can't remove coil pack, can't remove cas, can't get to water-thermo sensor, fml

::Rant::::Rant::::Rant::

CAS O-ring Replacment : FAIL
Reason some dumbass over torqued the adjuster bolt probably trying to compensate for the missing camshaft cap bolt

Water-Thermo Sensor Replacement : FAIL
Same Dumbass rounded off the third bolt on the coil pack with either A: Channel Locks or B: Vice Grips

Time Wasted 5 hours...

Next project, see if i can find a bolt to replace the missing one on the camshaft cap. Then I've got to find a mechanic that can break those two bolts loose.

::Censor::::Censor::::Censor::

so enough with the rant on my wasted day wrenching on the miata.

anybody got a spare one of these floating around? and does anyone have any idea how to get those two bolts out with out taking it to a mechanic, i'm kind of strapped for cash at the moment.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8146207_n.jpg

Contact Gary at Track Dog Racing on Monday. He should have the bolt and probably be able to get the others out for you. He's in Garland/Dallas.


Gary Shuhart
The Head Dog
[email protected]

Phone: 214-340-9797
Fax: 214-349-9342
Cell: 214-280-6172

11414 Chairman Drive
Dallas, TX 75243

Also, try using some PB Blaster or Kano Kroil on it. I prefer the Kano, but don' know where you can get it locally.
A hardware store or Lowes would probably have a bolt to fit.

Get everything good and clean and then start soaking them in PB Blaster. Have another go in 24 hours. If you don't have ratcheting wrenches, harbor freight has a nice set that's pretty cheap that would work on the cas adjuster bolt. Use a cheater pipe or lock a big wrench on if you need more leverage.

The bottom bolt on the coil pack just needs to get loosened to get the coil pack off and then you'll have a bit more room to finish removing it. Vice grips are going to be your best bet there.

Use a nice long string of profanity as you pull and be ready for bloody knuckles.

Best of luck!

Chris

Wear gloves.

I may have the bolts, will check tonight

success! picked up a set of craftsman bolt extractors last week, but was waiting on trying to dig up the replacement bolts before i attempted to remove the rounded bolts. well i finally said screw it and jerked those bad boys out. was easy as pie thanks to the bolt extractors and my new favorite toy (a flexible ratchet with not one but two joints!!!!) took all of 10 - 15 minutes to swap out the water thermo sensor and the cas o-ring. put everything back together after a trip to fastenall for some replacement bolts, set the idle to ~ 850 rpm indicated but the dash tach then checked the timing which was already set to 14 deg before tdc.

side note: skip the cheep ass timing light from harbor freight. it sucks major donkey balls. the light was so dim i had to damn near touch it to the crank to be able to see the timing mark.


well thats a few more things off the to do list. next up figure out why in hades the air bag light keeps blinking the number three at me. supposedly that means it doesn't have any power but all the fuses are good. must have a cut wire some where.

It's likely that the capacitor backup for the airbag has either discharged completely because the battery was unplugged for a long time and it won't recharge, or has finally died from old age and moisture. The caps are in one of the two aqua colored modules under the dash, just above and to the right of your right knee when seated in the driver's seat. Good luck finding a good one. They all seem to be busted by now. I recommend removing all the airbag junk and installing a decent steering wheel.

hmm I just may have the right sized cap hanging around. I'll check on that. I was plannin on make a d shaped wheel out of an oem nb wheel. Kind of like the look of the nb wheel, and i'm partial to a working air bag. If I can't get it working i'll jerk it out and throw in an aftermarket wheel.

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=127292