Miata Mailing List: May 1993, Message #162
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   From: (none)
Subject: Seat covers/Timing/New coupe
   Date: (none)



Various topics that I've let languish in my mailbox:

1) Peter (peng) asked about cotton seat covers:
    I've tried sheepskin and didn't like the look nor the extra height
    that detracted from my precious headroom.  Currently using those
    cotton twill covers and I like them.  They are more form fitting
    than you might expect, so they look pretty good (I could do without
    yet another Miata logo though...).  Address and cost are from 6/92
    so may be out of date.  Performance still advertises in MCA mag.

    $60 + 3.79 shipping per pair
    Performance Buyer's Club
    1700 17 St NW #306
    Washington, DC 20009-2419
    (202) 232-1136

2) Regarding timing:
    This is easy to do, and I think well worth the 15 minutes it takes.
    I found that my car was set to 0 BTDC from the factory/dealer!  I
    changed it to 10 degrees BTDC and noticed a huge difference in 
	low-end torque.  Haven't yet tried bumping it up to 14 Deg BTDC as 
	suggested in MCA mag.  Below is the procedure summarized from the 
	Winter '91 MCA mag:

    Locate the blue male terminator just front of the front, driver's side
    wheel well.  Unsnap the cover.  This terminal provides (+) power for
    the timing light.  Ground the timing light on a chassis bolt.  Inductive
    timing lights connect to #1 cyl (closest to you) wire.  Open the lid on
    the 1.5"x2" black box above the driver's side wheel well, and examine
    the diagram.  Use a jumper or a paper clip to connect "GND" to "TEN":

					  TEN
                       |
                       V
             [X][X]   [X][X]       (Upper half of the block)
    GND-> [X][X][X][X][X][X][X]

	Fire up the engine and look for the yellow timing mark on the crankshaft
	pulley.  Factory suggested setting is 10 Deg BTDC.  Use a 12mm wrench
	to loosen the bolt on the crankshaft sensor (behind the passenger side
	camshaft cover) enough to gently and slowly twist the sensor and advance 
	or retard the timing appropriately.  Tighten the sensor bolt when done.  
	Adjust the idle speed (under the black plug on the throttle body) if 
	necessary to keep idle in the 800-900rpm range.

3) The new coupe (finally got my Autoweek):
	I really like the look, reminds me of some of the '70's coupes that I
	loved (Some of the Abarth designs come to mind).  Seems like the price
	_should_ be in the $25K-$28K range since the $30K and above runs smack
	into the RX-7.  The mouth needs work.  It seems way too squarish (reminds
	me of some '80's vintage air dams) compared to the styling on the rest 
	of the car.

            /        Jeff Maurer, Sr. Analyst
     _  ___/ _ __   Service Applications, Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
     / /  / / / /  Uucp: ...!uunet!sequent!jdm
    / /__/_/   /  Internet: jdm@sequent.com
 __/             (503) 578-5062

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