First Issue - Fuel Tank

Baby’s First Issue

Well, it didn’t take long for that salvage title to bite back. I thought, what better way to test out my new car and learn stick shift than on a week-long trip down to Virginia to visit my mother? What could go wrong?

I’ll admit, the car made it down to Virginia without any problems, and the whole family loved it. Even my uncle, who drives a manual daily, gave me a few pointers and was quite impressed with how I handled the car. But after the week-long trip, it was time to drive back to CT and resume life as a car wash attendant.

However, on the way back through Pennsylvania, the Miata started losing power, bucking uncontrollably. My lack of clutch experience didn’t help, and I pulled the car off to the side of the road, thinking it might be overheating. After a moment’s pause, I managed to start the car again and continued driving, only for the issue to recur. After a few cycles of this, I remembered I had my OBD scanner handy and checked for any engine codes. While I don’t recall the specific code, it pointed to a fuel pump issue.

I found a mechanic in the area who discovered the entire fuel tank had rusted inside out. They cleaned out the tank and installed a new fuel pump but suggested I get a new fuel tank altogether.

So, I reached out to the guys at Expoline Auto, who offered to replace my fuel tank and fuel pump for free. They took a tank and pump from a low-mileage ‘99 Miata and installed it into mine. They were awesome and quick, and they didn’t ask for anything in return.