1644 replies to this topic

[mrbenn]

£50 on the nose.

[The Moog]

£50 is the winner.

[The Moog]

Ordered yesterday morning the mx5 rear light seals arrived today.



What a difference


Fitted

[The Moog]

I have seen talk on the internet about derusting bolts with vinegar.

It's something I have wanted to try but never quite got to it.

Luckily I have a bucket of old mx5 nuts and bolts that could do with a bit of add rust.



Tipped onto cardboard to sort out the plastic and metal bits


Plastic removed


And left with just metal.

White vinegar was procured from Amazon for not many pennies


So into the bucket


Tucked it away and will update on the progress

[dome]

Good work!

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[320touring]

Just a pity the Merc won't run on the leftover..

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I have seen talk on the internet about derusting bolts with vinegar.

It's something I have wanted to try but never quite got to it.

Luckily I have a bucket of old mx5 nuts and bolts that could do with a bit of add rust.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2019020...

Tipped onto cardboard to sort out the plastic and metal bits
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2019020...

Plastic removed
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2019020...

And left with just metal.

White vinegar was procured from Amazon for not many pennies
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2019020...

So into the bucket
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2019020...

Tucked it away and will update on the progress

 

I've heard it does depend upon the strength of the solution of course - I've never seen an actual start/finish comparison on just vinegar.

I did do the 'waste electrode' method - battery charger - bucket of soda crystal solution with rusty bit on one charger grip - suspended in the solution - other charger grip on the waste electrode which is also submerged in the solution. Worked great for hubs, backplates and other larger bits - I've no idea is it would be good for a load of smaller bits all grouped together though.

Now I'm interested - must go investigate……….

[The Moog]

24 hrs later

Nice load of Scum on the top


Let's have a fish




Ohhhh looks shinier.

Took a couple out and gave them a dry.




Seems to be working.

Will empty it tomorrow morning and see the results.

[The Moog]

Results

Still doing its stuff


Emptied


Rinsed


Baking powder to neutralise the vinegar


Then soak and rinse

Emptied


Looking good



I would say that is a result.

5l of vinegar cost £3 and 36 hours soaking mean i have got a set of bolts, nuts and screws

[Hooli]

I can haz like science!

 

I must remember that when I locate the box of random bolts etc I've carted about for 20+ years incase they come in handy.

[The Moog]

Only thing to be aware of it they will flash rust pretty quickly.

I sprayed them all with oil and stuck them in containers so they will get fully coated.

[The Moog]

This morning was all full of hope and wonder. Today was the day I shecheduled to pop the lsd into BAL.

It had been removed from AVO before going off to become bean tins.

Prepping the car

Tried changing steering wheel bit couldn't


Battery was fully flat so swapped in another charged one


Noticed a little puddle - I think the rear light clusters are letting water in


Took out the passenger seat to fit all the bits


Once over at NJGLeeds garage - removed boot lid



And swapped in the old foamectomy seat



Then onto the ramp and up in the air


And then the fun and games started. The Torsten diff uses the 1.8 driveshafts so had to swap them over. We hadn't been able to get them undone on AVO so removed the hubs.

So started to remove the hubs from BAL except the bottom bolt on the first one had seized solid.


instead plan was to just swap over the driveshafts.

We had spares

Except the hubnuts were the tightest thing known to man.

It required wheels back on on ground, handbrake and foot brake, massive breaker bar and tube on top - still managed to bend the tube before they popped off


Next couple of hours was taken with trying to remove the hubnuts off the driveshafts.

Njgleeds tried every trick in the book


Finally managed to get the nuts undone - which was ace. Ended up with two driveshafts ready to be fitted.

Old diff out



Next up was to get the old driveshafts out


Applying BFH and percussive action resulted in a total of nothing except a rounding if the driveshaft end.

That scuppered the plan to swap driveshafts out and ignore the seized bolts.

Back to plan A meant trying to find a solution to our woes. Looking at the assorted bits Neil reckoned we could rustle up two hubs with bolts.

One thing for it, out comes the wheel of death


This was to cut most of a nut off to get another driveshaft out so we could use the hub. The result was positive and the nut yielded

Neil got his massive breaker bar and hung off it, managing to loosen the driver's side rear bottom hub bolt. The design means the centre section corrodes and then won't move

Even with a massive bar and Neil hanging off it the passenger side bolt wouldn't come undone. Time for a tickle


Success and a very happy Yorkshire man.

You can see how the bolt has seized even after the ends are cut off


Diff bush pushed out with Neil's new favourite tool


New diff ready to go in


At this point it felt as though we were on the home straight.

Just bolt in the propshaft ...


Oh


My


God


It is too long. We both literally had a semi heart attack as it wasn't something that we knew we had to change.

A panicked rummage found AVOs propshaft in the pile of bits. Our heart rates dropped about 50 bpm.

You can see the difference here.



At this point less photos were taken as time was ticking on.

Stuff back together and copper greased the splines so next time is easy

You can see the old driveshaft where it has rounded

Wheels back on


Last few jobs were exhaust back on. Then refit boot lid


And all done. Oh well once swapped over the steering wheels.



From start to finish took about 7 hours including two stops for tea.

NJGLeeds is an absolute legend and I don't think I would have ever been able to do this by myself.

Driving the car back, it is easy to see what a difference the LSD makes.



Left on to do list is

Swap exhaust for 421 headers and decat
Remove and replace immobiliser
Fit a new roof
Upgrade and then Bleed brakes
Underseal the underneath
Change door cards over
Flush cooling system
Full service
Sort out battery drain
New tyres
Delete charcoal cannister
Poly Bush droplinks


Then onto
Roll cage
Proper alignment
Paint car

[hairnet]

nice MF

 

yeah if youd tried that solo it woulda been phail

 

nice one neil (do you get grief about yoksher in lancashashasha )

[njgleeds]

We’re only about a mile as the crow flies from the border and about 15 minutes from Skipton and the Yorkshire dales so near enough not to get a nose-bleed

[dome]

That is a mission and a half. My LSD work was nothing in comparison to this. Excellent effort.

Probably the best thing to do after a day like today is to not even think about the car for a few days. The mojo will return

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Stuff back together and copper greased the splines so next time is easy ………………… yeah right!

That turned out to be a bloody pain! Without those resources to hand I'd have walked off crying and resorted to burning it with fire I think.

 

As an aside - do you never get the urge to 'jut clean up that bit while I'm here' - etc... - I end up cleaning back the chassis, arms, rusted anything at all and painting het buggers. Ends up a semi restoration! The shots of rust under there give me the horrors*.

 

*any reference or inference to wanting to 'tidy up' this or any other possible chod of the roadsalt inflicted oxidization of nay or all other autoshiters is a misunderstanding of the reader who is unduly influenced and indeed mildly befuddled by the constant presence of rusted chod in their lives and the constant striving towards a rust free Nirvana - do it yourself you lazy bastards  

[The Moog]

Plan is to get it back in the air in a few weeks, give it a stiff brushing then spray with Shultz.  That will make it look 1000% better and hopefully stop the rot. 

 

Idea is to get it mechanically sorted before sorting out the looks. It is a track car after all  

 

Being able to borrow the ramp makes getting at stuff so much easier than lying on your back in the driveway. 

 

 

I literally couldn't have fitted that box. NJGleeds skills, tool and total bloody mindedness won the day. I could have sworn he did a literal victory dance when it was back in.

 

If anyone ever has to mess about with rear hubs on an MX5 I suggest second hand set and spare bolts. That way you can cut them off and just replace. 

 

Luckily we both had seasoned Shiter wives who knew that "popping to the garage to  spend a couple of hours putting the LSD in" meant see you tomorrow! 

 

 

 

 

Oh and the bloody steering wheel is on squiffy as well! 

[njgleeds]

Oh and the bloody steering wheel is on squiffy as well!

I seem to remember mentioning that at the time.

Your damned eyes need calibrating.

[The Moog]

You agreed it was on straight! Probably high on grinder sparks at that point

[njgleeds]

By that point, I’d have agreed to anything...

[Jim Bell]

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Plan is to get it back in the air in a few weeks, give it a stiff brushing then spray with Shultz.  That will make it look 1000% better and hopefully stop the rot. 

 

Idea is to get it mechanically sorted before sorting out the looks. It is a track car after all

 

Being able to borrow the ramp makes getting at stuff so much easier than lying on your back in the driveway. 

 

 

I literally couldn't have fitted that box. NJGleeds skills, tool and total bloody mindedness won the day. I could have sworn he did a literal victory dance when it was back in.

 

If anyone ever has to mess about with rear hubs on an MX5 I suggest second hand set and spare bolts. That way you can cut them off and just replace. 

 

Luckily we both had seasoned Shiter wives who knew that "popping to the garage to  spend a couple of hours putting the LSD in" meant see you tomorrow! 

 

 

 

 

Oh and the bloody steering wheel is on squiffy as well! 

 

Oh - agreed - cosmetics are not to be really bothered with. It'll wear it's scars with pride I'm sure.

Unfortunately  I always end up 'cleaning it up' to 'just check' - usually bushes and suspension mounts…….. and so it begins……….

 

Great work fellas. Watching the track beast emerge shall prove interesting...…..

[Maurice Marina]

Only thing to be aware of it they will flash rust pretty quickly.
I sprayed them all with oil and stuck them in containers so they will get fully coated.

With mushy peas I hope...

[The Moog]

My new IKEA bed that I was supposed to be putting together is missing a key piece - rather than worry about that I decided to fiddle with BAL.

Two lots of new toys from Lidl.

This 6 sided socket set was only £14 so well worth it. Njgleeds swears by the £35 set as the 6 sides means less likely to round bolts.



Also purchase the extending ratchets which turn the normal 1/4 & 3/8 handles into mini breaker bars.

Both have been added to my new favourite toys list.

The next logical step on the mx5 is to swap over the door cards, so instead I decided to see if I can get the exhaust manifold off.

I was expecting a bit of a battle after the fun with the diff.

Airbox off

Filter looks clean enough


First 4 bolts came out easily enough but last wouldn't, so brute force applied


Here you can see the benefit of the extending ratchet


Manifold bolts undone


And 10 mins later


Tomorrow will be getting it up in the air and swapping over the headers and put in the decat.

Will need to steal this off the old engine before I track this one.

[The Moog]

Back on it this morning.



Rest of bolts off

The exhaust manifold bracket undone


The rear bolts were a little fiddly so the quick spanner was employed - after all this exhaust isn't going back on



Before I started I order new manifold studs and bolts as they can be a pain. I needed about half the studs


421 fitted


Decat fitted and


So it looks like BAL has got the longer cat fitted. New longer decat pipe ordered.

Whilst I was under there I noticed a weep from the water pump


Also some other coolant leaks


It might be worth prepping AVOs engine and swapping it in. The engine has got 50k less miles and was running really well.

I can then sort out all the vacuum hoses etc with easy access.

I would be tempted to stick the coolant bypass on it as I am probably going to end up turboing it at some point.