Removing components in the engine bay
Alright, now that you’ve discovered a new respect for yoga, it’s time to exit the confines of your Miata. Looks purposeful without the carpet, doesn’t it?
Get it on jackstands
Just a reminder, the big strong-looking rectangular tube you see under the car is actually very flimsy and will deflect. Always lift the car from the pinch welds.
Give it a safety-hump. If you are confident the car is secure, you should feel confident that a solid bump won’t cause it to crash down. It’s a good idea to place unused wheels under solid points of the car’s chassis as a backup. Cars are heavy, even Miatas.
Take off the wheels (you can put them under the car for added safety)
Remove the plastic splash pan entirely
Drain (most of) your fluids
Coolant
Open the drain on the radiator, let the radiator drain with the fill cap removed. Once that’s done, remove the coolant reservoir. If you’re careful with the reservoir’s hose, you won’t spill. Go ahead and drain it too.
Take off the lower radiator hose from the radiator; allow remaining coolant to drain. Disconnect the remaining upper radiator hose from the radiator. There is no need to remove the thermostat.
Brake Fluid
This stuff is nasty, so wear gloves and have rags ready for spills.
Engine Oil (not required)
Trans Fluid (not required unless you plan to pull the driveshaft)
