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
While that freeze plug was out I would have pulled the radiator out and flushed it and the block. That rusted freeze plug is a major red flag that the engine has not lead an easy life. Who knows what contamination has occurred to the rest of the cooling system and heater core.
Bill S.
Bill S.
#8
V8 Miata Participant
Pull radiator, take to shop and have it hot tanked.
Pull thermostat housing, upper and lower hoses and run water through engine with hose on full without engine running at the very least.
There are ways to run a flush under pressure with a special machine, but I prefer a simple at home method.
Bill S
The following users liked this post:
Lateralgeez (05-10-2015)
#10
Jim Stainer
You have a little different situation than a normal flush with 2 freeze plugs out. So I would start by pulling the rest of them and flush every hole every which way you can. Just shove the garden hose in and blast away. Some of the plugs will be hard to get to (like the back of the heads) but for a freeze plug to rust out means that thing has been very poorly taken care of and the one you don't change will leave you on the side of the road sooner than later.
Once you get as the new plugs in you can use the normal method of flushing a system. The way I do it is disconnect the return heater hose from the core and put the garden hose on the water pump and fire it up. You can do the same thing with the lower radiator hose. Take it off the radiator and put the garden hose into the hose that feeds the water pump and run the engine. Then flush the radiator out in both directions.
Looks like a sweet car and I'm sorry you are finding these issues in it.
Once you get as the new plugs in you can use the normal method of flushing a system. The way I do it is disconnect the return heater hose from the core and put the garden hose on the water pump and fire it up. You can do the same thing with the lower radiator hose. Take it off the radiator and put the garden hose into the hose that feeds the water pump and run the engine. Then flush the radiator out in both directions.
Looks like a sweet car and I'm sorry you are finding these issues in it.
#11
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
As luck would have it...
Before I had a chance to properly flush the engine and radiator it started misfiring badly. It wouldn't even idle. This was last Tuesday and Southern Worthersee was coming up. So I decided to park the miata and install a bigger oil pan, pick up, and baffle in the sti.
Back to the misfire. First i checked inside the distributor cap. There was silver looking buildup on the points so i cleaned that off. Then i made sure none of the spark plug wires were touching. What we know - it's smoking out the passenger side exhaust, these two cylinders aren't working (didn't try more because my cousin didn't like getting shocked) and cyl#1 is super lean.
Before I had a chance to properly flush the engine and radiator it started misfiring badly. It wouldn't even idle. This was last Tuesday and Southern Worthersee was coming up. So I decided to park the miata and install a bigger oil pan, pick up, and baffle in the sti.
Back to the misfire. First i checked inside the distributor cap. There was silver looking buildup on the points so i cleaned that off. Then i made sure none of the spark plug wires were touching. What we know - it's smoking out the passenger side exhaust, these two cylinders aren't working (didn't try more because my cousin didn't like getting shocked) and cyl#1 is super lean.
#12
V8 Miata Zealot
A 302 & a 302 H-O have different firing orders. Make sure you have the wires on correctly for your application. They will both run if wired wrong, but not so well.
#13
Jim Stainer
Lateral could I trouble you to take a minute to update your signature with your name and what your car is so we know what you are referring to when you post. Edit your signature here (click)
Thanks!
Thanks!
#14
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Here's some more info -
It wouldn't run at first (few weeks ago)
Replaced the TPS and adjusted it & distributor until it would idle.
For a few weeks ran great, including a day at the Dragon (2 days before misfire started)
Now, the white spark plug's cylinder blew 130 psi (dry, cold engine). However, the injector for that cylinder doesn't seem to be pushed as far in as the rest. This cylinder is #1.
Thanks for the tip about firing order, I will check that asap.
It wouldn't run at first (few weeks ago)
Replaced the TPS and adjusted it & distributor until it would idle.
For a few weeks ran great, including a day at the Dragon (2 days before misfire started)
Now, the white spark plug's cylinder blew 130 psi (dry, cold engine). However, the injector for that cylinder doesn't seem to be pushed as far in as the rest. This cylinder is #1.
Thanks for the tip about firing order, I will check that asap.
#15
V8 Miata Participant
So you are saying cylinder 2 and 6 are not firing? Those are the spark plug wires disconnected in the pictures. What did those spark plugs look like. OK? fouled?
As far as the injector being pushed in, are you referring to the electrical connector on the injector or the injector itself? The injector fuel wise is sealed to the intake and injector rail via O rings on the top and bottom so you can actually rotate them if you want and may have some up and down motion as well. Not a problem unless you have fuel leaking by the O rings.
You had me worried with the "points" comment! Must be the tips of the dist cap inside for each plug post!
Mike
As far as the injector being pushed in, are you referring to the electrical connector on the injector or the injector itself? The injector fuel wise is sealed to the intake and injector rail via O rings on the top and bottom so you can actually rotate them if you want and may have some up and down motion as well. Not a problem unless you have fuel leaking by the O rings.
You had me worried with the "points" comment! Must be the tips of the dist cap inside for each plug post!
Mike
#17
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Here are all the plugs and compression numbers. Dry, no oil added. Cold engine.
A few weeks ago (before we got it running) cyl 5 spark plug was perfect. I damaged it (noob) and bought a new one but O'reillys sold me an Autolite 2545 or something with a 0.60 gap!! It is by far the worst looking. Just now realized
Did my buddy get the tps and distributor settings wrong?
Also, not sure why cyl 7 is abnormally high. The first time it blew 175 psi.
I had to drive it for a few days with the misfires. This might have put the working cylinders under higher load.
I suppose this all means new spark plugs (motorcraft), Ford racing wires, and get the timing set professionally.
A few weeks ago (before we got it running) cyl 5 spark plug was perfect. I damaged it (noob) and bought a new one but O'reillys sold me an Autolite 2545 or something with a 0.60 gap!! It is by far the worst looking. Just now realized
Did my buddy get the tps and distributor settings wrong?
Also, not sure why cyl 7 is abnormally high. The first time it blew 175 psi.
I had to drive it for a few days with the misfires. This might have put the working cylinders under higher load.
I suppose this all means new spark plugs (motorcraft), Ford racing wires, and get the timing set professionally.
Last edited by Lateralgeez; 05-25-2015 at 08:12 PM.
#18
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
So you are saying cylinder 2 and 6 are not firing? Those are the spark plug wires disconnected in the pictures. What did those spark plugs look like. OK? fouled?
As far as the injector being pushed in, are you referring to the electrical connector on the injector or the injector itself? The injector fuel wise is sealed to the intake and injector rail via O rings on the top and bottom so you can actually rotate them if you want and may have some up and down motion as well. Not a problem unless you have fuel leaking by the O rings.
You had me worried with the "points" comment! Must be the tips of the dist cap inside for each plug post!
Mike
As far as the injector being pushed in, are you referring to the electrical connector on the injector or the injector itself? The injector fuel wise is sealed to the intake and injector rail via O rings on the top and bottom so you can actually rotate them if you want and may have some up and down motion as well. Not a problem unless you have fuel leaking by the O rings.
You had me worried with the "points" comment! Must be the tips of the dist cap inside for each plug post!
Mike
Here is injector #1 at an angle but thankfully there is no fuel around it... looks like the rail is bent
Last edited by Lateralgeez; 06-01-2015 at 09:02 PM.
#19
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Looking over the engine I found a broken vacuum hose clamp. Even worse, it was attached to the coolant hose part of the throttle body spacer. Definitely a vacuum leak. The oil is coming from my crankcase vent on the oil filler tube
I attached the hose to its proper port and capped the coolant line.
I attached the hose to its proper port and capped the coolant line.
Last edited by Lateralgeez; 06-01-2015 at 09:02 PM.
#20
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
New Motorcraft spark plugs didn't fix the misfire. Neither did fixing the vacuum leak. I started it up and it still sounds like an old John Deere tractor.... pop pop pop pop. Maybe 2 cylinders firing lol. Got some Ford racing plug wires on the way!
Last edited by Lateralgeez; 06-01-2015 at 09:01 PM.
#21
So did the freeze plug fixed the blowing out the rad cap?
I have the same issue (blowing rad fluid out of cap) and I'm hoping it is not a head gasket.
Any speculation as to why? Leak = pressure loss...?
I have the same issue (blowing rad fluid out of cap) and I'm hoping it is not a head gasket.
Any speculation as to why? Leak = pressure loss...?
#22
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
As long as you have the correct antifreeze mixture (raises boiling point) and coolant level I don't know why your cap is blowing. Unless it's bad? I think different caps have different pressure ratings but I'm kind of guessing at this point. Is your radiator big enough? Also might be the thermostat is sticking closed... A blown head gasket would show up on a compression test. Compression gauges are not that expensive if you don't have one. Best of luck! I'm interested to know what you find out.
#23
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
Misfire Troubleshooting
Installed new Motorcraft spark plugs, still misfires
New Ford Racing spark plug wires, still misfires
However, it would idle... at 500 rpm lol. By touching the header tubes I determined that only cylinders firing were 1, 5, and 8. Yep that's right it is effectively a V3!
Pulling the plugs showed they were getting gas.
Using a screwdriver we checked for spark and got plenty of arc.
So fuel is good, spark is good, compression is good, that leaves air.
We sprayed maf cleaner around the intake manifold and the engine picked up noticeably. Next we removed the upper intake manifold. Almost all bolts on the lower intake manifold were loose!!!
After tightening the bolts and putting humpty dumpty back together we still had misfire BUT it was idling at 700 rpm! So not a total loss. Spraying maf cleaner indicated we still had a vacuum leak somewhere.
The conclusion is 1. that the lower intake gasket is shot or 2. the lower manifold warped when it overheated a few times.
Yes we cleaned this after! Apparently it hasn't see daylight since 1987.
Upper intake manifold gasket is good. Here is my buddy tightening the lower manifold bolts.
New Ford Racing spark plug wires, still misfires
However, it would idle... at 500 rpm lol. By touching the header tubes I determined that only cylinders firing were 1, 5, and 8. Yep that's right it is effectively a V3!
Pulling the plugs showed they were getting gas.
Using a screwdriver we checked for spark and got plenty of arc.
So fuel is good, spark is good, compression is good, that leaves air.
We sprayed maf cleaner around the intake manifold and the engine picked up noticeably. Next we removed the upper intake manifold. Almost all bolts on the lower intake manifold were loose!!!
After tightening the bolts and putting humpty dumpty back together we still had misfire BUT it was idling at 700 rpm! So not a total loss. Spraying maf cleaner indicated we still had a vacuum leak somewhere.
The conclusion is 1. that the lower intake gasket is shot or 2. the lower manifold warped when it overheated a few times.
Yes we cleaned this after! Apparently it hasn't see daylight since 1987.
Upper intake manifold gasket is good. Here is my buddy tightening the lower manifold bolts.
#24
V8 Miata Habitué
Thread Starter
The mechanic that looked at it this afternoon suspected head gaskets. He said do a compression check with all spark plugs out.
The shop was about 5 miles down the road. Driving there I wasn't able to go over 30 mph on a long hill. Vacuum check was good so the lower manifold gasket isn't the problem. Something is wrong with the wiring because their scanner wouldn't connect to the ECU. During the testing they revved it up hard alot... and when I left it felt like it was down to 2 cylinders. The long hill now required 1st gear and barely moving. Finally it wouldn't go any further and my buddy towed me home! This sounds like the gasket is giving out.
I really want to take the top end apart and see what's there. So that is the next step.
The shop was about 5 miles down the road. Driving there I wasn't able to go over 30 mph on a long hill. Vacuum check was good so the lower manifold gasket isn't the problem. Something is wrong with the wiring because their scanner wouldn't connect to the ECU. During the testing they revved it up hard alot... and when I left it felt like it was down to 2 cylinders. The long hill now required 1st gear and barely moving. Finally it wouldn't go any further and my buddy towed me home! This sounds like the gasket is giving out.
I really want to take the top end apart and see what's there. So that is the next step.
#25
Jim Stainer
However I like the idea of the compression check a lot. That will tell you much about what is going on in the motor and given the heating issues I think a very good place to start.
I wonder if it would be worth the effort to pop the front cover off too and see if the timing chain has jumped.