Have you tried pouring BB's down the intake yet? I heard that helps ...... ;)

The Rotten Apple Awards

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1307123851.jpg

Hey Mike,
While you're replacing the Valve cover gasket (very easy to do) replace the CAS O-ring at the same time. They are another major source of oil leaks in the Miata and if the valve cover is out it's really easy to get to. Here's a Miata.net article on replacing it: Crank-angle sensor oil seal replacement

Good Luck!
Michael

Here's a better article on the CAS replacement: CAS O Ring Change

Michael

Alrighty, I replaced the plugs, wires and gasket today with no issues. She runs like a champ now.


Man I like this car, wish it was a little longer though and
I'm only comfortable with the top down.

Plug wires seem to be a big deal, at least on the early (NA, <'99) models. I think I remember reading about 25k-35k miles per set. I didn't have that sort of problem, but many folks seem to.

I'm glad it was an easy fix.

On my '97, I didn't like the seats. They looked the part, but I felt like I sat on top of them instead of in them, and they provided next to no lateral support. Also, being 6'2", I needed to sit a bit lower. I performed a "foamectomy" on the bottom and back of my driver's seat and that gave me another 2" of headroom in the car as well as providing lots more lateral support. You may not want to start hacking at the seat if your mom still drives it though.

Yeah, I'm not hacking into it even though she is only about 2" shorter than me, at 5'10" the top of my head and my hair rub on the roof - it's irritating.

Nice on summer days with the top down though. Now I just have to get the radio fixed and remove the 'REDHAT' plate from the front.

I took my wife's Sunfire to the dealership last week. The passenger window would not roll down. We had this problem 6 months ago with the driver's side, and it was $200 to fix.

Not this time, they came back with an estimate over $1000, including $600 to replace the window motor. It also included replacing the allegedly leaking cam cover gasket (it wasn't leaking, but there was some very old spilled oil near it) and the "cracked" serpentine belt (which looks brand new). I told them to eff off and picked up the car, but they charged me $100 for "diagnosis". Seems they were trying to run up the bill.

some of you guys beat up mechanics too much......they need to make a living too.......
a couple of hours labor isn't too far fetched for that type of job, if it's "that" easy just do it yourself.......which you are, did that total price include the diag cost?
as was said, good mechanics are tricky to come by sometimes, which is why you said you'll take your volvo to him.....

just sayin.....