My '91 Escort GT has the same engine as the 1.8 Miatas and, indeed, water in
the plug holes can act very strange. I've had the car drive just fine for
20 miles then start sputtering because of water in the plug holes.
Let the engine get to operating temp, shut it off, pull the wires and stuff
a rag into each hole, using a screwdriver to get it down around the plugs.
Once things have cooled a bit and you're reasonably sure there isn't much
water in there, pull the plugs and let everything evaporate for a while. I
also have the Magnecor wires and I think they are of superior materials and
construction to just about anything out there. They may be twice the price
of OEM wires, but they'll probably last the life of the car.
Check the spark plug holes (and the plug threads when you pull them) for
oil, the valve covers on 1.8L Escorts tend to leak oil into the holes and
I'd suspect the Miata cover is similar. Replace the gasket as necessary.
One other thing, check the coolant temp sensor, it's possible it thinks the
engine is cold and richening the mixture when it's actually warmed up.
This is my experience with 217,000 miles on the engine which was recently
rebuilt and ready for another 11 years.
Will Kalman
'91 Escort GT
CSCC #232 STS
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Dahl" <adahl@eskimo.com>
To: "Chris Eckles" <MRoadster@compuserve.com>
Cc: <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 9:09 AM
Subject: Re: Miata help...
> On Tuesday, July 10, 2001, at 05:24 AM, Chris Eckles wrote:
> > My Miata did something similar - though I admit not as badly. I had
> > decided to wash the engine, and scrubbed it down pretty good. Ran very
> > badly for a day or two, then I found that one or two of the spark plug
> > holes were filled with water.
>
> I think what happened is thath a small amount of moisture got in one or
> more of the spark plug holes. Doesn't take much to short out things.
> Once the car warms up the moisture evaporates and all is ok but it
> re-condenses when it cools again and the problem returns. I've had this
> happen several times with the various Miatas I've owned.
>
> > My plug wires lasted almost exactly 25,000 miles per set. Then I would
> > get
> > rough idling. A common problem with Miatas.
>
> With the OEM set, yes. I got over 100,000 miles out of the Racing Beat
> wires I replaced them with. I now have a set of Magnacor wires which
> look like they are even better constructed than the Racing Beat ones.
>
> - Alan Dahl
>
> --------------
> Alan Dahl home:
> adahl@eskimo.com
> Federal Way, WA, USA work: Alan.Dahl@PSS.boeing.com
> http://www.eskimo.com/~adahl ICQ 52688023
>
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