Done Akebono ceramic pads/Brembo rotors on our cars for the past decade or so. Includes a CX-3; no issues there.

I don’t know if they’re actually better since I haven’t tried, but I just trust a...

Very likely that panel is just there to smooth airflow under the car to reduce drag (increase fuel economy).

This you?

462068

https://youtu.be/2Tx6nyniv3c

No, only that one vent is rectangular. Just to hide it to streamline the styling.

462057

I get a bit of anxiety if my wife ever moves it so all the trim lines don’t line up.

You sound like someone who could appreciate a CX-3


462053

Almost had a similar situation here today. Wife tells me the car has started making clunking noises when going downhill.

Took it out for a spin, and yep, clunking from the left rear starts under...

I have one cause it’s needed for the Sienna cartridge style filter, and conveniently it fits the Mazda’s regular style filter as well - except for last weekend when I found out Mazda changed their...

This may help you figure it out:


https://youtu.be/iKWXvteDKP8

(Or not. Haven’t had a chance to watch the whole thing.)

Seriously not just trying to argue. Would just like to make the point that there’s no such thing as perfect when it comes to vehicle dynamics; it’s always balancing compromises.

The fact that I’ve...

Well, that depends entirely upon the regulations. Dallara Indycar weight distribution a decade ago was ~43/57. If they were allowed wider rear tires or forced to use narrower front then they could...

It’s way more complicated than that. On a rear drive car, for example, on a track with tight low speed corners you want more weight at the back to aid traction, but less low speed corners you may...

Pet peeve of mine: there’s nothing ‘perfect’ about a 50:50 weight distribution. Everything is a compromise, but it’s very unlikely that 50:50 ends up being the ideal compromise for any given...

450911

:confused:

My materials prof told a story about going to a sheet metal factory in Canada and there was a QC guy whose job it was to take thickness measurements hourly and record them to make sure they were...

Gotcha. That looks like a nice setup for adjustment.

The helper springs are for when you are changing preload to adjust ride height. You end up just having to compress the helper spring when...

Not sure how often you want to adjust height on those, or if you’d do it more often if it was easier, but adding ‘helper springs’ (sometimes called keeper springs) makes the job so much easier -...

For at-home toe adjustment a more accurate way is to run two parallel lines of string, tensioned, at center-of-wheel height, one down each side of the car. Distance away isn’t really important, but...

Well, looks like there aren’t a huge range of options in that size. That Bridgestone could be the best choice, especially if you’re contemplating doing some suspension work in the future anyways.

Stock suspension? Miata’s are a bit soft stock and going to a track day tire may upset the balance.

I’d be leaning more towards something like a Conti SportContact or Michelin Pilot Sport

Sounds like it could be battery to me. If you take it to a parts store like AutoZone or O’Reilley’s they should be able to do a quick diagnostic check to confirm, and it should be free.

Had a...

Yes, but… anything ‘Pilot Sport…’, which mf was talking about, will be a high performance tire. Then there are ‘Pilot Super Sport’, ‘Pilot Sport Cup’, etc.

Can understand the disappointment in that case. I think Pilots may be 30k warranty? Doubt I’ve ever even managed that out of a max performance summer tire.

On my first car I had ‘R’ compound tires...

Wait, was the issue that they lasted too long or not long enough?

It certainly depends what your needs are (not putting Pilots on the minivan, or really any car that doesn’t have a suspension tuned toward a max performance tire), and also on how price conscious you...

Jeez, I only scanned quickly and didn’t get to the Nexen part. Seriously comparing that to a Pilot?

Uhhh….

434014

I guess Dunlop could have better ride, but I really doubt it’s better as a ‘max performance’ tire.

You’ll get a lot of opinions (and some good info) if you ask this in the sprocket rockets ‘tool time’ thread.

Xtrac said Mobil 1 was recommended for their racing gearboxes, so good enough for my street car (Cosworth recommended Mobil 1 for their motors as well).

Team manager had a thing for Redline ‘shock...

Can get about 630hp out of a B5254T4 (if you’re willing to throw seven figures at it and run 104 octane.)

Original owner, no accidents, A/C has never been touched, noticed the issue starting this summer, system has three zone climate control (driver/passenger/rear)

Well, in a past career I did ‘help’ build ~$1M race cars, but since I’m an engineer the actual mechanics and fabricators had no shortage of rework :D.

This is the first time trying to troubleshoot...

I guess I assumed if the parts shop had loaner A/C vacuum gauges they’d also have what I’d need to empty the system. If not, then I guess it will go to the shop.

Ok. Will check to see if I can get loaner gauges.

Process is to remove all refrigerant, then pull a vacuum and see if it holds or leaks, then either fix the leak or recharge?

A/C on my 2013 Toyota Sienna is weak, but working - can’t keep up if it’s above 85 or so, even with recirc.

Should I start by getting one of those ‘A/C Pro’ recharge/sealant canisters and hope...

Those are almost always driver error.

However there is a chance that the Toyota unintended acceleration issue was caused by cosmic radiation altering bits in the computer memory (I swear I’m not...

Yep.

Cosworth did the engine on the race car I worked on, and not surprisingly they specified a fairly large oiled gauze filter. On my personal car, I just go for a good quality Wix filter.