No, he won't, and I wouldn't expect that he would. He acknowledged right from the beginning that he has no history or information on the engine, and I accepted that. $600 is about what a junkyard engine would run me, maybe a tad on the high side (but then he pulled it instead of me so call the difference 'labor'), which would have a similar "no history" status about it. I do not feel shafted by him. Disappointed of course, but not upset.
99 Miata Engine Replacement
- Thread starter 6speed
- Start date
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
any update mike?
A few things actually.
A) My last 300 mile tank of gas showed very little oil consumption. Maybe 1/8th of the distance between full and empty on the dipstick. REALLY scratching my head over that, I can still see the faint haze in my mirrors on hard acceleration.
B) I found that I actually had a valve cover oil leak on the back of the engine. Had a new gasket on hand, and replaced that without issue. Almost no driving on it since though.
C) My PCV valve was apparently faulty as well, as it is not 1-way, but 2-way right now. I'd expect no-way would pull more oil into the intake than 2-way, but it's a known cause of consumption (though not at the levels I was seeing) I replaced it with the original one I had on the other engine (which is appropriately 1-way).
D) Spent the trip topping off with the oil they gave us at Mid Ohio, and it wasn't till I got home that I found out it is one of the worst offenders when it comes to oil consumption in old engines. Got a quart of Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak to top off with next, but with almost no burn off, I'm puzzled.
Still haven't found my loose ignition issue. Positive it is something loose causing the problem, since every time I start it and see it stumble, I pop the hood, give the plug wires a firm wiggle on the plug and coil ends, and the problem disappears. Every time.
A) My last 300 mile tank of gas showed very little oil consumption. Maybe 1/8th of the distance between full and empty on the dipstick. REALLY scratching my head over that, I can still see the faint haze in my mirrors on hard acceleration.
B) I found that I actually had a valve cover oil leak on the back of the engine. Had a new gasket on hand, and replaced that without issue. Almost no driving on it since though.
C) My PCV valve was apparently faulty as well, as it is not 1-way, but 2-way right now. I'd expect no-way would pull more oil into the intake than 2-way, but it's a known cause of consumption (though not at the levels I was seeing) I replaced it with the original one I had on the other engine (which is appropriately 1-way).
D) Spent the trip topping off with the oil they gave us at Mid Ohio, and it wasn't till I got home that I found out it is one of the worst offenders when it comes to oil consumption in old engines. Got a quart of Lucas Engine Oil Stop Leak to top off with next, but with almost no burn off, I'm puzzled.
Still haven't found my loose ignition issue. Positive it is something loose causing the problem, since every time I start it and see it stumble, I pop the hood, give the plug wires a firm wiggle on the plug and coil ends, and the problem disappears. Every time.
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There was some carbon buildup on the plugs, plugs 1 and 2 more than 3 or 4 (which wiggling plug wire 1 or 2 is usually what seemed to improve the engine). I am taking the time now to soak them in seafoam.
So much would prefer the simplicity and elegance (and more power and less oil burn) of a rotary. Who ever thought that a piston engine design was a good idea?!? I want to shoot him.
:lol:
So much would prefer the simplicity and elegance (and more power and less oil burn) of a rotary. Who ever thought that a piston engine design was a good idea?!? I want to shoot him.
:lol:
So, put everything back together, idles fine.
Once it warmed up, I gave it a few hard no-load revs, and...
That's from the tailpipe. A closer shot of the splotch in the foreground of that pic...
Yeah, it's oil. There has to be something quite seriously wrong inside the engine.
Once it warmed up, I gave it a few hard no-load revs, and...
That's from the tailpipe. A closer shot of the splotch in the foreground of that pic...
Yeah, it's oil. There has to be something quite seriously wrong inside the engine.
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
wow!
Well, doing some more research around the driving to and from work, and the general consensus is that the above pic can't be oil. Water or fuel that is tinted with carbon, but not oil. Any oil in the exhaust would get ignited by the heat and not make it out the end in liquid form. Which makes sense.
I also checked the oil level again today after making the changes in the post before that, and after 60 miles of driving, there isn't a noticable drop in the level of the oil. My valvetrain rattle has also quieted down a bunch, although it makes ALOT more noise on cold start, including a "thunk". Thinking I need like a 5w50 oil. really thin for starting and really thick for driving.
Crossing my fingers (cause it's about all I'm willing to do anyway at this point)
I also checked the oil level again today after making the changes in the post before that, and after 60 miles of driving, there isn't a noticable drop in the level of the oil. My valvetrain rattle has also quieted down a bunch, although it makes ALOT more noise on cold start, including a "thunk". Thinking I need like a 5w50 oil. really thin for starting and really thick for driving.
Crossing my fingers (cause it's about all I'm willing to do anyway at this point)
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
Fingers and toes crossed mile!!
The oil burn definitely slowed down, but definitely is still there.
I am picking up a metalic grinding noise though. It sounds like what I would expect if I was driving with no transmission fluid, a constant metal against metal "sssshhhh" noise, increases in volume with RPM, not speed, quiets down as the engine warms up. Transmission still has fluid.
I've also popped a few (small) backfires now, I never did before so I think the cat is gone (unsurprisingly from all the oil), it's more raspy than it used to be as well. Valvetrain rattle is much quieter, almost gone.
I am picking up a metalic grinding noise though. It sounds like what I would expect if I was driving with no transmission fluid, a constant metal against metal "sssshhhh" noise, increases in volume with RPM, not speed, quiets down as the engine warms up. Transmission still has fluid.
I've also popped a few (small) backfires now, I never did before so I think the cat is gone (unsurprisingly from all the oil), it's more raspy than it used to be as well. Valvetrain rattle is much quieter, almost gone.
