Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

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Fred
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Well, in contrast to that, as I said to the IRC channel yesterday, I've never had any issues with brake caliper sliders getting stuck. Each pad change earns them some grease and they stay happy forever with boots keeping the grease in there and the crap out.

My brake bind issue was from the hex adjuster in the rear of the rear caliper being slightly too tight. When I did the rear pads 6 months ago, I adjusted them to within a fraction of a turn of too tight. Apparently some things moved and the left one became too tight. Wound it out 1/4 of a turn and was good as gold. :-)

Went in for the recheck tonight and got the WOF on it! :-)

Next up, Suzuki WOF!

Then FreeEMS x3!

Fred.
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Gave the workhorse a bit of love tonight:
  • Filled the washer bottle up with barsbugs and water
  • Topped off the overflow bottle with some straight concentrate coolant
  • Replaced a hard cracked hose to the brake booster with fresh hose
  • Duct taped the crap out of the post-MAF intake hose
  • Topped up the low oil by 700mls or so just in time to drain it after this tank of gas
  • Cleared all of the tree material out of it and vowed to park somewhere else
  • Washed some mud off the front bumper, sprayed by wheel spinning hotel in built up crap
  • Pulled a spark plug out and didn't like the condition of it, lubed and reinstalled, looked at getting some replacements
Three main things for this car right now off the top of my head are:
  1. Slight noise from steering indicating something is loose that shouldn't be
  2. Fix heater hose situation which is a bit dire with those quick connect things being broken
  3. Put interior back together! Way overdue, but fucks given are near zero
  4. Close fourth: Change oil out for some quality stuff with a flush and new filter
Also keen to get some proper rubber under it (still rocking snow tyres at the moment). And when the heat gets back in the weather, working air con would be nice. But which car to fix it on? Not sure.

Fred.
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Checked steering, RHS tie rod end is a bit loose and needs replacing, still drives 100% fine, though, unlike the Suzuki.

Fixed heater situation with new parts from Mazda, made in Japan, 13nzd each, 30 mins to replace, well worth it, toes can be warm now.

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 1743289344
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 2987716608

Retensioned the alternator belt too, had just started to squeak again. Now shouldn't once more. I tend toward the loose end as overtightening ruins the belt and bearings all at once.

I have a plan for this car that involves not using the current engine, so will hold off on an oil change a little longer despite it being pretty grubby. Topped it up the other day, so some of it is fresh, now, anyway.

More news on the plan as it comes to hand! :-)

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Snow chain test fitting was a major success, mostly because if I'd not done it, I'd have had a hell of a time in the cold trying for the first time, but also because it fits the slightly larger tyres at all, and finally, because these auto tensioners are great! :-D

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 4039235584

Next step, find ski pass, final step, drive to mountain and ski! :-D

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
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FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

This POS got me to reporoa tonight (300km). Great car to drive, still loving it. Things that were sub-optimal tonight:

1) Seat has too much lumber support. Not super important. Minor niggle, back fine after 3 hours behind the wheel. Just aware that it's not ideal.
2) Padding under carpet is gone/crushed/ruined. Need to lift carpet and put something to fit between the steel ribs so the stiff bit is flat, then overlay that with underlay, then put the carpet back. Much more comfortable on the heel.
3) Steering wheel leather is raped. DIY wrap in suede? Or find a less fucked one? Needs sorting, though, only comfortable in the 3/9 driving position right now, other angles are rough and yucky, and have been since the start. Replaced the fucked leather gear knob with a plastic Lantis one months ago, win win.
4) Not noticed tonight but engine mounts need to be stiffened and front shocks upgraded to stop wheel hop when trying to do lame skids.
5) Snow tyres make it kinda walk side to side slightly at 120kph in the wet while passing. Spend some cash on proper tyres for it before/after swapping for more powerful V6...
6) Doesn't NEED more power, or torque, but more power/torque will make it: much faster (expected it to be faster, didn't know it was so heavy), and more relaxed with more torque to just mosey on up to speed with minimal throttle in a high gear.

Back to doing other stuff. Over and out. :-)

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
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FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Car hummed and sung its way home. Effortless overtaking screaming through 2nd or 3rd to 7500 RPM :-) A real pleasure to drive in twisty roads, great fun, very planted. Even on the snow tyres, which in the dry were sharp and had more than enough grip to do some silly things. A set of semi-slicks would have done the same things a bit better, but overall, considering the cost (91nzd for four alloy wheels in good condition with 4 near new somewhat aged snow tyres), they're excellent. Sadly, no snow to drive on whatsoever. Might have to test that theory next year :-)
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FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

A few photos of the Lantis hard at work :-D

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 6417319936
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 7362990080
https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 7139015680

Stuck to the speed limits pretty closely for a change :-)

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

The other day I had a wee mishap in this thing. Broke the park lense in the bumper and cost me some as yet unknown amount of cash to repair a minor amount of damage to another car which behaved erratically, and which I merely rolled into under power of a tiny bit of gravity.

So today I went to pickapart, Avondale and Mangere, and got myself a new lense. While I was there, I got a new intake tube as it was broken and duct taped up. Both installed, and battery tray spaced up a bit to prevent the new intake failing in the same way. https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 7487825920

Someone has installed a BIG battery in it and it doesn't fit the tray. Then someone has tightened the battery down on the top of the tray edges, and cracked it in half/into a banana. So before I replace the battery, I'll source a new tray to slip in under there. I won't install it until I have a more reasonable battery to drop in there, something that weighs 30% less and actually fits. :-p

I also saw a "straight neck" KL-ZE at pickapart in an MS-8, and noticed that it had single pot front brakes. My Millenia parts car has twin pot front brakes, and 28mm rotors. Not sure on the rotors today, didn't think of that until now, but the point is, the straight neck KL-ZE has crappier brakes under it, leading me to believe that the curved neck engine is at least as good, possibly better. Internet folk law says otherwise, however I've read so much horse shit on car forums that I struggle to believe anything like that without hard proof.

Fred.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Tie rod end obtained. Exciting news, I know...

Will probably use it this week, too. DIY tow bar for the win.

Should only be tie rod and maybe types to get it a WOF.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
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Re: Fred's 1994 Type R Mazda Lantis

Post by Fred »

Got the wof a few weekends ago! Tie rod went in one evening before then with some help from Corbon.

No progress on new V6 or anything else on this car. But I did snap this pic of the ECU and loom terminations:

https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 0786345984
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
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