tom200490
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| posted on 6/2/16 at 12:07 PM |
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Vortx Mazda diff
Hi All,
I'm new to the forum and I have just started building a Mazda engined Vortx 
I've came across a small issue when trial fitting the diff that I'm hoping somebody will be able to help me resolve so I can crack on with
the rest of the build.
Have others had to make any mountings/spacers between the two back diff mountings and the chassis? I'm presuming the front of the diff is solid
mounted? If I was to bolt the front up it would leave a substantial gap between the rear mounts and the chassis.
Hopefully this makes sense to anyone that's build a Mazda engined Vortx before but please see photo.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Tom
 
Description
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sdh2903
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| posted on 6/2/16 at 01:36 PM |
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Yes you need a spacer. Some use the diff mount rubber bush thingys off the donor. I had a pair of alloy spacers turned up. Around 20mm thick from
memory.
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sdh2903
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| posted on 6/2/16 at 01:40 PM |
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Can just see in this pic
 
Diffspacer
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tom200490
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| posted on 6/2/16 at 02:28 PM |
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Thanks, that's exactly the answer I needed! I'll have my brother make a pair when he's back to work
[Edited on 6/2/16 by tom200490]
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clutch_kick
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| posted on 7/2/16 at 12:31 PM |
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Here's mine ...
[Edited on 7/2/16 by clutch_kick]
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tom200490
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| posted on 7/2/16 at 06:28 PM |
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Thank you both, managed to sort it this afternoon. The spacers will be with me in the next few days
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sdh2903
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| posted on 7/2/16 at 07:51 PM |
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Although I'm a little baffled as to why they should be needed in the first place. Why dont they just make the diff mount tubes longer??
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tom200490
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| posted on 7/2/16 at 08:10 PM |
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I did think the same. I managed to find part of the mounts that were used on the donor (a rubber bushing with a metal cup) but I wasn't overly
happy with using them. MNR did take diff measurements when I ordered the kit so perhaps some of the mx5 diffs are slightly taller..
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Slimy38
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| posted on 7/2/16 at 08:47 PM |
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The 1.6 and 1.8 diffs are slightly different size, about an inch. I wonder whether they've done the spacer thing so you can use either diff
without it being out of position?
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tom200490
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| posted on 9/2/16 at 09:29 PM |
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I will make a full build thread over the next few days, I've got 3 people working a full week on the car with me so I'm making a lot of
progress.
I don't suppose anyone has a photo of the mx5 bias valve in position so I can figure out these brake lines? Or even better a diagram of how they
are laid out? Most of my photos from the factory are saved to my work computer and I'd really prefer not to go in 
I'm pretty certain I'm missing one line from the kit, as the supplied lines would give me no way of plumbing in the brake pressure switch
in the t-piece between the front shocks. I don't mind making up a new pipe, but would prefer to see how others are laid out.
Thanks
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clutch_kick
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| posted on 9/2/16 at 09:35 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tom200490
I will make a full build thread over the next few days, I've got 3 people working a full week on the car with me so I'm making a lot of
progress.
I don't suppose anyone has a photo of the mx5 bias valve in position so I can figure out these brake lines? Or even better a diagram of how they
are laid out? Most of my photos from the factory are saved to my work computer and I'd really prefer not to go in
I'm pretty certain I'm missing one line from the kit, as the supplied lines would give me no way of plumbing in the brake pressure switch
in the t-piece between the front shocks. I don't mind making up a new pipe, but would prefer to see how others are laid out.
Thanks
[Edited on 9/2/16 by clutch_kick]
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tom200490
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| posted on 9/2/16 at 09:45 PM |
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Thankyou, I was hoping it would be like this. In other photos I've seen it screwed into a t-piece at the front. Perhaps they hadn't used
the mx5 bias valve.
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micksalt
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| posted on 12/7/16 at 10:03 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tom200490
Thankyou, I was hoping it would be like this. In other photos I've seen it screwed into a t-piece at the front. Perhaps they hadn't used
the mx5 bias valve.
Probably too late to help you, but useful for anyone else that might read this, the valves screwed directly into the (4-way) t-piece is for the
bike-engined cars with the twin master cylinders and balance bar. The MX-5 master cylinder has three outlets, so there's a spare without the
need for a 4-way t-piece.
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l5tuy
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| posted on 13/7/16 at 12:02 PM |
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How did you (or anyone else reading) connect the pressure switch electronically? Does this have something to do with the connector hanging out of the
donor brake reservoir, or is this just fluid level. Is there a connector already within the donor mazda loom??
Thanks
Stu
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micksalt
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| posted on 13/7/16 at 12:54 PM |
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Hi Stu,
No, nothing to do with with the wire hanging out of the brake fluid reservoir, that is the low fluid warning switch. The pressure switch in question
replaces the contact switch that was originally engaged with the MX-5 brake pedal (so probably has a different connector style). This switch is to
activate the brake lights.
Some folk have had issues with the pressure brake switch, and have recommended a contact switch instead.
Cheers,
Mick
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l5tuy
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| posted on 13/7/16 at 01:47 PM |
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Ah, I see.
I've fabricated a bracket and used the original pedal switch so I guess I'll just keep the pressure swith as a back-up.
Cheers
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miskit
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| posted on 13/7/16 at 08:09 PM |
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I am pretty sure( if you are re using the original loom) you will need to reconnect the fluid level sensor as that hooks into the handbrake warning
light. - Same light for "handbrake on" and "low brake fluid level".
Hope to build one of these myself (on the look out for an unfinished build!). How's it been so far? - Did you re use the MX5 pedals as the MNR
box is pricey.
[Edited on 13/7/16 by miskit]
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micksalt
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| posted on 14/7/16 at 07:26 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by miskit
Hope to build one of these myself (on the look out for an unfinished build!). How's it been so far? - Did you re use the MX5 pedals as the MNR
box is pricey.
Got off to a bit of a wobbly start with parts missing from the kit and a design change that had lead to a brake pedal that wouldn't actually
work. However, that seemed to be a temporary blip in an otherwise excellent customer service record, and everything seems to be sorted now. In the
MX-5 model, there isn't really a pedal box anymore, it is actually part of the chassis, with all the holes ready-cut for the cylinders to just
bolt in. They've done a lot of the hard work for you already, which is really nice 
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miskit
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| posted on 14/7/16 at 09:23 PM |
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That's odd as MNR just priced me the pedal box at £325. Which I thought was a hefty chunk.
Am I right in thinking that the tub section (rear and sides) is the largest piece - if so roughly how long and wide is it?. I just saw that a chassis
fits neatly on a roof rack which got me thinking about putting the rest of a starter kit in my stripped out Picasso. I have shifted some big stuff in
it - 2m L x 1.4m W x .9m H is easily done any more needs careful looking at. If I do buy new it would save me a lot in van rental, fuel (600mile trip)
and ferry costs.
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micksalt
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| posted on 15/7/16 at 07:25 AM |
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Putting the chassis on the roof rack is a lot of weight to put on top of an already tall car. I can give you the dimensions for the body tub sometime
this afternoon, but I would strongly recommend a van.
It's possible that earlier MX-5 based cars had a seperate pedal box, more in keeping with the Vortx RT+, but the later ones have it as part of
the chassis.
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l5tuy
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| posted on 15/7/16 at 08:32 AM |
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I would advise a van, as there is alot of bodywork (tub, arches, scuttle, bonnet) which take up rrom, you then have alot of parts. For ref I used a
VW crafter LWB, and although this was big the kit filled maybe 75% of it.
As for the company, my experience is similiar to Mick. it seems to be standard that they send out kits with parts missing (maybe due to availability
at time of supplying kit, i don;t know), i've also had a few incorrect parts. To be fair they have rectified when questioned and I usually
recieve things within a day or 2 (with the exception of exhuast, which took a while).
I can;t say if this is any better or worse than another manufacture as this is my first build, however I have seen things on here regarding other
manufactures that are similiar eperiences.
Stu
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jim87
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| posted on 15/7/16 at 11:32 AM |
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Tub is at least 10ft long, by about 3 wide at the back. I suppose you could mount/tape it to the chassis and put that the roof rack, but I'm not
sure I'd like to !
I filled a LWB van up too when I picked it up.
Mine did have a separate pedal box, but that was mid-2013
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micksalt
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| posted on 12/10/16 at 10:16 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
The 1.6 and 1.8 diffs are slightly different size, about an inch. I wonder whether they've done the spacer thing so you can use either diff
without it being out of position?
Ok, I have the 1.8 diff and still have the same spacing issue. How very odd
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sdh2903
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| posted on 12/10/16 at 10:28 AM |
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Do you need some spacers? I had some made but obviously never used.
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micksalt
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| posted on 12/10/16 at 10:45 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
Do you need some spacers? I had some made but obviously never used.
What sort of thickness are they? I need to take a more precise measurement of mine, but I swear it looks more like 15 mm rather than 20 mm. It
doesn't help that the front mount is at an ever-so-slight angle, so the spacing is slightly diifferent on each side if I tighten the front up
properly.
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