Tony Posted August 18, 2016 Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 Bugger..... Because it's gone in at an angle the hole is actually on the sidewall inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 It's actually gone in towards the centre of the tyre but I assume the pattern area is where the sidewall starts? So anything on the smooth area can be a normal repair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Inside it needs to be on a flat area, No part of the patch should be bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2016 I got my best mpg yesterday, 300 miles of motorway and dual carriageway gave me 38.2mpg! I was actually in shock, the best before then was 29mpg. So it seems a 2.4 auto is good on fuel if you only do all motorway driving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 23, 2016 Report Share Posted September 23, 2016 Reads like a stunt from Top Gear..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHAHZ Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 I got my best mpg yesterday, 300 miles of motorway and dual carriageway gave me 38.2mpg! I was actually in shock, the best before then was 29mpg. So it seems a 2.4 auto is good on fuel if you only do all motorway driving! That's really impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 It is very impressive, just a shame it doesn't do that all the time. We went to Norfolk on Friday evening, getting home yesterday and I covered 350 miles of mainly motorway and A roads, plus some B roads (50 milles). On the A roads there is a lot of stop/starting with roundabouts and traffic but I used nearly a whole tank so around 27 mpg. There was also 3 of us in the car and luggage too so that wouldn't help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Bloody car wouldn't start this morning, flat battery! I went to work on Thursday and it was fine, on Friday I moved it to the road and back again while I was doing something on the driveway and then it sat there for the weekend. I noticed the positive terminal clamp is loose, I can twist it and if I try hard enough could probably pull it off. How can I get it tight again? I've had no battery light on and haven't removed it in months so have no idea how it can just become loose. I tried jump starting the car with my battery pack but it wasn't having it and it was blocking the MX5 in so I couldn't use that neither! I've only got a ctek (slow) charger now, I don't trust my fast one anymore so I'll have to hope that gives it a bit of life tonight so I can start it in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 They can come loose if the connection corrodes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 I don't think there's any corrosion but how can I fix it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 How old is the battery ? As the weather starts to turn colder it will start to cause weaker batteries to fail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 I bought it when I got the car so just under 3 years old. It's a Varta one I bought from Tayna and according to their website has a 4 year warranty but I'd imagine it's just flat and not knackered. A new one is currently £42 delivered. I've only had the car back for 2 weeks since the missus was using it, I'd imagine her short trips haven't helped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 Need to see what the clamp looks like , sometimes you can cut a piece from a tin can and use that to space the terminal out and make the clamp fit tighter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Looks like it's not the battery, I put it on a slow charge overnight and it still wouldn't start after refitting it. The engine is cranking ok but while holding the key it'll stop by itself, usually if it doesn't start it'll crank until you let go of the key. The reason I though it was the battery is some of the lights flashed up, which has happened before when it's either been flat or low on charge. I put it in neutral and tried to push the car back so I could get the MX5 out but it wouldn't budge, not even a rock, it was like the transmission was still locked. I put it back in park and I could rock the car very slightly but in neutral it was rock solid. I gave the relays a little tap in the engine bay box and tried again, this time with a little throttle and it started. Once it was running it was ticking over ok so I left it on for 5 minutes while I moved the MX5 out and then turned it off. Does any of this point to what it might be, I'm thinking it may be fuel related (has 1/3 of a tank) - relay, pump, blockage? I'll see if it starts tonight and take it for a good run. Need to see what the clamp looks like , sometimes you can cut a piece from a tin can and use that to space the terminal out and make the clamp fit tighter The posts are made of lead aren't they? I can pull the clamp off when it's fully tightened but the gap doesn't look to be that large so I'm thinking of getting some lead sheet and cut it to size to wrap around the post. Could 1.8mm be too thick? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEAD-SHEET-300mm-x-20mm-x-1-8mm-code-4-thickness-/361736297027?hash=item543929da43:g:OdwAAOSwh2xX-jyG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickT Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 I'll assume you've checked any relay that provides the ECU power. Stating which lights actually lit / flashed would be helpful too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 How do you check a relay? I don't really like using or understand multi-meters so would something like this work ok? http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-automotive-relay-tester-a19qx I didn't pay attention to what lights came on, I was in a hurry as I had to get to work. If it does it again I'll try and video it so I can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickT Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 If it's started don't get too hung up on the relay. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I'm going to try it again tomorrow, if anything happens I'd rather it was in the daytime than when it's dark. Hopefully it was just a block somewhere and it's now cleared so a one off. If it's a sticky or bad relay then I can only think of the fuel pump and main relays or the fuel cut off switch. I plugged the computer in last night and there are no codes. I need to get the MOT done in the next couple of weeks and wanted to take the MX5 off the road for winter so hopefully it's nothing too serious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Don't forget the fuel filter.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Yes there is also that but it's in the tank and not supposed to be a serviceable item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 The car started first time yesterday but the lights did flash again, it's the ABS, VSA and warning triangle, they're all yellow ones. I took it for a 30 minute blast in semi auto mode and gave it a good run. When I got home I turned it off for 5 minutes and then tried it again, it started with no lights flashing. I'll try it again later from cold to see if it does it again and I need to sort this battery clamp to rule out that being the issue. I don't think I can fit a new clamp to the cable, there doesn't seem to be enough slack to cut the old one off. It looks like this below. A new cable from Honda is over £100! I have read some people use a ring of copper pipe as a shim but surely that'll react with the lead post? If I get a strip of lead and make my own where would I put the vaseline, in between the shim and the clamp as normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted October 21, 2016 Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 i dont use vaseline in between the clamp and the post but over the top of the clamps , yes copper will work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 i dont use vaseline in between the clamp and the post but over the top of the clamps , yes copper will work Any reason why just the top? Ok, if it works then I have a length of copper pipe from fitting the outside tap, I'll see if I can make one. For some reason I can't really find battery post shims for sale in the UK, just a couple on ebay. They seem popular in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 I took a video of my aux belt, does this sound noisy? I'm sure it never used to be that loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted October 21, 2016 Report Share Posted October 21, 2016 i dont use vaseline in between the clamp and the post but over the top of the clamps , yes copper will work Any reason why just the top? Ok, if it works then I have a length of copper pipe from fitting the outside tap, I'll see if I can make one. For some reason I can't really find battery post shims for sale in the UK, just a couple on ebay. They seem popular in the US. waterproofing/corrosion prevention Just cut a piece of tin can into a strip and fold it around the post , thats perfectly acceptable , its a Honda Accord not an Airbus A380 ! yes it does sound a bit noisy , like a noisy idler , it might get worse or might quiet down with more use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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