Ok, I've got an 85 GS...

1. How do I take off the cap on my steering wheel? I tried prying it off, but I don't wanna break anything, so I'm makin sure that's the right way to do it...

2. My exhaust has been smelling a bit stronger than usual. I smell some unburnt fuel--basically a bad mixture. No smoke coming out during anytime the car is driven or on. I adjusted the idle air mixture screw a bit--that helped a little, what else should I do?

3. I've finished putting in my 12" subwoofer... Anyone have any ideas where rattling comes from? I have found one source--the metal frame around the storage bins, I don't know about the outside...

Thanx for your help!

 

It's actually just a rubber cover on the metal ring underneath that moves to honk the horn.
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sorta like that. (the dashed line is the ring underneath) If you gently "peel" back on the edge, you'll reveal that it comes off quite easily.

This applies to the three spoke 15" stock steering wheel that came on my 85 GSL-SE. I don't think they changed from trim level to trim level, just year to year.

--matt

 

all first gen stearing wheels are like that. disconect the battery (so the horn is not of an anoince), peal of that cover and then grab a socket and take out the single bolt that holds it on.. it is a large one , >20mm.. you should be able to take the cover off with no problem.

possible that you have an exhaust leak. check to see if all of the bolts are tight. also (if you can) check your gaskets..

 

Everything rattles. Sometimes its the hinges on the hatch and the hatch lid. If you adjust the striker (the one on the body, dunno if thats the right term for it or not) for the hatch downward, it will make the hatch shut tighter... Also the storage bins do rattle, but the best way to find rattles is to take a CD that generates one tone and one tone only and let it play while looking for them, and I have just the test CD for it

 

Mike: Yea, that's what i've been doing
I've almost solved most of the problems on the inside--now the outside is a total different story

Ok--Still confused about the cap... I don't see anything that can be "peeleed off" except for the plastic Mazada sticker... Am i just looking at the cap from a weird angle?

Thanx for the help!

 

Grab the edge of it and peel it back. The horn button itself is a metal frame. The colored part is just a cover.

Interestingly, I was able to remove the steering wheel nut with my lug wrench

I'm coming to Huntsville in the next couple days if you can't get the steering wheel off

 

lol... Let's all hope I can get it off

I'll try later tonight... I've got other things for now

 

Put your thumbs in the middle like you're beeping the horn, put your fingers on the edge of the button and pull. The cover will come off.

 

Hey, I've got the same year and model! What color is yours? Anyway, the steering wheel needs to be pulled off with a puller after removing the horn cap an horn contact plates. (You should probably disconnect the battery so that you aren't honking the horn while doing this) The exhaust smell could be coming in from a leak in the cat. Thats where mine was coming from. Also, check your wheel wells for rust holes (common problem) as exhaust can possibly seep in through there. As for the rattling, possibly the windows and the tracks?

 

You can beat on the wheel with your fists at 8 and 2 oclock and it will pop right off.

 

hatch latch
the striker is the piece on the glass

55 - 65hz
should be perfect

 

Coat the back of the sub enclosure with dynomat, it's a sound absorbing material that will clear up them rattles right quick... some of it is a little expensive, but it reduces road noise too. I know a few people that have removed all of the factory sound proofing material and replaced it with dynomat and other such products, their cars sounded great, thumping bass and no road noise...

mmm

cheers'

 

Isn't that stuff heavier than the factory sound proofing?
Other wise a great idea.