Stupid Alarm Wiring,& Seat Question &Engine Cleaning Q [Archive] (2024)

MX-5 Miata Forum > NA/NB (1990-2005) Miata > NA (1990-1997) General Discussion > Stupid Alarm Wiring,& Seat Question &Engine Cleaning Q

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Hey there, I bought myself my first car couple weeks ago from my Uncle. A beautiful red 1993 Miata. However, being family he didn't clean it amazingly well. So, in the process of cleaning, I took off the passenger seat to get the crap from under there. I was able to get all bolts off, except for the rear left. Which was stripped :( (Anyone know how to remove a stripped bolt?) So, I started putting the seat back down. But, the front left wouldn't go down far enough to allow me to screw the bolt back in. Any help?
Secondly, My Uncle had a pretty cheap alarm installed. But, it sucks power from the battery. So, I thought I'd be smart and just remove it from the battery. Turns out it's connected to the ignition somehow, cause it won't let the engine start period,without the alarm attached. Anyone know how to fix that?
And, lastly. I'd love to clean my engine. (Think it'd look good with the new strut tower bars :P) Anyone know a good way? I heard simple green would work, any input helps :)
Oh, ps, I'm getting cross drilled and slotted rotors soon. (ordered today) One of the only complaints i've seen is that they click due to the empty space from the holes. Any one use cross drilled? How bad is it?
Thank you =)

I will take a couple of these, the alarm you need to remove all of it, remove the splices into all the wireing. One thing for sure is it will leave you stranded at some point. If it doesn't kill the battery it will fail and the car not start.
Strut bars don't bother, your car doesn't have struts and these don't do anything but add weight, but they do give you a place to lean when working under there.
The rotors I have never had, but people do complain about them snaping in half in the slots.

Thanx for the reply :D
I really don't know how the alarm works, so I don't want to just go pulling wires, ya' know?
Good to know about the suspension though :)
I'll read up on the suspension when I get to a computer

To get the alarm out, just follow the wires as the come out of the unit. One of them is your lead, follow it until you find where it was spliced into your ignition lead. Fix that. Now just take it all out. This is your first car, so I get the hesitation, but you can't be afraid to get in there and start doing stuff. I mean, you can, if you NEED your car and have no money if you actually break something. But since it's your first car, you're prolly not doing anything that necessitates an automobile.

Also, I'm glad you asked about engine cleaning techniques. I've never actually detailed my engine bay, and I'm certainly not about to take any sort of pressurized liquid streams to it...

I take the seats out of my Miatas regularly, so I'll tackle that one. If the seat won't go into place in the front, the metal peg is not seated in the hole in the floor. Try pulling up on the adjuster handle while you move the slider on that side back and forth. It should drop into place when the peg seats in the hole in the floor.
As far as a stripped bolt is concerned, did it break off, is the head rounded or does it turn freely (my own defination of being stripped)? If it broke off, you'll have to drill it out and use an easy out. A decent auto parts store can tell you what you need. If the head is rounded, try a six point socket if you haven't used one. You may also be able to drive a slightly smaller sae socket-9/16 maybe- onto it and break it loose. make sure the socket is perpendicular to the bolt and use a long extension with a breaker bar. Good luck.

in regards to engine cleaning, I would never take a power washer to my engine bay. seeing as it's your first car, why don't you try to tackle hand washing it? Take everything apart in the engine bay. use a simple degreaser or something along those lines and just wipe it down until it shines. That's what I did. You will also learn a lot about the car during this process. :thumbs:

I use Simple Green for cleaning the engine compartment. Spray it on a COLD engine, let it sit overnight, then rinse it off with a plant sprayer, the kind that have an adjustable sprinkler on the end... looks somewhat like a shower head. Also, as others have noted, the Miata doesn't have struts. Effectiveness of the shock tower brace has been greatly debated. In theory, perhaps it should help. In actual use? Find someone in the Gilroy area that perhaps has that modification, drive both cars through the same course (Streets) and come to your own decision. Your money can be much better spent on things other than cross drilled/slotted rotors. Braided stainless brake lines and ceramic pads would do much more for effective braking.

If you're afraid to tackle the alarm, perhaps you can take it back to the place it was installed as ask them to remove it, shouldn't take them long or cost much. Or maybe just give them the alarm as payment? And with regards to engine washing, get some engine degreaser and use a hose, low pressure, and plenty of towels/rags. I have heard Simple Green can stain aluminum, so maybe take care not to leave it on too long? Put plastic wrap or tinfoil over the electrical bits to be safe, esp the alternator, CAS, etc. Take special care not to get water down the spark plug holes, that will cause a short and a misfire, which can kill the cat in short order. I have never had the pleasure of using an easy out, but they are cheap and readily available. Get a can of Kroil, or PB blaster, and soak the offending bolt overnight if possible before starting the removal procedure. And good luck, Matt

I'm no help to this other then to tell you that alarm removal is a PIA!!! Every time I am under my dash I find more wires from this thing. All I do is cut a wire, start the car, cut a wire, start a car. Until I have everything removed that I came across. :realmad:

Wow let me just keep my mouth shut...

@Jack ?? o,O
And thanx for the input guys, helps alot. I think I'll got to the alarm place and see how much it costs to remove it.
As for the engine cleaning thing, I'll use a toothbrush and simple green (washing off after)
Have nothing else to do now really, slotted rotors drained this months upgrade fund :P
And as to the seat, my friend sat in it rather quickly and it went in :P So, best not to question that.
And, I've read alot about how when people install the strut tower bars they notice no difference, so they end up taking them off. There is alot more of that opinion than with them on. :)
So, I think next is a harness bar and a randall cowl :P
Thanx for the input guys, loving this community =D