Miata Seized

6,600 Views | 43 Replies | Last: 11 days ago by Sweating BulletS
dubi
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In reply to ramblin_ag02 • 8:46a, 6/4/25
AG
ramblin_ag02 said:
Problem solved. It was definitely timing but not a sensor problem.



If you see them on the left, the crank pulley has 4 tiny timing teeth, and they are not evenly spaced. It's possible to misalign them by 90 degrees, and it will throw off all the engine timing. So I fixed that last night and the engine runs great again. Apparently it's not as idiot proof as they imagine, and I screwed it up putting it back on after fixing the coolant leak. All good now and just a few minor things to get it road and track ready


Is that something to mark before removal to help get it back on properly?
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ramblin_ag02
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In reply to dubi • 8:57a, 6/4/25
AG
The underlying crank gear is supposed to have a built-in pin to guide the plate and pulley and keep this from happening, but mine was missing the pin. The pin isn't functional. It just stops idiots like me from messing up the timing. I found all this out after I had put it back together of course
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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sts7049
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In reply to ramblin_ag02 • 10:14a, 6/4/25
AG
ramblin_ag02 said:
Cheap $10 amazon for the cam sensor. It's $100 at autozone and $150 OEM, so I figured I'd at least try the cheaper ones.


Amazon parts are a waste of money. nearly all garbage quality. it's cheap for a reason and will cause a lot more problems
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ramblin_ag02
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In reply to sts7049 • 10:30a, 6/4/25
AG
Usually I'd agree, but the original cam sensor is a cheap piece of plastic with a magnet in it too. New one looks just like the old one down to the plastic case creases. It's running fine without throwing codes, and I've now got two spares, including the original. It's also a 5 min swap if a problem develops. All in all, it doesn't seem worth it to pay 15 times as much for the OEM
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12thManChild
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2:37p, 6/4/25
AG
Glad you got it going! Never crossed my mind about that trigger wheel being misaligned/off. That's something I'll most definitely remember next go round on my own endeavors!
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Aggie Dad 26
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10:43p, 6/4/25
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austinag1997
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In reply to Ag for Life • 12:13p, 6/7/25
AG
Ag for Life said:
ramblin_ag02 said:
No. I blame myself for letting my teenager change his own oil

It happens. I bet he will never make that mistake again as some lessons are best learned the hard way! My favorite mistake was draining 7 qts of oil into my drain pan when the the drain pan top plug was not open. The top part only holds about 2 qts until it runs over...


I have to admit I have made the same mistake on a car that holds 9 quarts. Needless to say there was a lot of oil on pavement.
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ramblin_ag02
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9:13a, 6/13/25
AG
Final update (hopefully)

Spent this week fixing an exhaust manifold leak and a clutch line leak, and the miata lives again! Drove around the neighborhood and no obvious issues so far. Needs to pass the state exhaust check, but otherwise it's ready to get back on the road for a full shakedown. Thanks to all for the references and advice
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Sweating BulletS
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In reply to MikesFamousJava • 7:37a, 7/23/25
MikesFamousJava said:
Swap in a Ferrari F136 V8?

https://www.thedrive.com/news/ferrari-f136-v8s-are-shockingly-cheap-but-buying-one-is-the-easy-part

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