And no working car for a few weeks either. I was getting some clutch chatter after Cris and I installed the new clutch and flywheel. Turns out that the clutch/flywheel is not the problem...the engine IS!!! There was a problem in the 99 Miata engines that affected a very small percentage of the engines. I'm in the small percentage. There is a thrust bearing that keeps the crankshaft from moving front-to-back. In the bad engines, that bearing is machined incorrectly and allows the crank to move back and forth until the bearing wears out. The crank then starts hitting the engine block and ruins the engine.

The endplay (the distance that a crankshaft can move forward and back in the block) should be about .08mm...8 hundreths of a milimeter. Check out the endplay on my crank...http://www.sallerson.org/video/endplay.wmv

I'm surprised it still runs. I have ordered a new used block and I already have a head being machined. I should have all of the parts here by next weekend. I'm pulling the engine and tranny this weekend if anyone wants to learn about pulling engines.

 

that sucks... no recourse from Mazda possible?

 

Ouch...that sucks.

 

Mazda was replacing engines a few years ago, but I don't have a leg to stand on considering that the car is 6 years old and has 80k on it.

 

it's worth a call, i'd say.

 

Whew! So I take it we did a good job! I hope the new block will work, but like Rob said, I'd try Mazda to see if they'll replace the powertrain (isn't it 100,000 miles?)

 

Yup, you and I DID do the job right! Don't forget I owe you dinner. You gonna make it to a BWW meet soon? I'll pick up your tab.

 

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that. We'll see about it this coming Wednesday.

 

are you getting your motor from seth?

 

Nope. I have a head being worked at a machine shop right now. I have a short block coming from a Miata shop by the end of next week. If the block comes by Friday, I'm going to spend next weekend rebuilding it with a motor install the following weekend.

Here's what I spent the day doing...

 

........!

 

good luck bro... hope it goes well for ya

 

Topless and no engine??? you betcha!