Anybody own/work on first gen Mazda Miata's?

[AJMBLAZER]

Nope, not mine but the owner is a MILF friend of my buddy's wife so YES, I'll fix her car.

'91 Mazda Miata pretty well loaded with the manual trans and 45,000 original miles. Pretty good shape actually.

Charging issues and sounds like a classic case of a dead alternator. They can jump it, it'll run, but then won't start back up after they turn it off. New battery installed 6 months or so ago but it still won't start without a jump. I'm thinking they drained the battery and possibly killed it. Going to take it in and have the alt and battery tested at any rate.
Alt looks fairly easy to get to as it's on the p-side bottom of the engine. Drop the splash shield/skid plate thing and it's hanging right there. Probably going to do the belts while we're at it.

Anybody have any thoughts on this or working on these?

 

[hobie237]

I always pull the alternator from the top, not the bottom, but then again my car is kind of complicated by some aftermarket suspension braces and (moreso) turbo piping running near the alternator. The alternators aren't bad to rebuild, and there's really no reason to suspect that there's any problem other than the alternator/dead battery at this point.

 

[mr.smartass]

Can the alternator put out enough voltage to run the car but not charge the battery? I thought a bad alternator would mean the car would die after the battery is drained.

Meh, test and/or replace both, battery should be free if it's only been 6 months. Just make sure to check all connections while you're in there.

 

[hobie237]

More likely that the alternator is dead, and the battery has enough juice to run the car but not start it.

When replacing the battery, try to get an AGM type. Regular flooded batteries in the trunk are a bad idea (leakage, venting, blah blah) and the factory battery was an AGM (absorbed glass mat) type. East Penn Deka makes the only faithful replacement AGM, which is sold under a variety of different labels.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, we're going to test both since it's free anyway.

My theory follow's hobie's - the alt is stone dead, the battery is half dead, but every time they jump it the thing does start and being the tiny little 4cyl it is the thing can actually keep running a while and the battery is still TRYING to work.

 

[Merv]

Well.... Whatever happens tell her it was really difficult and go buy some lube.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Well, she already asked how much she owed me and I declined. My buddy's wife said I liked home cooking but is fully aware of what I'm angling towards.

I really do like fixing cars...however them being owned by hot, single MILF's just makes it more fun.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Got it running tonight. Put in a new alternator from AdvanceAuto yesterday and had to run all over town getting her nearly new CarQuest battery replaced under warranty. Turned out the battery had been killed by the alt, just as we suspected. Dead cell or two - would barely take a charge and then wouldn't support the car at all.
Put the new battery in and vrrrrrooooooom! Took it for a little spin...this thing is dangerous. Just zippy enough to be fast and oh yeah, bright red and a 5 speed. I was doing 60 in a 35mph zone pretty easily.

It's in good shape, very clean, but a lot of stuff is original or was replaced 10 years ago so I'm making a list of tune up stuff for her. Has the original tires...
...and yes, I'm pursuing the other agenda. She was so tickled when I called her and told her it was running just fine that she said to keep it for a while and have fun. I'm going to try and not get a ticket.

 

[gotblazers]

next time it breaks down bring it by and ill test out my suspension and put 2 wheels on the roof

 

[AJMBLAZER]

You'd have to catch it first. Damn fast for like 120hp or something.

I don't intend to let it break down.

Although damn, it is low. A Super Duty was following us on the way back this evening and the lights were over my head.