AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Wow... I just realized, I've gotten a lot of **** off my car, thanks to the MS.

this is a small part of what came out from under my wheel:


And

O2 sim, don't need, new ECU
O2 Clamp, don't need, new ECU
O2 dummy load, don't need, new ecu
Hobbs Switch, don't need, new ECU
Wires, vacuum lines, crimps... Don't need, new ECU
Old ECU, don't need, new ECU


WTF? I guess miatas were back heavy, so Mazda added one pound to the driver's front to balance it out There's a big metal plate with no purpose in life under your steering wheel. It weighs 2-3 times what the much larger plastic piece does - I guess they took "kick plate" seriously.

Also, the pannel stopped falling down without the extra weight pulling on it all the time now.


WOW! Can you say clean? Except for the bit of yellow wire on the top right of the pic, there's nothing hanging down. Much much cleaner than stock, even.

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

Looks great. So where is the MS under there. Did you relocate it?

AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Sorry, I knew people would ask. It's "suspension mounted"



Just didn't want to pollute the thread with trivia. Incedentally, anyone want to buy a used KnockSense?

richard_ha

I'm willing to bet that metal plate is there so that in a crash you knee does smash through the plastic and hit one of the sharp corners on the ignition casting.

mazda/nissan

iTrader: (2)

your absolutely right, in my crash instead of my knee cracking the dash which would have absorbed some of the energy, my knee's acceleration was abruptly stopped by that damned metal piece. Knee hurt for a few weeks after

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Abe, I don't think I've ever seen quite so much CAT5 wire in a car before...

Saml01

iTrader: (9)

That plate is there for security so thieves cant get to your ignition easily.

Thats clean underdash, you should see the wires under mine.

Edit: Do you touch your GF with those hands, damn.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

**** dude, cut your nails!

MX5-4me

The nails make it easier for him to do the cocaine necessary for all that clean up..

ZX-Tex

iTrader: (15)

Toca la guitarra?

jayc72

iTrader: (14)

I don't think so. The non-airbag cars (90-92 I think) in Canada have a light weight plastic cover, airbag cars have the armor plate. I'm pretty sure it's a safety thing.

Besides, the thing is held on by two screws that are screwed into plastic. This would have to be the WORST theft prevention device in history. Do you pull this stuff right out of your *** or what?

Saml01

iTrader: (9)

How can you discount my theory if you yourself are only "pretty sure its a safety thing"?

Did you pull that outta your *** too?

MX5-4me

he can discount it because you stated it as fact and not theory until someone questioned it.

miataz

iTrader: (1)

jayc is right i have a 90 with no air bag and it has no metal plate

jayc72

iTrader: (14)

I remember reading that it had to do with the airbags, and it follows since you get plastic with the non-airbag cars. What I don't remember for sure was the actual reason.

Read what you wrote, and then read what I wrote. Lazy is my excuse since I know the info is on miata.net, I just didn't feel like finding it.

What's your excuse?

AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Does anyone know much about the airbag system? My light came turned on as a 'dealer option'... I would love to figure out what works and what doesn't...

Hey, it's only a few conductors. If I used the WHOLE cable.. it probably would be a better connection. Want to buy some used CAT5?

heh. ORLY? Even happier I moved it. There IS the steering colum there, but it's hard to imagine that would be worse than a plate that much sooner. Maybe to keep your legs from getting a high relative speed? Anyway, biggest advantge: the thing doesn't fall off anymore - the little plastic clips at one end barely held it so it used to fall down a 1/2" up front.


Nope. Just yours. :-) Women and the car have to sign up for my time, in 4 day blocks. They don't play nice together.

Saml01

iTrader: (9)

Excuse me for not including probably or I think as part of my sentence, but if you want to prove someone wrong then include the proof and you wont get replies like mine. Granted, I was certain it was for security, I guess I shoulda posted proof with my post.

However you are right, i went and searched and it is part of the airbag system.

AbeFM

iTrader: (3)

Oh, I don't have pics of it handy (I don't think) but another thing:
The intake manifold brace. It's a huge chunk of aluminum, probably only a few pounds, but it's job is to keep the manifold from shaking off.

Maybe taking that brace off is why the piggy injectors kept failing, but hey they are both FM suggestions, right?

levnubhin

iTrader: (30)

Thats was the 1st thing I thought of.


As for that metal plate, I had an airbag and that panel in my car is an all metal piece, no plastic. Probably weighs a couple lbs.
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elesjuan

iTrader: (11)

Are you kidding? I got like 38 cents worth of scrap out of that piece of junk brace for the intake mani.. Changing my oil filter is a snap now! Don't need no brace!