THSCC Forums

We looked at a '97 Miata today with low miles. That looked to be in really good condition, started without smoking and idled well. It did have a lot of lifter tick when it first started up, I don't think the car had been started in a while.

Everything was looking good until we got out on the street and the car started sputtering and had very little power. We took the car back to the dealership and told them what it was doing and the guy went straight to the spark plugs and said that it was common for them to get wet (during detailing) and then cause a rough running engine.

At that point I didn't stick around to see if cleaning out the spark plug wells and wires would solve the problem, so we just left. When we got home we found that they had lowered the price on the car (earlier that day) but the window sticker didn't reflect the new price. The new price makes the car a better deal and now I'm curious to see if it still runs rough.

Is this really a common problem with the miata?

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In need of car.

I can't say how "common" it is - that would require knowing both a numerator (number of times a Miata doesn't start after engine detailing) and a denominator (number of time a Miata has it's engine detailed).

However, I can say I've had the same problem at least once with my '96 Miata after washing the engine bay (maybe twice before I figured out you need to pull the plug wires and stuff rags down into the valve cover holes where the spark plugs reside). I'd go drive it again, and if the problem doesn't recur, it probably was just water down the spark plug wells.

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Marvin McBride
Spec Miata #62

Jason,

Go to http://www.miataforum.com and do a search in their detailing/car care section. I know I've seen some threads about this, and I believe it is pretty common.

This isn't the "corporate" car is it?

TF

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Tom Freeman
'98 M3/4/5 | '93 Spec3 325i | '12 TSX sport wagon | '03 Tahoe
Team Silver Bullets '91 240SX

I had that happen with my '99 after I Simple Greened the engine. It was a pain in the arse getting it dried. Had to pull all of the plug boots and set the car in the hot August sun for something like 5 or 6 hours. The only thing that I worried about after was possible rusting in the spark plug wells. Not sure if this is possible but I sorried about it right up until I gave it back at the end of the lease.

Jason, Several of us were discussing the perils of washing newer engines recently and how careful you have to be in making sure electronic stuff was covered. There is a module that can get completely Fubarred if not protected (I think Phil Weyman knows which it is).

My older '90 eats "lifetime" plug wires after about 25K so that may be another area to check

Rob

yep, a common problem, as is deteriorating wires ~ every 25-30K. Drying the wells, wires and plugs should clear up the problem unless a carbon arc path formed on the inside of the wire boot or down the side of the plug. Replacing the plugs and wires will clear that up tho. The spark plug wells won't rust, the valve cover and head are aluminum, but you could get dielectric corrosion between the plug and head. Always use antiseize compound on the plug threads!
"Ticking" lifters on startup is also common especially if a cheap oilfilter is used without a check valve (Use genuine Mazda filters!) and no real worry. The engine is near bulletproof for >200K if you do the routine maintainance at the recommended intervals. If the car has >60K on it ask if the timing belt and waterpump was replaced, if not, put that at the top of your priority/expense list. The engine is a non-interference design, so if the belt breaks it just stops, but it will leave you stranded. You must remove the timing belt to change the waterpump, so it's preventive maintanance to replace it at the same time the belt is changed.

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