Flyin Miata Tool Kit

[titanescape]

Getting all my tools and parts together to do a timing belt change in the next few weeks. I was going to have TDR do it but the water pump is leaking to bad to get it there. I'm going with the kit from Rosenthal that includes the water pump, timing belt, seal, etc. I was looking on the Flyin Miata wesite and they had a tool kit that included a crank bolt tool, front seal installer and cam gear ninja tool for $49.95. Will this make my life easier? I hate spending $50 for a one time use but if it makes the job easier it's worth it. I will just loan it out to the next Miata person that might need it.

[Jiggerachi]

Being a mechanic newbie, I did my tb job without any of those and didnt seem too hard. But my crank bolt was already loose so I cant speak to that. I just put it in gear to retorque the crank bolt.

Probably would make it easier but definitely not necessary. Worth 50, not sure. Maybe if you have more money than time then perhaps...i was the opposite, though, I went the cheap route.


The ninja tool is cool though. Id like to have on just for a keychain.

[titanescape]

I definitely don't have money to waste! I'm pretty good with tools and do most of my own work but have never done a TB change. Since it's not broken, I was guessing the ninja tool would work. Not sure if I even need the other 2 tools. Supposedly the TB has been changed before so the bolts shouldn't be to hard to remove but that other Miata shop near TDR said they did it before I bought the car so who knows!

[brandonmpace]

If I'm ever the one changing my timing belt, I'll probably just get the ninja tool to make it simpler.
At least that part seems worth the money to me, and I don't have extra cash either.
Seems to me like the other two tools probably aren't needed in your case.

[POS Racing]

So I have a question why would you need the Ninja Tool at all??

When I did my last timing belt job I had the Cams locked down with 2 adjustable wrenches and a C-Clamp. Then I took off the pulleys and replaced both cam seals then resembled. Never took the wrenches and C-clamp of until after I had the new belt in place.

[titanescape]

Now that I can handle. Looks like a $20 savings to me!

[Rob®]

So I have a question why would you need the Ninja Tool at all?? When I did my last timing belt job I had the Cams locked down with 2 adjustable wrenches and a C-Clamp. Then I took off the pulleys and replaced both cam seals then resembled. Never took the wrenches and C-clamp of until after I had the new belt in place.

This. I don't generally even lock the cams in place when I do them, and I've never had an issue. When I watched/helped Ash do his awhile ago, it was actually the first time I had used any method of "locking" the cams together like that in years. And even then, one of us just held the wrenches, no clamping, vice grips, etc. You can also use regular wrenches on the cams - think they are 24mm?? forgot that part, sorry - I just grab one of the larger ones and see. It's either 23 or 24mm.

I may have only done a dozen or so timing belts on Miatas, but I would say all of those tools combined are maybe worth $20 to me. The only one that I would honestly even consider is the ninja tool thing, just because it's cool, but at like a $5 key chain price-point.

[johnwag]

So I have a question why would you need the Ninja Tool at all??

When I did my last timing belt job I had the Cams locked down with 2 adjustable wrenches and a C-Clamp. Then I took off the pulleys and replaced both cam seals then resembled. Never took the wrenches and C-clamp of until after I had the new belt in place.

It's probably the camera angle, but it looks like your off a tooth on both cams. :)

[cwisenheimer]

I used the Ninja tool and the crank bolt tool. The Ninja is not necessary but it's pretty handy. It's nice to know that your cams cannot move at all while you're futzing around with the belt. There are a bunch of ways around it, but it was clean and simple. And I bought my belts from FM so there was no shipping cost either. I also changed two belts (on previous Miatas) without the crankbolt tool. It's possible and not that hard. It was easier with the FM tool. Very easy, in fact.

Short version: not necessary, nice to have.

[icepenguin66]

Yeah, I've never locked the cams while doing a timing belt on a NA or NB miata. I used a spare 1" by maybe 3" piece of metal and drilled 2 holes in it to make a crank bolt locking tool. I already had the metal but you can get something similar from Home Depot for like $1 or $2.

[lawmaster891]

i did mine with none of those tools and i replaced the cam seals, front oil seal, timing belt, and painted the cam gears. I did not replace the water pump though. It was a very simple job and not including time for paint to dry it took about 4 hours. It took so long because the crank pulley was seized.