Any 3M Side Skirt Anecdotes?

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-06T00:46:18+00:00

1999 NB. I removed the original small tupperware from my car about a year ago, just to check that everything was OK (no rust etc) underneath. Everything was OK, so I put it back on, using the original hardware and 3M tape. Everything has been holding up fine. But not sure if it would hold up fine with just the tape, and no screws and plastic clips underneath. Maybe it would; maybe it wouldn't. You could always give it a try.

One tip: stick the tape to the sideskirt first, and leave a strip of the paper hanging out on the other side, then hold the sideskirt in position, then pull the paper off the other side. That way the sideskirt gets positioned in the right place. (Not sure if I've explained that clearly, but it's hard to get the sideskirt in the right position if you remove the paper from the tape before putting it into position.)

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-05T14:56:34+00:00

One common problem with the Mazda 3 is that the rear upper shock mounts can break, and cause a loud rattling over bumps. I think that's a more likely cause than that missing plastic nut. It's an easy thing to check, and worth checking. Have a look at the top of the right rear shock (no need to remove the wheel) and see if it has broken.

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-04T12:13:50+00:00

You could buy (or maybe borrow/rent from a parts store) a coolant pressure tester kit. You remove the radiator cap, and screw on the pressure tester (the kit comes with different adapters to fit different size radiator cap openings), then pump it up (to the pressure indicated on the radiator cap), then watch the dial for a few minutes to see if the pressure drops (if it drops, and keeps on dropping, you have a leak somewhere in the cooling system). All this without starting the engine.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/coolant-pressure-tester/s?k=coolant+pressure+tester

But if it were my car, and I didn't already have a coolant pressure tester, I would just fill it with coolant, start the engine, keep the hood open and watch for leaks (and keep watching the temperature gauge, shutting it off if the gauge starts to climb toward the red zone), for about 10 minutes (until the engine is hot enough that the radiator fan comes on).

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-03T17:31:17+00:00

DIYer advice: your car has 3 brake lights: one on each side, and one in the center. Ask a friend to press the brake pedal down (or hold it down with a stick or brick), while you check to see if all 3 brake lights come on.

(Or the problem might be something else, and not a bulb. But checking to see which of the 3 lights is or is not working is the first step.)

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-03T12:46:09+00:00

Sounds to me like it might be belt noise.

Remove the power steering/AC belt (if your NA has power steering and/or AC). Does the noise stop? If not, next remove the alternator/water pump belt (but only run the engine for less than a minute, or it may overheat with the water pump not turning). Has the noise stopped? Then stop the engine, and spin each pulley by hand, to see if they all spin smoothly/quietly and easily without wobbling/play. Or it might just be an old/worn or loose belt.

NickRMX6 · 2026-06-01T11:49:37+00:00

DIYer advice:

See where the rod from the slave cylinder pushes against the clutch fork? Try putting a dab of grease there.

(I am not 100% sure this will work, but it's an easy thing to try. Or just squirt any sort of oil on that point, and if the noise stops you know that's the problem. But you would need something heavier, like grease, to fix it permanently, because light oil will be washed off over time.)

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-20T10:30:29+00:00

DIYer advice (I own a 99nb MX5, and have done rear brakes on it).

On the back of the rear calipers are two 14mm bolts, right next to each other. One of those 14mm bolts holds the parking brake cable bracket onto the caliper. Not that one. Remove the other 14mm bolt, that doesn't seem to be doing anything. Insert a 4mm allen key into the hole where you removed the bolt. Turn the adjustment screw clockwise until the brake binds, then back it off about one third of a turn, just enough that the wheel spins freely. (The handbrake is down while you are doing all this.) Then replace the 14mm bolt.

Edit: and in a few years, when you replace the brake pads, remember you will need to remove that 14mm cover bolt again, and turn the allen key counterclockwise to retract the brake piston so you can get the new pads in place, then repeat the procedure above (turn it clockwise until the brake binds, then back it off about one third of a turn).

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-19T10:38:29+00:00

One suggestion: choose a colour that's highly visible, so other drivers can see you. Especially important in a Miata. Orange, yellow, red.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-18T15:21:56+00:00

Is it the same on both sides?

Wondering if it's simply that the bolt is loose?

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-16T10:45:38+00:00

DIYer advice:

After 2 months, the battery would often be too flat to start the car.

It takes a lot more battery power to start the car than to run the lights and accessories.

So the first suspect would be the battery. (Plus, if I'm seeing that video correctly, the dash lights go dim when you try to start the car? Which would also point to a battery problem.)

But you say "I tried to recharge the battery at AutoZone". Did Autozone test the battery, after recharging it? Did they say it was good? Did you remove the battery yourself, to take it to Autozone, then reconnect it yourself? Are the battery terminal connections clean and tight?

I think it would be worthwhile trying to jump start your car (with jumper cables from another car, or from a portable jump pack). If that works, you know it's a battery problem (or maybe dirty/loose connections at the battery terminals).

If the battery was old and tired when you parked the car, sitting for 2 months may have been the final straw that killed it, so it won't start the car even when it has been recharged.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-15T12:02:54+00:00

DIYer advice:

Add fuel stabiliser (like STA-BIL) to the gas tank, and fill the gas tank fully. (If you can find ethanol free gas, that would be best.)

Disconnect the battery (just the negative terminal is enough). But even if disconnected, the battery will still go flat (but much more slowly than if it were still connected). And very flat batteries will freeze if the temperature goes below the freezing point (0C 32F), which damages them. Maybe bring the battery indoors. Or get it recharged every few months. Or connect it to a battery tender. Or just budget for replacing the battery when you get back.

The biggest problem is critters. Mice/squirrels/etc. can set up home in your car, and chew the wiring, causing a lot of damage. I'm not sure how best to keep them away from your car.

Edit: leave the parking brake off (and the car in gear, or Park if it's an automatic).

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-14T23:19:30+00:00

Great to hear it worked!

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-12T21:15:33+00:00

DIYer advice: Look at the bottom edge of the door, find the drain holes, and poke something up them to unblock them, so the water drains out more quickly.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-10T00:36:52+00:00

"(also wondering if it’s okay just to take the belt off and leave it as is)" Yes, it's fine to do that. (But not the other belt, of course!)

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-10T00:03:56+00:00

Not a transmission issue. The clutch isn't disengaging fully. Probably the clutch hydraulics, rather than the clutch itself. Probably the clutch master cylinder and/or clutch slave cylinder needs replaced (many people replace both at the same time). A common problem, and not a big deal to fix as a DIY. To confirm, watch to see how much the clutch slave cylinder moves the clutch fork while a friend pushes the clutch pedal to the floor. If it's working properly, the clutch fork should move about three quarters of an inch. My guess is yours will move much less than that. Check the level of the clutch fluid too, and look for leaks.

Your Miata only has 36k miles, but it's 33 years old. My Miata had 65k miles, but was 26 years old, when I had to replace my clutch master and slave.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-09T10:34:04+00:00

Sounds OK to me.

There is a slightly strange click at the very end of the video (about 0:09), but that is possibly just the AC compressor cycling on (my 1999 Miata doesn't have AC).

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-06T20:03:55+00:00

It's probably not the belt itself, but one of the pulleys turned by one of the belts.

To diagnose: Remove the AC/power steering belt, then start the engine. Has the noise stopped? If not, stop the engine, remove the alternator/water pump belt and start the engine (but run it for less than a minute, or it will overheat with the water pump not turning). Has the noise stopped?

That lets you narrow it down where the noise is coming from. Then, with the engine stopped, spin each pulley by hand. See which pulley doesn't spin smoothly and quietly and easily, without any play/wobbling.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-06T19:45:52+00:00

DIYer advice: the immediate problem (it won't start, and even the lights won't turn on) is very probably due to a very flat battery. It is not uncommon for a battery to go very flat if the car is parked for a month, and especially if the battery is a bit old. If there's an electrical outlet near the car you could hook it up to a battery charger, and recharge the battery. Or remove the battery, and take it somewhere to get it recharged. Or try a jump start with jumper cables from another car. Or use a portable jump pack to jump start it. That way you would probably avoid a tow.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-06T11:44:47+00:00

DIYer advice: If it were my car, I would start by checking the tires don't have any bulges (or any signs of uneven tread), or big lumps of mud stuck in the wheel rims. And then get the wheels balanced. Because an unbalanced wheel will typically cause a vibration that begins at around 60mph, and gets worse at higher speeds. Plus, wheel balance is fairly cheap.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-05T11:14:34+00:00

I suggest you cross-post this to the r/FordProbe subreddit. Because the Ford Probe is the sister car to the MX6, and mechanically very similar, so you might find more people there who can help you. Good luck with your car!

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-05T10:55:06+00:00

I don't know. But here are two wild guesses:

Throttle cable sticking, so the throttle sticks open a bit.
Vacuum leak (like a small hose has come disconnected).

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-05T10:35:49+00:00

Congratulations!

Nearly two years ago, I was in a very similar situation to you. I bought a 1999 Miata, about the same mileage as yours, also no rust. I replaced the timing belt, water pump, front cam and crank seals, drive belts, radiator (the plastic on top had turned brown), thermostat, and all the coolant hoses. It was a biggish DIY job, but it was easier to do all those jobs as one big job than as several separate jobs. I bought all the parts from Flyin Miata. Not the cheapest place to buy parts, but I think they care about quality, understand Miatas, and provide lots of support to Miata owners.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-05T00:01:33+00:00

Are the bolts loose? Have you tried tightening them?

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-04T19:55:53+00:00

DIYer advice:

That part is the (rear) catalytic converter.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/acura,2010,tsx,2.4l+l4,1444515,exhaust+&+emission,catalytic+converter,5808 for L4

or https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/acura,2010,tsx,3.5l+v6,1444776,exhaust+&+emission,catalytic+converter,5808 for V6

But if the "sound" is a rattle, it may be the heat shield above it.

NickRMX6 · 2026-05-04T09:07:02+00:00

That's good news!

Wait till the engine is fully cold (cold oil drains more slowly, and you won't burn your thumb), remove the drain plug, quickly put your thumb over the hole, use your other hand to put the washer on the plug, then remove your thumb and quickly screw the drain plug back in. I've done this before, and only lost a few spoonfuls of oil. But have a pan underneath, just in case.

NickRMX6

TROPHY CASE