Ok guys, being new to this whole Miata thing, I have a general question.

Last night, I was driving at a steady state, with no change in thottle position.

When I turned my headlights on and the lights started to actuate and flip up, the car stumbled/bogged for a split second. Turned them off, tried it again, same thing.

However, it does not happen when I do it at idle. No dip, nothing.

Any ideas? Seems like an odd one to me...

Also, a quick top question. With the top on the car (zippered plastic window), there seems to be a pleat (sp?) where there is nothing holding it together (no stitching, etc). It doesnt look like its ripped, or any stitching is missing, and both sides are like that. It folds against itself pretty tightly, and haven't noticed any leaking there. Is that normal?

Thanks guys!

 

first thing that should be asked is what kind of charging voltage does the car currently have (idle/3k rpms/static charge)

 

Good point, I will throw a meter on her when I get home from work. I assume by static charge you mean w/the engine off, correct?

 

one of my cars does that when the turn the lights on when the HID ballasts charge up. does it at idle or while cruising. maybe i need to throw a cap on it. Thoughts?

 

Well, didn't get to test it out last night as it was raining and shitty, but will do tonight.

As a side inline with your HID ballast comment, the PO had installed some ugly-*** timex indiglo looking boost gauge. Does anyone know what is involved in the "EL power supply" used for illumination on these?

 

I believe the indiglo crap uses a high voltage power supply similar to the ones used to power the cold cathode flouoresent tubes in flat screen monitors. Takes DC12v chops it up into AC steps it up a shitload and then rectifies it back into DC. They use **** all current so I doubt it will have anything to do with the stumble.

 

Got it!

Went to check the voltage across the battery, and the positive cable came right off.

It seems you don't need to actually fasten the cable to the post, in the minds of some.

Actually attached now, and whodathunkit...all's well.

 

Was it loose on the post or clean off?

 

Loose as hell.

Loose enough the when I touched the cable it spun on the battery post.

 

I helped move a CRV out of a friend's driveway the yesterday. Battery was dead. Had to jump it just to get the thing out of park. I go to put the cables on and both terminals spin around like that. They were just laying on the posts and were never tightened when the owner(some ---- that should be laying in a hospital right now with 3rd degree blisters all over her body, but i digress) bought a new battery a few months ago.

 

Isn't it great? I mean who tightens battery cables to the battery?