Me jealous. I got my drugithome to make big fat sparks but when I had the plugs out to flush the cylinders out, the vapor that came out did not smell like gasoline as we know it. Spinning the (not tightened down) distributor around only gets me backfires through the intake and out the exhaust, but never any actual cylinder firing.
CIS + junk fuel = uuuuuuugh.
I don't envy you there, CIS and I don't get along.
Went for a drive the other day and it started getting a bit hot and knocking under load. I think I have some air in the cooling system. If I bleed that out it should take care of the running hot, Not sure what it's up with the knocking.
Honestly there could be carbon build up, you may need to run premium if your timing is correct. My dad had to do that a while on his Corvair until he rebuilt the engine.
Yea I was thinking of that, it only started knocking after driving it for awhile and it got warm. I'll have to double check the timing. It also burns quite a bit of oil, especially while cold, possibly rings aren't seated?
Needs an Italian tune up! 
EvanB wrote: Yea I was thinking of that, it only started knocking after driving it for awhile and it got warm. I'll have to double check the timing. It also burns quite a bit of oil, especially while cold, possibly rings aren't seated?
Run premium for a few tanks, MMO in the fuel and the crankcase in small quantities.
You mention the rings not being seated, is it a new bottom end? If not then the rings should be seated. Adjusted the valves on it?
It isn't a new bottom end, it was just sitting for 5 years. I didn't know if that would cause any issues.
Do these have valve stem seals? They might have dried out in that time. Italian tune up gets som fresh oil up the head and might freshen it up.
I put some octane booster and a bit of MMO oil in the tank then topped it off with 93 octane (1/4 tank). It seems to be running a bit better but still bogs down when starting off and doesn't idle without the choke pulled out a bit. I'll have to fiddle with it some more and keep driving it.
I just thought of another thing...the oil fill cap is vented and may be clogged. I ran into that problem with my 1098 Midget. I'll have to check it out next time I take it out for a drive.
You used to have a Midget? Dang, the Miata must be like having a big block Impala in comparison...
In reply to Knurled:
Yep, even the stock 1.6 I had at the same time as the Midget.
A picture of the Midget for fun.
Well it doesn't seem to be the oil cap. I took it off and it still runs rough and bogs down.
Drove the mini to work today and didn't know if I would make it. It started running very hot and was misfiring a bit. Still knocking under load.
Held a timing light to it?
Yep, it's in spec.
Is the advance working correctly?
The advance moves slightly when I suck on the hose but it feels a bit stiff. How freely should it move? I'll have to check the advance with a timing light when I get home.
I boiled the thermostat and it opened around 195, seems a bit high. The radiator doesn't look bad and the coolant was fresh, the water pump impeller seems to still be attached as it agitates the coolant when spun.
195 is an acceptable temp for that thermostat, see if there are lower ranges out there for that motor though.
There are 165, 180 and 190 thermostats available. The gauge was pegged though so I think I may need more than just a cooler thermostat.
It was running fine and staying cool until one day when I was driving and it started getting hotter and knocking...it has just ran hotter and hotter since then.
Not with it running yet, would that still affect it at idle and low revs?
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