Bought an MSM

[Crarrs]

I just added an 04 Ti Grey MSM to my garage this week. I found it online at a Lexus dealer in Seattle, and the car was just too clean to pass up. The CarFax showed it was super clean, with dealer-serviced oil changes every 3,000 miles. It has just under 67k miles, and is ready to go. It had to travel through about 2 days of rain on the truck to get here, so it's filthy right now and needs a good wash. Other than that, it's good to go. I've been doing a ton of reading on M-S and CR for the past month for what needs to be done, and I already have an intake in the garage ready to be installed next weekend.

[obijack]

Originally Posted by Crarrs I just added an 04 Ti Grey MSM to my garage this week. I found it online at a Lexus dealer in Seattle, and the car was just too clean to pass up. The CarFax showed it was super clean, with dealer-serviced oil changes every 3,000 miles. It has just under 67k miles, and is ready to go. It had to travel through about 2 days of rain on the truck to get here, so it's filthy right now and needs a good wash. Other than that, it's good to go. I've been doing a ton of reading on M-S and CR for the past month for what needs to be done, and I already have an intake in the garage ready to be installed next weekend.

It looks stock? Is that so? Did you get the sport or touring?
Congrats welcome to the club, looks awesome. That was my first color choice. @Neverlift; Is the man when it comes to info for these cars, btw.

I am currently saving for the FMII from flying miata.

Enjoy that thing man. They are so much fun.

[Crarrs]

It's stock except for this aftermarket cruise control connected to the throttle body with a key chain, LOL. It's getting ripped out today.

[obijack]

LOL WTF Iv'e never seen that before… So i take the lack of cruise control to mean sport model? Mine is sport also.

[ArmanRus]

Man that garage is stuffed full of fast stuff.

[Lex]

I really like these cars. Great choice!

[Crarrs]

Cruise control junked. Got some extra wire, vacuum hose, and wire sheathing for the garage stockpile out of it, too.

@obijack; Can you take a look at your coolant overflow hose for me? Is yours stretched really tight between the tank and that bend at the radiator bracket? And does yours have hose clamps? Mine has no hose clamps, is very taut there, and is leaking where it connects to the tank. Just curious; I'm gonna put a new one on that's an inch longer and clamp it regardless.

[obijack]

Originally Posted by Crarrs Cruise control junked. Got some extra wire, vacuum hose, and wire sheathing for the garage stockpile out of it, too. @obijack; Can you take a look at your coolant overflow hose for me? Is yours stretched really tight between the tank and that bend at the radiator bracket? And does yours have hose clamps? Mine has no hose clamps, is very taut there, and is leaking where it connects to the tank. Just curious; I'm gonna put a new one on that's an inch longer and clamp it regardless.

Mine has no hose clamps. But mine has between .5 and 1 inch of play in it. It is not strung tight, but it does not move very much either. Hope that helps.

[CosmicArkie]

Nice find.

The key chain cruise control connection was the hot hookup back in the day -25 or 30 years ago - when they were first being retrofitted. If you stop and consider it, it's a quick and easy way to adjust linkage incrementally.

Ain't no way that's the right way to run an overflow. I'd bet it has been cut off a time or two. I'd replace it and use some of these clamps:

Quick Assemble Hose Clamps | Alliance Express

Enjoy.

[Quigs]

Wow, awesome find. I've always wanted a MSM. Incredibly jealous of your garage right now man, good stuff.

[bigx5murf]

No MSM ever came with factory cruise control. I drove mine from NYC to Las Vegas, never felt the need for it once.

In the past couple of months, so many low mile stock examples popping up and changing hands. Two of them picked up by my local friends. These things are so easy to mod, they're not finicky with stuff at all. You literally take off stock stuff, bolt new stuff, go hooning.

Sorry to bring it up, but beware the Ti Curse lol. No but seriously, the curse is real, that color is difficult for many people to see, and it's like the world's out to kill you. It happened to a local friend, someone just suddenly decided to lane change into his front fender. A loud exhaust would be a safety feature lol

[Crarrs]

Originally Posted by bigx5murf Sorry to bring it up, but beware the Ti Curse lol.l

Haha, I'm well aware of the Ti Curse from my research on CR. Doesn't matter, it was the only color I wanted.

I gave the car a good wash yesterday. As I said before the car was covered in a layer of gross grime from traveling on an open carrier in 2 days of rain. After a good scrub, it's clear there was great paint hiding under that crap. I had a squeaky serpentine belt in the rain the other night, so I ordered new Gates belts and a few other parts from Rock Auto today. Those will be going on the car in 2 weeks, along with an AEM intake. I ordered a timing belt; I'm not sure it needs it, but I figure it's cheap insurance since I don't have the history on it. Car is at 67k, and it was due at 65k.

Obligatory post-wash photos attached below. In b4 "F U and your sunny Arizona days".

[alphasaur]

Originally Posted by bigx5murf No MSM ever came with factory cruise control. I drove mine from NYC to Las Vegas, never felt the need for it once. In the past couple of months, so many low mile stock examples popping up and changing hands. Two of them picked up by my local friends. These things are so easy to mod, they're not finicky with stuff at all. You literally take off stock stuff, bolt new stuff, go hooning. Sorry to bring it up, but beware the Ti Curse lol. No but seriously, the curse is real, that color is difficult for many people to see, and it's like the world's out to kill you. It happened to a local friend, someone just suddenly decided to lane change into his front fender. A loud exhaust would be a safety feature lol

think all miata's have the curse, people constantly almost hit me in my white na. Small cars are just hard to see. Going to get a ricey exhaust for it, hopefully that helps.

[juxt3r]

Originally Posted by Neverlift In that video above somewhere my buddy is running stock suspension with 9's and 225/50 Kumho Ecsta AST (awesome tire to learn the limits). But it does rub a little at full lock on the spring. The banjo bolts on the caliper like to rub too.

I believe Flyin Miata offers lower profile banjo bolts for this issue.

Originally Posted by alphasaur think all miata's have the curse, people constantly almost hit me in my white na. Small cars are just hard to see. Going to get a ricey exhaust for it, hopefully that helps.

Go with the biker mantra "a loud exhaust is a safe exhaust". And yes, they all have issues with not being seen. Get a non-resonated midpipe for starters.
Also, definitely upgrade to an air horn or Supertones. The stock horn won't get anyone's attention.

[bigx5murf]

Originally Posted by juxt3r I believe Flyin Miata offers lower profile banjo bolts for this issue.

That's a different rubbing issue, and one I haven't had an issue with. I think people with this issue are putting balancing weights too far inside the barrel. Also, most stainless steel brake lines comes with lower profile bolts as well.

The rubbing issues with 9" wheels and stock suspension is a rub on the stock springs. Which is why it's necessary to run coilovers to avoid.

Originally Posted by juxt3r Go with the biker mantra "a loud exhaust is a safe exhaust". And yes, they all have issues with not being seen. Get a non-resonated midpipe for starters. Also, definitely upgrade to an air horn or Supertones. The stock horn won't get anyone's attention.

I highly recommend the wolo bad boy horn. Can be found at harbor freight for like $35, not hard to install in stock location, and it's loud. Only problem is you need to up the fuse the horn is on by 5A, or it'll blow.

[Crarrs]

Originally Posted by juxt3r Go with the biker mantra "a loud exhaust is a safe exhaust". And yes, they all have issues with not being seen. Get a non-resonated midpipe for starters. Also, definitely upgrade to an air horn or Supertones. The stock horn won't get anyone's attention.

Did you see my garage? I ride. I'm well aware of how to operate under the assumption that I'm invisible. Car already has a Fiamm air horn from the previous owner.

[obijack]

Looks good man, enjoy!

[Neverlift]

Nice buy @Crarrs;

If you have any questions or problems just let me know. I have helped a handful of local owners over the last couple of years choose the proper mod path and find the limits of the car.

Here is a video of such a case from the rain we had last week. He's picking up car control pretty quickly. It has a FMIC, Koyo Rad, AEM Intake, OCC Check valve, 15x9 TRM C3M's, and an Enthuza XR exhaust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSAa706ikF4

[Crarrs]

Just ordered the Mazdaspeed competition motor and diff mounts. I'm picking up a set of used 225/45/15 RS-3s in Phoenix this weekend I paid $50 for. I don't have wheels yet, and haven't decided if I'm going 8 or 9 inch wide. Haven't decided which direction I'm going on suspension or exhaust yet either. And I'm still doing reading to decide which path I'm going to take to eliminate the notorious throttle hesitation; results of the various solutions are VERY mixed.

A lot of what I plan on doing to this car is based upon what I've read in your threads on here and CR @Neverlift;

[Neverlift]

RS3's feel much better on a 9", and have been proven to be quicker vs. a 8".

For street driving they are overkill and completely unnecessary. They rob all the fun of playing on the edge of grip. I think you will need to replace the suspension bushings before running them as well.

The hesitation is the computer remaining in closed loop until 5k. I think tricking the ECU into staying in open loop by uplugging or putting a resistor in the TPS is the best course of action and worth the 2-3 MPG you will lose. The lean condition from full boost to open loop is almost 1500rpm and its some nice piece of mind.

The most important thing you can do now is installing the Flying Miata check valve on the OCC drain back to keep oil from entering your intake & i/c.

Also, when you get a rollbar, you may need to purchase longer Grade 8 hardware. The MSM has additional reinforcement you will need to drill through. The hardware supplied for every other Miata wont work. This is just a heads up.

I am glad you went with the AEM intake, you are going to see huge gains from that.

What are your plans for the car?

[Crarrs]

Responses are embedded below in red.

Originally Posted by Neverlift RS3's feel much better on a 9", and have been proven to be quicker vs. a 8". For street driving they are overkill and completely unnecessary. They rob all the fun of playing on the edge of grip. I think you will need to replace the suspension bushings before running them as well. The main reason I'm heavily considering the 8-inch wheels is to avoid being boxed into 2-3 tires with inconsistent availability. I'd like to have the option of running 205s if the 225 supply dries up seasonally for national autocross events. The hesitation is the computer remaining in closed loop until 5k. I think tricking the ECU into staying in open loop by uplugging or putting a resistor in the TPS is the best course of action and worth the 2-3 MPG you will lose. The lean condition from full boost to open loop is almost 1500rpm and its some nice piece of mind. I looked at the resistor mod and it seems like the best solution I've read. My other preferred path would be the 330/360cc injectors (forget what the exact numbers are). What's your take on the FM O2 modifier? That part and the MAF relocate seem to be 50/50 on whether they even work car-to-car. The most important thing you can do now is installing the Flying Miata check valve on the OCC drain back to keep oil from entering your intake & i/c. Good tip, it's on the list now. Also, when you get a rollbar, you may need to purchase longer Grade 8 hardware. The MSM has additional reinforcement you will need to drill through. The hardware supplied for every other Miata wont work. This is just a heads up. Thanks for the tip. A single hoop bar was already on my list. I am glad you went with the AEM intake, you are going to see huge gains from that. I'd read good things about it, and AutoAnything will price match anybody, with free 2 day shipping. Good thing Amazon is selling them for $195. What are your plans for the car? It's primarily going to be a fun semi-DD thats among my rotation of other fun vehicles in the garage, and I wanted a new project. I'll take it on canyon roads every now-and-then. My Ducati is modded as far as I want to go with it. My MS3 is boxed in by the rule book for autocross. I don't want to do HPFP because of where it will put me class-wise; so that means I can't add the downpipe that is legal. My Honda is too fast to reasonably use on the street, and is also more capable than I can exploit regardless; there's no reason to mod it.

[dale_gribble]

I really like the MSMs... Stylistically, the best looking and non gayest Miata ever made.

I really like that orange MSM... Someday.

[Neverlift]

I think a 205 is more than enough tire for anything below 250whp in the Miata. Burn through those RS3's and find a tire you like in 205.

I bought a set of Toyota 321cc, but never installed, even when I was spiking to 12.5lbs with the open dp & ported wastegate inlet on cold days. Those or 315cc are the ones you want to get on the stock ECU.

I've seen the o2 modifier work only on '05 MSMs. I've never seen one work properly on an '04.... but continue to avoid the MAF relocation. The only thing it does is make less power.

I got mine to 200whp for less than 1k. I just wish I installed the Hydra I bought.

[juxt3r]

Nice looking MSM you found! Color me jealous!

Since you're replacing the timing belt, might as well switch out the water pump, cam and crank seals, and those belt tensioners while you're in there. Few things suck more than having to dig into all of that again in case of a pump or bearing failure.

Also, when you mention reading on CR, are you talking about clubroadster, or someplace else? If so, I guess you're sticking to older threads, as the site has moved a bit away from tech and DIY in the last seven years. If you want technical information, do read on miata.net. That site has a much deeper knowledge base and, in general, more maturity. Then again, if you want the Miata equivalent to MSF, hit miataturbo.net. You'll find lots of pertinent information there. Like here, you'll want to search exhaustively before asking questions.

[Crarrs]

Originally Posted by juxt3r Nice looking MSM you found! Color me jealous! Since you're replacing the timing belt, might as well switch out the water pump, cam and crank seals, and those belt tensioners while you're in there. Few things suck more than having to dig into all of that again in case of a pump or bearing failure. Also, when you mention reading on CR, are you talking about clubroadster, or someplace else? If so, I guess you're sticking to older threads, as the site has moved a bit away from tech and DIY in the last seven years. If you want technical information, do read on miata.net. That site has a much deeper knowledge base and, in general, more maturity. Then again, if you want the Miata equivalent to MSF, hit miataturbo.net. You'll find lots of pertinent information there. Like here, you'll want to search exhaustively before asking questions.

I was referring to clubroadster, and I agree. Really the only thread I've found to have useful information is the 100+ page monster thread solely about MSMs; there is a lot of good info buried in there I've bookmarked for later reading when I get to those points in modding the car. Every other new thread I see there is about changing shift boots, fitting retro gauge faces, recovering door cards, and fitting +0 offset wheels. The rest of that forum isn't going to be of much use to me beyond finding parts in the classifieds.

[bigx5murf]

Just a warning, 9" wide wheels will rub stock suspension, you can't run them without narrower coilovers.

Also, maf relocation intake has been revised a few times, and someone did a back to back dyno against the FM intake. Both cars stock except for respective intakes. WHP was dead even, while maf relocation had a noticeably smoother curve.

http://www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/in...cseen.html#top

Pulling IAT temps from the OBD2, I've compared with a local guy with FM intake. Maf relocation intake is on average 30F cooler, but sometimes as much as 50F cooler. Of course this isn't fair, since maf relocation also relocates the IAT sensor post fmic. But I'm sure the cold air extension tube makes a large difference as well, I've measured a 30F drop in IAT from that alone on 110+ days.

Oh yea, another benefit of maf relocation intake. The guy who makes it is willing to sell you parts of it a la carte. Or even custom fab you some piping. For example, check halfway down this page.

http://www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/in...22422.480.html

[Neverlift]

In that video above somewhere my buddy is running stock suspension with 9's and 225/50 Kumho Ecsta AST (awesome tire to learn the limits). But it does rub a little at full lock on the spring. The banjo bolts on the caliper like to rub too.

[3Gee Tee]

Veddy nice, that's the best color too.

[2zooms]

Nice, you have some great toys, jealous.

[Crarrs]

P0300...

[Crarrs]

I'm out of town for the holiday, so I'm doing what I can with what I have. Its turkey day and parts stores are closed, so I did an ECU reset and bought cheap Autolite plugs at Walmart. CEL hasnt turned back on since the reset this morning, going to keep an eye out for it until I get home. Going to clean the "bog" solenoid tomorrow. Ordering NGK iridium plugs tomorrow to put in the car after I get back home.

[obijack]

Doesn't the MSM make you wish they made an AP for it.

[Darthspeed3]

Hey, not to crap on your parade but check your quarter panels for rust. It's common in those, usually the left side first. Rusty IS like cancer, the quicker you find it, the better. Other than that, nice car.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[Crarrs]

Rust? WTF is that?

*desert dweller*

[juxt3r]

You're ahead of the curve, then, on both counts.

[Crarrs]

Got a few things to install....

[obijack]

Originally Posted by Crarrs Got a few things to install....

Badass let us know your impressions of the AEM intake please! Where did you find the belts and pulleys the cheapest at? One of mine is squeaking on cold starts.

Edit: was in the MSM last night and a RC51 with yoshi pipes was riding next to me for a while. That distinct sound of the v-twin motor is so fucking tight. I had a SV1000S for a while and it was pretty fun, but it couldn't hold a candle to an RC51. I wonder how much it would cost to ship yours to Florida, haha.

[Crarrs]

The accessory belts are cheap at Rock Auto. I got the Gates blue belts for $20-30 each.

Figure out a way to ship my bike there, I need to sell it. I really shouldn't be modding this car until the bike is gone....

[obijack]

[quote =Crarrs;2369684]The accessory belts are cheap at Rock Auto. I got the Gates blue belts for $20-30 each.

Figure out a way to ship my bike there, I need to sell it. I really shouldn't be modding this car until the bike is gone....[/quote]

Are you replacing the pulleys too?

[Crarrs]

Only the timing belt idler pulleys.