Mazda-menders roadsters ,01,02,04

[Mazda Mender]

Well after changing the gauges i found that the band expander was no longer working for the radio station with it being a JDM Head unit fitted, so on the phone to Autolink and a couple of days later a parcel arrives with what he managed to find, as is the norm now, they went into the boot until i had some free time for my own to sort it, i did try and connect up in the boot but with the other still in place is seemed to be conflicting and the single was poor, so some free time to myself and out it all came to re-fit the band expander in behind the HU loom, once fitted i turn on the ignition to test the single and all good, fitted it all back together and tuned in all the radio stations which are all nice and clear again, inserted the Cassette adapter for my MP3 player, and all good it is even playing out of the right hand side now, as it never as done?.
So happy chappy all done, started her up and she started a bit weird which i put down to messing with the electrics so just a little drain on the battery? .

She ran for 10 minutes and stopped???? so re started her? ran for 5 seconds and cut out? tried a number of times to the same issue, so off for the diagnostic tester , nothing showing, its saying all is well, but clearly wasn't, so off into the bat cave to dig out some tester parts, she is a 1993 1.8 so she uses the 4 pin coil packs, so after some digging, found a AFM, CAS,Coil packs, to start the trouble shooting process, decided to start with the coil packs first, which was a good move as that is what it was , i should of known better than to have the ignition on without her running for any length of time, but it was not a major length, so it must of been on the way out and weak any way, lucky it failed on the drive ,and lucky i had a spare 4 pin coil pack, all that just for heart radio station, i would not mind but the radio is just back ground noise any way, the joys of motoring....

[Mazda Mender]

I got a tad fed up with changing the mouth fog lamps i had fitted, the heat off the bulbs kept cracking the glass and melting the bodies a little, they were clearly not made for the job and were cheap units made in good old China,these were on two weeks, so the units I order for the MK 2.5 versions for the nose cones were something I pondered in fitting but was unsure if they would look ok? and they come in 3 sizes 3.5",3" and 2.5" with halo rings in many different colours, 3.5" are the ones for the MK 2.5 i use and with these going in the mouth of the MK 1 i ordered a set of 2,5" units, now on arrival i realized the the back most of the fitting bracket fixing holes were not going to be long enough so i could fit them where i wanted to useing OE bolt holes already in place.
So.....I made up a template and made up 4 new ones out of S/steel, painted them and fitted everything up yesterday, the halo ring is wired as a DRL( this may change) and the fog light to the switch i had already in place, they are bright and work for me in the mouth and at £14 a set are even better, no heat as they are LED's, couple of spare sets ordered and stored.

[Mazda Mender]

Finally got my rear HT spoiler back to bound onto the top, on fitting we soon realized that we had dropped a clanger and had to re address the fitment as this is a JDM HT and the spoiler had come off and been made for the UK made HT which as a slightly different shaped rear window.
We were committed to fitting so now had no choice but to "carry on " and make the best of it.
With a little bit of bending and teasing into shape and adding support to hold it in the correct place and hight etc while the bound goes off.it turned out ok...
I'll remove the insterlation bits that are holding for the personal hight and the paper tape holding it all in place, and then take more pics.
My thanks the Ste Pemb for spaying and dropping it off to fit.
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

Done....

[Mazda Mender]

The soft top as been resting on the back shelf for a while only ever raised and closed once on fitting and dropped again for the HT, well I felt it was time to raise and close it again now with the heat, as it needs to be up and kept up for a good couple of weeks for it to stretch and find its memory fix for getting hot and cold a good number of times.
So soft top up for me in this heat at the minute as needs must, extended a pig tail for the HRW from a MK 2 as i have fitted both rear HRW sockets to the back shelf, but it took some persuading to shut, "you will shut" lol...

[GlennyGills]

no one is allowed to open it now until winter..

[blackyb]

Theres nothing like a bit of gentle persuasion, but patience is the key, that and a bit of lateral thinking.

[Mazda Mender]

There is a pleasing gratification and Very satisfying in sorting a braking system correct, not only does it work correct with everything in unison and balanced with the function but pleasing to the eye with the form, or is it just me??
They took an age to get the paint off after 20 odd years of red caliper paint being added, they were starting to look like the surface of the moon, and the only way to sort them was the scrape the paint off with a knife untill it was all off then wire brush, sand, brake cleaner and fresh paint, new discs ,pads and shims, red rubber grease and copper slip and so nice to the foot and the feel, but they look nice also, so all worth it in the end for a bit of form and some lovely function...

[blackyb]

Exactly what we have come to expect from our master mender, if a jobs worth doing, do it right no matter how tedious.

[Mazda Mender]

Got some time to play with my Mk 1, the chrome well over priced typhoon system was always never going to stay chrome , and to be honest it took no time to remove it with a knife to sand and prep ready to paint SU red, I was really shocked at the quality of the chrome for the price these things are to get hold of even s/hand, now that it is finished I have a sticker on its way to be applied onto it in memory of one of life's best that gave this to me to cut up, Mr Colin Moon, deeply missed always, left positive good vibes where ever he went always happy and loved life and people, had time for everyone...
I also had to swap my S/T for the time being for a spare Mohair i had as there was something wrong with the S/T frame, no matter what i did to adjust it was letting water past on the side windows, so I de-skinned the new skin and cut the frame up, I'll re-skin onto a better frame and re-fit at some point.
Alignment done at Moons Toyota, front was out...

Pics to follow..
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

So new rear tyres fitted by our MOT man Tony,and alignment at moons toyota...read last post....

****view pics from bottom to top*****

[Mazda Mender]

It was on the cards from making it all fit to change it from chrome to red which Colin laughed about at the time , so some SU rattle cans ordered and time to scrape the chrome off .
Now for the cost of these typhoon kits (up to £400 new) the quality of the chrome was terrible, it took no more that 30 minutes to scrape it all off with a sharp knife, its poor really.
Any way it all came off, prepped and painted and re fitted ....Miss you Colin.

[blackyb]

I likes red!!!!

[Mazda Mender]

Had a few issues with my Auto box , not changing up correct , holding gears, not getting into 4th on the motorway, kicking down rough etc etc, so good old Andrew at Autolinkmx5 dug out a hand full of sensors to swap out for fault finding, after swapping out ,she is better but still not hitting 4th, so luckly around 5 miles up the round a 1.8 auto as been broken so nipping around to collect the box to swap out before i throw in the towel and make her a manual, i really do not want to do that, also replaced the plastic lug adjusters for the low pro IL motorsport headlight that had become brittle and broken with age, any one with these ...enjoy changing them they are a nightmare...
So while she as been out of action i have been using number 1 sons roadster, and sorting the bits that he as left and could not be ar*ed doing, the best two was is door lock on the passenger side not working and horn , and the answer from him was...." i don't use them"
What are we drumming into these kids

[Mazda Mender]

So i have changed all the sensors, the autobox control ecu and is doing what she should be on kick up and down but not hitting 4th? i have one more thing to try and then its the newer autobox or change her to a manual which i honestly do not want to do if i can help it, because with the motorway traveling she was always geared for, for me to use,she would lose her character which would be a shame ,as anyone that as drove her will agree.

Its an horrid job changing a auto box on these, but i am going to get a sump pan drain plug welded on before the newer on is fitted, as the auto box do not have a drain plug???

Any way some pics....I'll find some before shots , picked this up local...