Author Topic: Strange tachometer issue (Read 4312 times)

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #30 on:** February 20, 2008, 22:33:16 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #30 on: February 20, 2008, 22:33:16 PM

Precisely DEViANCE.

Honestly I wish I was a mechanic and knew a thing or two, Id know who was full of sh*t and trying to fleece me. Its actually starting to annoy me how useless I feel when it comes to car mechanics.

The long story to the timing is:

Last year when I had my MOT and servicing done at the previous garage (who changed the cambelt for me) I asked them to check/adjust the timing to 10 degrees BTDC which is standard for the MX-5. The 1.6s can generally be cranked up to 12/14 degreees BTDC no problem for a minor performance boost, and as the car had been running well/great I figured why not get it done this time around and see if it was even sharper off the mark.

When the bloke at the new garage came to inform me of the bad news, he said they couldnt track it properly wih the timing gun as it was way off due to the belt missing a tooth, so they put it where 14 BTDC should have been and said if its driving like crap bring it back in, well probably need to open up it and look more thoroughly at the cam.

DEViANCE · **Reply #31 on:** February 20, 2008, 22:38:55 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #31 on: February 20, 2008, 22:38:55 PM

i could be well off here..

...but it sounds to me like the 2nd garage is the problem, your car was running fine before it went there and now it isnt, that would be my starting point.

why where they looking at the timing belt anyway, how did they notice it was missing a tooth?

i doubt it was installed like that by the 1st garage (would be very very very bad practice) the belt can strip a tooth if incorrectly installed (to much/little tension) but it will give poor performance immediatly and eventually fail, i couldnt see it lasting a year.

Pete · **Reply #32 on:** February 20, 2008, 22:42:56 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #32 on: February 20, 2008, 22:42:56 PM

^ yeah.

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #33 on:** February 20, 2008, 22:47:06 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #33 on: February 20, 2008, 22:47:06 PM

Well I was inclined to think that way at first. But I know the first garage has not done other things right on the car, furthermore I cant see why or how an MX-5 specialist would bodge up a simple timing change and blame the cambelt when they work on these cars every day of the year.

I forking hate garages.

DEViANCE · **Reply #34 on:** February 20, 2008, 22:51:28 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #34 on: February 20, 2008, 22:51:28 PM

fair enough, if the belt is definatly missing a tooth it HAS to be changed asap.

the fact the garage let you have the car back after discovering it baffles me to be honest, they may aswell have emptied your engine oil and told you to go for a drive.

you seem to know more about the mx5 timing stuff than me but if it safe to play around with a few degrees then its trail and error to see what feels best really.

your probably abit too late to complain to the 1st garage about the timing belt, its worth a go tho, but you can definatly complain to them if they falsely MOTd your car, they can get in serious poo poo for that.

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #35 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:08:21 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #35 on: February 20, 2008, 23:08:21 PM

Thats the thing, I read plenty theory about these things so I can go out armed with a bit of knowledge and understand everything a bit better, but I wouldnt have a clue how to check any of it for myself. Youd think it would help me avoid getting into this kind of situation but sadly not.

Its rather a grey area with what the other garage did for it to pass the MOT, the wiring to the high level clearly had been used at some point for a fog and then later switched back to a brake light so it would be difficult to go back a year and claim they duffed the MOT.

Im wondering if whent he belt was changed they did a poor job of it following my instructions to be careful of disturbing the short-nose crankshaft. Having said that though they seemed to ignore all my other instructions like flushing the coolant before replacing it with OAT.

filbert · **Reply #36 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:17:51 PM

Strange tachometer issue

Reply #36 on: February 20, 2008, 23:17:51 PM

Im guessing the belts a tooth out, not a tooth missing.
If its a tooth out on the cam that drives the dizzy, that would sound about right.

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #37 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:20:08 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #37 on: February 20, 2008, 23:20:08 PM

Hmm. Thats probably what they said actually thinking about it. What does that mean in real world terms? It still has to all come out and be sorted at my expense doesnt it? Do you think its likely the first garage was responsible if thats the case?

knighty · **Reply #38 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:34:53 PM

Strange tachometer issue

Reply #38 on: February 20, 2008, 23:34:53 PM

if its a tooth out, it just means the cog is turned round 1 tooth on the belt

and maybe the old garage bodged the timing to get it running right ?

it really depends where its a tooth out...

knighty · **Reply #39 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:40:37 PM

Strange tachometer issue

Reply #39 on: February 20, 2008, 23:40:37 PM

p.s. cowboy mechanics suck ass... youre moeny is gone, and theres nothing you can do about it now

lucky for me I now have a reputation with the ones local to work after I tried to hit one with a shovel and then chased him down the street with it.... (its a long story)

Pete · **Reply #40 on:** February 20, 2008, 23:41:29 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #40 on: February 20, 2008, 23:41:29 PM

Yeah a tooth out is way better than a tooth off, phone up tomorrow and ask.

One thing to bear in mind is softtop season is coming up soon - really you could ask the garage to bodge it for selling on or have them sort it properly for keeping another 12 months.

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #41 on:** February 21, 2008, 00:02:55 AM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #41 on: February 21, 2008, 00:02:55 AM

Id really like to keep it, Im happy with the money Ive spent elsewhere on it and want to keep it running for a few years until I can afford something bigger and better

filbert · **Reply #42 on:** February 21, 2008, 00:13:13 AM

Strange tachometer issue

Reply #42 on: February 21, 2008, 00:13:13 AM

If its a tooth out then yes 1st garages fault, the belt could be left on and the adjuster slackened to allow the cam to be turned 1 tooth. New belt fitted is about 2 hours, this will be a bit quicker but not much.
A new garage would want to fit a new belt as its bad practise to refit an old one.

Mark · **Reply #43 on:** February 21, 2008, 11:32:00 AM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #43 on: February 21, 2008, 11:32:00 AM

Is it distributor or distributorless ignition

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #44 on:** February 21, 2008, 19:09:25 PM

Re:Strange tachometer issue

Reply #44 on: February 21, 2008, 19:09:25 PM

Theres no distributor.

Funny story, I went to drive home in the dark and found my dashboard no longer lights up, so I had to drive home with no clue what speed I was doing.

Yay for mechanics! :bowdown:

News:

Author Topic: Strange tachometer issue (Read 4312 times)