Miata Work: Episode 2

"The Jevans" (thejevans1) 11/25/2013 at 09:33 • Filed to: Weekend Wrencher

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This weekend, I only had one thing planned to do: O2 sensors.

I had purchased Bosch universal O2 sensors from amazon for something like $30 each, which was much better than the $90 it would cost for each OEM type O2 sensor. It ended up being a good choice, too, because the rear O2 sensor would have been really annoying to access the stock connection point. My friend's lift was available, which made the job that much easier. It also meant that I wouldn't have to work out in the cold. Oh, and it snowed on Saturday night, which is notable only because it took me by surprise. I thought to myself, "what is this strange dust, seemingly suspended in the air, that I keep running into with my car?" It took me a solid 30 seconds to realize what I was looking at. It still feels too early in the year for this.

When I got to my friend's shop, he was working on his differential and rear axles for one of his trucks. No big deal, one of his drivers just SNAPPED BOTH REAR AXLES AND BROKE THE HIGH/LOW GEAR. Seriously, look at this thing:

It's gigantic. That's the old and new high/low gears in the upper right. The one axle that looks like a piece of clay that somebody twisted and pulled apart was apparently cracked already and was going to go anyway, but the other one looks like it was cut by a mill. It's such a clean break, it looks unreal. If anyone is wondering, it belongs to a bucket lift truck much like this one:

The O2 sensors went in easily, and the universal connectors they came with worked like a dream. I went in the trunk trying to find a way to stop what I thought was the trunk lid springs from rattling, I found this wedged in, but not connected to anything:

Does anyone know what it is? I took it out and the rattling stopped. I don't think it's anything important and I doubt it's anything that goes to the car to begin with. But I figured I would ask in case I'm now driving around a ticking time bomb because I pulled out some magic rod.

Nibbles > The Jevans 11/25/2013 at 09:57

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Is it a torsion bar?

The Jevans > Nibbles 11/25/2013 at 10:05

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Nibbles > The Jevans 11/25/2013 at 10:07

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Not joking here

Not too terribly familiar with Miatas, but a lot of trunks have torsion bars for lift assist

It looks to be about the right length for a trunk-mount torsion bar

The Jevans > Nibbles 11/25/2013 at 10:16

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I guess I should have been more clear. It's made of plastic and very flimsy. It's about the size of an airsoft rifle cleaning rod or a wire coat hanger.

Nibbles > The Jevans 11/25/2013 at 10:40

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Good to know

It's probably not a torsion bar