Just picked-up another MX3

[kudkudniyog]

I just purchased and picked up my 2nd MX3 yesterday. Bought it off ebay for USD800. It's a 92RS manual with no visiblle engine modifications (look completely stock).

The good:
1. Engine runs like a dream. NO oil spill/leak/wet engine spots/knocking/rattling/smoke/pings. Drove it over 200 miles to my home and it runs strong doing between 65-80mph.
2. Transmission shifts easily and clutch feels tight.
3. Ride quality is tight. No popping noise over bumps, and shocks seem to be in good condition w/o any excessive bouncing.
4. Brakes & bearings seem to be good. No squeaking, squeeling, grinding, humming, and such.

In other words, there are no potential problems I see in the drivetrain.

The not so good.
1. Paint faded and chipped w/ several minor rust spots. The problem I see is under the windshield weather strip. There is a bit of rust in there.
2. Drive seat is torn on the left side from rubbing/getting in & out. Top of back seat leather cracked & brittle possibly from UV.
3. Muffler is shot.
4. Speedo does not work. I haven't checked yet if it is the gear, cable, or gauge.
5. P. window switch housing is broken on driver's side. Seller is nice enough to buy an assembly on ebay then send it to me for free.
6. Needs 2 tires & definitely an alignment.
7. Dash cracks in 2 places.
8. Had a fender bender but no frame damage according to the autoreport. However, whoever did the repair did not do a decent job. Replaced hood, fender, headlights, but did not do a good job on the bodywork. Seems that the car hit something taller like an SUV because the damage is on the upper part where the hood meets the fender on the driver's side.
9. Driver side automatic seatbelt does not work. I heard there is a recall on this.

A few extras that came w/ the car.

1. OEM GS spoiler
2. JVC CD player (looks quite new)
3. 2 used tires that the seller installed in the rear. used but has a lot of thread.
4. A dime inside the trunk
5. New battery? looks like it's less that 3 months old.

I am so looking forward to restore this car. My son will be turning 15 this month and this will be his. It actually runs better than the other one I have. My other MX3's engine rattles like h*ll from the rocker arm valve adjustment thingy, clutch is slipping, battery is totally dead and will not hold a charge, and it is still in the primer stage waiting for base & clear coat.

Can anybody give any suggestion or advice on the rusted area by the windshield? It is easy to take out the windshield so I can work on the rusted area?

Thanks

Alex

[MrMazda92]

You have a few options for rust, but the only sure-fire "cure" is cutting it out. You would want a donor car, or the ability to fabricate a replacement for whatever you cut out. It sounds to me like it's underneath the wiper cowling? The plastic(probably faded) piece under your wiper arms. My advice is to deal with it immediately, because it only gets worse until it's gone.

[kudkudniyog]

thanks for the reply MrMazda92. The rusted area is actually on the upper right pillar on the passenger side under the weatherstrip. I was hoping to remove the windshield and do some bodywork to it but from what I read in the forum, removing the windshield should be left to the PRO's. Although I would like to do it if it's not extremely difficult.

Alex

[Inodoro Pereyra]

MrMazda92 is right. The best solution for a rust spot is a patch panel.

Can you post some pics of the car, especially the rusted area? It'd be much easier for us to advise you if we can see what the problem is.

On the windshield, I'd say forget about taking it out. It's glued to the car, and even if you found somebody who managed to do it, in order to slide the cutting tool underneath it, they have to cut out part of the rubber weatherstrip around it, so you will have to replace that.

Get a welding mat, and just cover the windshield, and the window. That way you will be able to weld without burning little holes on them.

[wytbishop]

When I had my windshield replaced recently they were able to save the weatherstripping. It doesn't have to be cut, but if it's original, and it probably is, the chances of saving it are not very good anyway as it will likely crack during the removal process. If you try to weld a patch near the weatherstripping I doubt you could avoid damaging it.

Sadly, there was a problem with my initial installation and they had to redo it and the original weatherstripping didn't make it. Make sure you get a good quality replacement weatherstripping if you have to replace it. The cheap stuff leaks.

[MrMazda92]

If you happen to know anybody who is a glazier by trade, then you should be able to get sound windshield advice from them. Pictures will help us to help you, it doesn't hurt to keep them for a "before and after" thread(or include it in a worklog) either! Then people will be able to benefit from your experience with it.

[kudkudniyog]

OK, will take pictures. TY

[Ryan]

No one has done a windshield?

Go buy a $10 pack of guitar string and a $20 tube of windshield urethane.

On a hot day, peel your weatherstripping off and wiper arms/ cowl, etc. take off the inner cowl, A pillars, and stuff holding up the headliner at the front. Slide a utility knife under by the VIN number until you can poke the guitar string under. Pull it back and forth like a rope saw all the way around making sure not to damage the paint, dash, or headliner.

windshield pops out. Slice the rest of the urethane off with a sharp utility knife. Take a wire wheel angle grinder to your rust, along with a sand blaster, and maybe some chemical to get into the cracks. Clean it up, body work, prime, paint.

Google will have a better walk through of the windshield removal/installation...

But really, its a pain to do. I did my black car because it was cracked way beyond repair, and fixed some rust while I was there.

[kudkudniyog]

You know, now that I think about it, I will probably try to remove it myself. I don't plan on saving the weatherstrip/rubber. I willl just buy a new one. I can probably get a utility knife and slice the weatherstrip and take it out from the front.

What do you guys think? Good idea? Bad idea?

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I still don't know if you need to. On my MX-6, I had to fix some nasty rust on the roof, around the sunroof. Once I cut the rusted part and made a patch panel, part of the weld was about 2 inches away from the windshield. I welded it with the WS on, using a piece of old leather (soaked in water) as a welding mat, and everything went perfectly. I personally don't think you'd need to take the WS off, unless the rust goes up to the weatherstrip.

[kudkudniyog]

The rust area is actually under the weatherstrip. There are little rust bubble visible on the exterior paint where the weatherstrip meets the a-pillar and roof. When I lifted the weatherstrip, I saw a lot more rust under it. I will take pictures this weekend of the car.

Also, I will be painting the whole car and I am planning to sand down the paint up to the factory primer. There are a lot of areas where the paint is easily flaking off. Do you guys think its a good idea to pressure wash the exterior to remove the flaking paint and just sand the rest? Sanding takes up a lot of time and sometimes I accidentally dig-in too much.

Thanks

Alex

[Ryan]

The weatherstrip is expensive. I was quoted over $120.

And you'll find its likely the rust moved under into the pinch weld were the urethane sits, so you will really need to remove it if it goes under. My car was to the point of leaking inside.

[mitmaks]

For your windshield you'll need "cold knife"
http://www.commercialforms.com/Categori ... ss+Removal

[kudkudniyog]

WOW! thanks for the info.

Yes, I have decided to remove the windshield and do bodywork to remove all the rust that I can find on the car.

I think I owe it to my 15 year old son to fix this car because my other MX3 that was originally for him, I toyed with it and now I don't want to give it away.

BTW, when the winshield is out, do I need to support the roof on the front part while working on the car so the roof won't sag while the windshield is off?

[kudkudniyog]

I found this on youtube. It's an easy way to take out the windshield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3NCfUX5-jo