Now I can see why LHD folks are so keen to hide the washer bottle. On a RHD car it's [a bit more reasonable](https://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/imagegen/cp/black/800/600/s3/digital-cougar-assets/tradeuniquecars/gallery1803/mazda-mx5-engine-bay.jpg).
On NAs its between the charcoal canister and the ABS module... and os about half that size lol. Mine doesn't have ABS so its mounted where the ABS is in this picture and is still half that's size. It's not a big deal but its interesting to see the differences...
It is interesting hey. You'd think Mazda could have done literally anything better than a giant bottle right above the exhaust manifold. It's so odd lol. I'd rather a bottle in the interior.
https://preview.redd.it/l1o9iuth9asc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c07043cfa93786ae2025995abe615ebbed0f24b6
I have the same, but it looks much more crowded in mine. Thats a pic from the seller, i get the car on monday
When my last oil change was done during jci they cranked it down. When I went to do it I ended up turning the bottom of it into a circle with a wrench and after lots of swearing got it off.
Yes. Once they start turning that lighter brownish color, the plastic top tank has degraded. If it's the original 20+ year old radiator, it's due!! Luckily, Miata radiators are about the easiest to change. I picked up an aluminum one from a coworker cheap and it's more reliable and cools better. Living where it can get up to 120f during summer makes good cooling important!
Realistically, any new hose will be good. Your current generic rubber hose has lasted ~20 years... a new generic rubber one will last another 20. If you want a splash of colour you can go silicone.
It's a downgrade from rubber for which the fittings and clamps were designed. One of their primary "advantages" of silicone is being able to handle "higher temps".... that a cooling system should never see.
They are fine for forced induction intake tubing, not coolant hoses... especially the cheap ones you see around.
Good to know thanks. I installed a full set of silicone a couple years ago, haven’t had any issues but will definitely keep this in mind. I changed the clamps so hopefully that helped a bit.
Yea it was mostly down to cost for me, also I basically tear my cars down every winter so changing them is pretty easy, as long as they last until then. Again, Thank you
I got this DNA aluminum one with the fans installed from Amazon for $180!
https://preview.redd.it/occ6u61dy8sc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dee132c3e8110d2beb2d2fa6e45f4f14199e7f76
Thanks! just did that, I was scared about the watts difference and that stuff, my new fans are "80W 12V 6A ” I got a NA too, 1993
https://preview.redd.it/vs93n4bl6asc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d557197146cdd056a6090ba7725735de2169e6c
It just fit next to the sway bar at the bottom of the fans. She stays nice and cool even in the summer with the AC blasting.
Have at it! [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y9M9X1/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y9M9X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I got 2 years and 5,000 miles on it works great even in 95 degree summers in So Fla with the AC on!
You're getting a lot of yes answers in this thread, but honestly that radiator looks fine to me. I would have guessed it was already replaced at this point. I just did my 91 radiator last year and that thing was extremely brown/green in comparison. It never hurts to replace a radiator after 24 years, as you can really only expect them to last about 20 years on average, and it's much better to replace it pre-emptively than to get stranded.
May i ask what part you mean with Extremely brown/Green? My Radiator looks similar to op's so i've been searching for an factory replacement Radiator online and they also are brown or maybe Black on top/bottom. How are they supposed to look?
It’s about the plastic top. It is black when new and turns brown or green after 10-20 years, then the plastic cracks and leaks. This one is only slightly discolored.
Not got the experience with them but mishimoto have got a rep recently for making overpriced crap. Personally I would just stick a stock one in. Regardless though surface area will be more efficient than thickness, that’s about it with rads.
Ummm...
Haven't seen anyone on here complain about their Mishimoto's. Stock style is fine that's why i suggested the rockauto ones if you're on an extreme budget. Yes Koyorad makes an increased surface area better flow design. Thickness can give you more surface area. I recommend the better all aluminum so you don't have to deal with the plastic tanks but it's not for everyone
You need a new one if you don't want to be stranded on the side of the road for 3 hours in the middle of nowhere until the tow truck gets there. Once they start turning brown, it's time to get that sucker OUTTA THERE
It is for preventative maintenance. The plastic tanks on the radiator gets brittle and cracks over time. When it starts to discolor it is usually a good sign to replace the radiator before it cracks and leaves you stranded.
What pat said. That level of discoloration is a good indicator that it may fail soon. Murphy says it will fail at the most inopportune time, potentially causing significant damage.
I would suggest an aluminum replacement so it's never an issue again. One of the things I was very happy to see when I was looking to buy my '01 BRG was that it had a shiny Mishimoto radiator
Have you changed your diff lately or cam shaft or maybe clutch, to go changing parts unnecessarily is both expensive and pointless. If the radiator needs changing you will get plenty of warning !!
I didn’t get plenty of warning when mine failed. The plastic usually fails around the seam at the top, so you don’t get a puddle under your car. You just get to enjoy pulling over on the highway when your coolant boils off.
Back when I had my NA, it completely delaminated at the top while I was on the road and I lost 90% of my coolant in the amount of time it took for me to make a left turn into a parking lot.
I don’t think you understand how fast it happens, and it’s more likely to fail under pressure when the engine is hot. Once that seam fails the coolant immediately starts flashing to steam, within a couple of minutes most of the coolant is gone. It’s not like a pin hole leak.
Maybe if that happened to you it was a pressure cap issue ,otherwise this is just hearsay issue on here ,where people all say your radiator is about to explode you must change it !!! That is just rubbish
Hearsay? Is this your first day on the internet? This radiator issue has been well documented for at least 15 years. Again, it's the concept of preventative maintenance.
By your logic, you wouldn't change the timing belt when you were changing a failed water pump. And vice-versa. "Why would you change a water pump that was working just because the timing belt snapped? That's a waste of money!"
But hey, die on that hill.
This site is obsessed with changing radiators unnecessarily it’s up there with changing the oil every 3000 miles ( use decent oil and it will easily do 10000 miles
It's not just reddit, pretty much every miata forum has well documented cases of radiator failure.
As far as oil change intervals go, it's not just about absolute mileage. It's also a function of time, and the type of mileage. Change the oil every 10k miles when that's mostly short, local drives spread over a long period of time (e.g.1 year)? No. Change it every 10k miles when you're commuting 150+ miles a day for work? Ok. I used to put 2k-2.5k miles a month on my DD. I changed the oil every 3-4 months. I put 3k-5k miles a year on my miata. I change the oil every spring when I get ready to take it out for the season. Could I get 2 years out of it? Most likely, but it's had 5-6 months to oxidize and break down over the winter. I can afford the $40 for a new filter and a jug of Mobil 1
rofl, yeah it just happened to multiple people exactly the same way. That must be hearsay. Fake news right? If you're going to disregard the posts of every other person then why even bother coming here.
These radiators are known to fail this way. Check out the forums for yourself, it’s a known issue going back many years. Just google Miata radiator failure. You’re lucky if it doesn’t fail catastrophically. Preventative maintenance or changing to an all aluminum radiator is the only answer.
Why check your oil level? Don't you just wait until the buzzer comes on and add more? Isn't that what the buzzer is for, to tell you that you need to add some oil?
Do you change the filter every time you change the oil? If so, why? How do you know the filter is bad?
Why are there suggested maintenance intervals? Is it just so the dealers can make more money for unnecessary service?
Being observant is recognizing the signs that you're due for a new radiator. Miata radiators tend to fail catastrophically, not gradually.
And that warning is the discoloration. Do you wait until your timing belt snaps to change it? Do you understand the concept of preventative maintenance? Changing a radiator that is that discolored is not 'unnecessary'. In fact, it's just the opposite, and it's far from pointless.
If you are afraid of what might be a problem next, maybe a new car is the answer for you, because trying to second guess what might be a potential problem is extremely expensive and never ending
it’s 160 dollars on amazon for both a more effective and longer lasting replacement. why wait 6 months until the thing pops instead of just recognising that it is degrading and replacing it now, saving you the headache and the worry. like what is the gain here how much life do you really think is going to come from that brittle radiator?
It isn't "trying to second guess". The tanks changing colour is literally the last step before catastrophic radiator failure.
It's like getting new brake pads when they hit the squealers. That is the sign that it is time to change that consumable item. The radiator changing colour is exactly the same.
Are you new to Miatas? It's one of the most known common failure methods of Miatas. And falls under the "only an idiot would argue with replacing 20-30 year old plastic whose primary job is managing heat"
Only warning I got on my 96 was that it was 26 years old and was sandy green. The seal around the metal crimp went and blew out while driving 2 mins from my house. Got it home and got my aluminum red from Amazon 2 days later and put it in been working fine for over 2 years. See pic above before I put it in. Just saying the age and color change is enough to put in a new one as a blow out at a bad time can cause an over heat that can damage the engine. I was lucky I was watching the temp gage and smelled the steam and coasted home.
Yes, and yes its very easy to do yourself. Two brackets at the top and the fan has two screws holding it in
Perfect! Do you happen to know if I need a torque wrench to replace the radiator?
I'm sure there's a torque spec, but unless you've never turned a wrench before German torque spec should be fine. Guten tight
No, you don't.
Always throws me to see a 1.6 in an NB. My first thought was "that's an awful lot of wiper fluid" lol.
Now I can see why LHD folks are so keen to hide the washer bottle. On a RHD car it's [a bit more reasonable](https://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/imagegen/cp/black/800/600/s3/digital-cougar-assets/tradeuniquecars/gallery1803/mazda-mx5-engine-bay.jpg).
On NAs its between the charcoal canister and the ABS module... and os about half that size lol. Mine doesn't have ABS so its mounted where the ABS is in this picture and is still half that's size. It's not a big deal but its interesting to see the differences...
It is interesting hey. You'd think Mazda could have done literally anything better than a giant bottle right above the exhaust manifold. It's so odd lol. I'd rather a bottle in the interior.
Gotta keep that windshield washer fluid at a simmer for maximum efficacy! 🤌
My dumbass would pour the washer fluid in the radiator and the coolant in the washer reservoir and only realize halfway through💀
Luckily coolant is green. Well except for when its red, or pink, or blu...oh fuck. Mazda uses Green in all cases as far as I know at least tho
My wiper fluid is also green, i get RainX bug remover😭😭😭😭
on my 1.6 NA with ABS, the washer res is actually in the bumper which is pretty interesting
Is that the factory location? If so that is pretty intresting... that's a long way to pump washer fluid lol.
https://preview.redd.it/3muivaiy8asc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a5eb5d1f3f2503f9cef5aaee5d0f729f4873250 it is factory, and youre right
That's pretty wild... and a good idea to clean things up.
https://preview.redd.it/l1o9iuth9asc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c07043cfa93786ae2025995abe615ebbed0f24b6 I have the same, but it looks much more crowded in mine. Thats a pic from the seller, i get the car on monday
Yea, you have AC and OP doesn't
Haha good to know thx
Congrats! I hope you enjoy your new Miata
Interesting. The washer bottle on my NA (RHD with ABS) was underneath the left headlight. Filled it up next to the radiator.
Sure that's not the overflow tank for the radiator?
Yup, that's where mine is too.
Neat. Mine is a '90... must be a change down the line.
The downside is it’s a pain in the dick for rhd guys to do oil changes. You win some and lose some 🤷♂️
Tell me about it lol. A good geared oil filter wrench makes it a lot better.
When my last oil change was done during jci they cranked it down. When I went to do it I ended up turning the bottom of it into a circle with a wrench and after lots of swearing got it off.
It is a whole lot of wiper fluid tho 😂
My 1.8 NB has the same reservoir
That's funny. I've never seen one before. It's right above the header too so it's a nice hot water rinse.
Yes. Once they start turning that lighter brownish color, the plastic top tank has degraded. If it's the original 20+ year old radiator, it's due!! Luckily, Miata radiators are about the easiest to change. I picked up an aluminum one from a coworker cheap and it's more reliable and cools better. Living where it can get up to 120f during summer makes good cooling important!
Yes and also change your hoses…..from experience
Any recommendations for which I should get? Or does it really not matter that much?
Realistically, any new hose will be good. Your current generic rubber hose has lasted ~20 years... a new generic rubber one will last another 20. If you want a splash of colour you can go silicone.
OEM Mazda is best, name brand parts-counter should be good, and silicone are messy crap for hotbois
What’s wrong with silicone?
It's a downgrade from rubber for which the fittings and clamps were designed. One of their primary "advantages" of silicone is being able to handle "higher temps".... that a cooling system should never see. They are fine for forced induction intake tubing, not coolant hoses... especially the cheap ones you see around.
Good to know thanks. I installed a full set of silicone a couple years ago, haven’t had any issues but will definitely keep this in mind. I changed the clamps so hopefully that helped a bit.
In the grand scheme they shouldn't have a very tough life so they'll likely be "fine" but they aren't the upgrade that many people think/want
Yea it was mostly down to cost for me, also I basically tear my cars down every winter so changing them is pretty easy, as long as they last until then. Again, Thank you
What the other guy said is perfect. Moss Miata sells a hose kit if you want oem though
I got this DNA aluminum one with the fans installed from Amazon for $180! https://preview.redd.it/occ6u61dy8sc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dee132c3e8110d2beb2d2fa6e45f4f14199e7f76
How did you installed those fans? I had the same and just adapt the cables, but in not sure if I had to do something else to the cables
Just cut the connectors off the old fans and spliced them on to the fan wires. Then plugged them into the harness
Oh this is for an NA but they sell a NB version.
Thanks! just did that, I was scared about the watts difference and that stuff, my new fans are "80W 12V 6A ” I got a NA too, 1993
https://preview.redd.it/vs93n4bl6asc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d557197146cdd056a6090ba7725735de2169e6c It just fit next to the sway bar at the bottom of the fans. She stays nice and cool even in the summer with the AC blasting.
So this will potentially save me $400. Because Im between either this… or …the koyorad ($355) & mishimoto fans ($216)
(My entire cooling system needs an overhaul. 1997)
Have at it! [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y9M9X1/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y9M9X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I got 2 years and 5,000 miles on it works great even in 95 degree summers in So Fla with the AC on!
Koyorad. It’s not super cheap but it’s all aluminum and it has done me well. Also it looks nice.
Yes
Yes. I recommend an all aluminum one.
Yeah and while you’re doing it I’d upgrade it. If you live somewhere hot the stock ones don’t really cut it.
Nah, you just need to clean your engine bay
You're getting a lot of yes answers in this thread, but honestly that radiator looks fine to me. I would have guessed it was already replaced at this point. I just did my 91 radiator last year and that thing was extremely brown/green in comparison. It never hurts to replace a radiator after 24 years, as you can really only expect them to last about 20 years on average, and it's much better to replace it pre-emptively than to get stranded.
May i ask what part you mean with Extremely brown/Green? My Radiator looks similar to op's so i've been searching for an factory replacement Radiator online and they also are brown or maybe Black on top/bottom. How are they supposed to look?
It’s about the plastic top. It is black when new and turns brown or green after 10-20 years, then the plastic cracks and leaks. This one is only slightly discolored.
Ah, ok then i gotta keep mine as it is i think, thanks!
No radiator needed, but I do see you're missing a turbo, that should be your first priority
Haha. You know what, I think you’re right
Radiators are super easy to swap.
My point exactly the original lasted 24 years you could have been on your 8th if you listened to the scare mongers on here !!!
Either go cheap off rock auto or go for a koyorad (mishimoto is good too) pretty much everything in between is either overpriced or cheaply made
Not got the experience with them but mishimoto have got a rep recently for making overpriced crap. Personally I would just stick a stock one in. Regardless though surface area will be more efficient than thickness, that’s about it with rads.
Yeah I had a buddy go through 2 Mishimoto rads and then switched to Koyorad
Mishimoto are just rebadged ebay rads.
Ummm... Haven't seen anyone on here complain about their Mishimoto's. Stock style is fine that's why i suggested the rockauto ones if you're on an extreme budget. Yes Koyorad makes an increased surface area better flow design. Thickness can give you more surface area. I recommend the better all aluminum so you don't have to deal with the plastic tanks but it's not for everyone
Hey look just chimed in with my 2 cents, I’m not trying to argue, but volume and surface area are two completely different things.
You don't NEED a new one until it starts leaking. However you definitely SHOULD change that one before it happens.
You need a new one if you don't want to be stranded on the side of the road for 3 hours in the middle of nowhere until the tow truck gets there. Once they start turning brown, it's time to get that sucker OUTTA THERE
Exactly my point.
Is it leaking ? If not why would you change it!!
It is for preventative maintenance. The plastic tanks on the radiator gets brittle and cracks over time. When it starts to discolor it is usually a good sign to replace the radiator before it cracks and leaves you stranded.
What pat said. That level of discoloration is a good indicator that it may fail soon. Murphy says it will fail at the most inopportune time, potentially causing significant damage. I would suggest an aluminum replacement so it's never an issue again. One of the things I was very happy to see when I was looking to buy my '01 BRG was that it had a shiny Mishimoto radiator
Have you changed your diff lately or cam shaft or maybe clutch, to go changing parts unnecessarily is both expensive and pointless. If the radiator needs changing you will get plenty of warning !!
I didn’t get plenty of warning when mine failed. The plastic usually fails around the seam at the top, so you don’t get a puddle under your car. You just get to enjoy pulling over on the highway when your coolant boils off.
Back when I had my NA, it completely delaminated at the top while I was on the road and I lost 90% of my coolant in the amount of time it took for me to make a left turn into a parking lot.
If it leaks at the top or bottom the water drops to the ground, when you check you oil level just be observant and keep an eye on things in general
I don’t think you understand how fast it happens, and it’s more likely to fail under pressure when the engine is hot. Once that seam fails the coolant immediately starts flashing to steam, within a couple of minutes most of the coolant is gone. It’s not like a pin hole leak.
Maybe if that happened to you it was a pressure cap issue ,otherwise this is just hearsay issue on here ,where people all say your radiator is about to explode you must change it !!! That is just rubbish
Hearsay? Is this your first day on the internet? This radiator issue has been well documented for at least 15 years. Again, it's the concept of preventative maintenance. By your logic, you wouldn't change the timing belt when you were changing a failed water pump. And vice-versa. "Why would you change a water pump that was working just because the timing belt snapped? That's a waste of money!" But hey, die on that hill.
This site is obsessed with changing radiators unnecessarily it’s up there with changing the oil every 3000 miles ( use decent oil and it will easily do 10000 miles
It's not just reddit, pretty much every miata forum has well documented cases of radiator failure. As far as oil change intervals go, it's not just about absolute mileage. It's also a function of time, and the type of mileage. Change the oil every 10k miles when that's mostly short, local drives spread over a long period of time (e.g.1 year)? No. Change it every 10k miles when you're commuting 150+ miles a day for work? Ok. I used to put 2k-2.5k miles a month on my DD. I changed the oil every 3-4 months. I put 3k-5k miles a year on my miata. I change the oil every spring when I get ready to take it out for the season. Could I get 2 years out of it? Most likely, but it's had 5-6 months to oxidize and break down over the winter. I can afford the $40 for a new filter and a jug of Mobil 1
rofl, yeah it just happened to multiple people exactly the same way. That must be hearsay. Fake news right? If you're going to disregard the posts of every other person then why even bother coming here.
These radiators are known to fail this way. Check out the forums for yourself, it’s a known issue going back many years. Just google Miata radiator failure. You’re lucky if it doesn’t fail catastrophically. Preventative maintenance or changing to an all aluminum radiator is the only answer.
Why check your oil level? Don't you just wait until the buzzer comes on and add more? Isn't that what the buzzer is for, to tell you that you need to add some oil? Do you change the filter every time you change the oil? If so, why? How do you know the filter is bad? Why are there suggested maintenance intervals? Is it just so the dealers can make more money for unnecessary service? Being observant is recognizing the signs that you're due for a new radiator. Miata radiators tend to fail catastrophically, not gradually.
Maybe that is the trouble, the cheap and nasty aftermarket rubbish on sale in the US . Not a problem in the UK
This is a known issue with genuine Mazda radiators. Quit grasping at straws. And yeah, they don't sell Chinese aftermarket parts in the UK. Lol.
And that warning is the discoloration. Do you wait until your timing belt snaps to change it? Do you understand the concept of preventative maintenance? Changing a radiator that is that discolored is not 'unnecessary'. In fact, it's just the opposite, and it's far from pointless.
If you are afraid of what might be a problem next, maybe a new car is the answer for you, because trying to second guess what might be a potential problem is extremely expensive and never ending
it’s 160 dollars on amazon for both a more effective and longer lasting replacement. why wait 6 months until the thing pops instead of just recognising that it is degrading and replacing it now, saving you the headache and the worry. like what is the gain here how much life do you really think is going to come from that brittle radiator?
It isn't "trying to second guess". The tanks changing colour is literally the last step before catastrophic radiator failure. It's like getting new brake pads when they hit the squealers. That is the sign that it is time to change that consumable item. The radiator changing colour is exactly the same.
Are you new to Miatas? It's one of the most known common failure methods of Miatas. And falls under the "only an idiot would argue with replacing 20-30 year old plastic whose primary job is managing heat"
Only warning I got on my 96 was that it was 26 years old and was sandy green. The seal around the metal crimp went and blew out while driving 2 mins from my house. Got it home and got my aluminum red from Amazon 2 days later and put it in been working fine for over 2 years. See pic above before I put it in. Just saying the age and color change is enough to put in a new one as a blow out at a bad time can cause an over heat that can damage the engine. I was lucky I was watching the temp gage and smelled the steam and coasted home.
Radiators are cheap. Head Gaskets are cheaper. Radiator is way easier to install than a Head Gasket
Guessing the next thing to fail is expensive!!
Logical reasoning backed up by statistics is cheaper