Okay, so my new 84 starts leaking oil the day i drive it.
I take it to the shop where it was fixed. Says the line's cracked. Okay, go ahead, replace it. No biggie. No time or place to do it myself.
I get a voicemail yesterday. Oil cooler is cracked. I did a search. Should I get it heli welded and fixed if possible, or get a new one? I really don't want to pay $600 for a new oil cooler.

 

When the bungs crack, I take them down to the local motorcycle shop and they heliarc the cracks for 15 bucks. Can't beat the price.

 

And when you get it back, go easy on the tightening of the fittings. #1 cause of them cracking is usually because there is a small leak caused by the wrong type of sealing washer. Then the 1st instinct is to tighten until leak stops, WRONG!

 

Thanks! How should i instruct the shop to reinstall it? Torque specs etc? I'm seriously not going to do it because it is 0* out. Without wind chill.

 

What I've found works best is to snug up the fittings, start the engine, then tighten down gently until the leaks stop and the engine is at operating temps. New crush washers are required every time, they are single time use only.

Most cracked bungs are from reusing crush washers and overtightening the fittings, from what I've found.

 

Always use 2 wrenches when re-installing them OC lines.

 

What size are those wrenches? 24mm? Crescent wrench?

 

Pliers/Vice Grips.... Just kidding. I don't know the size offhand, but you'll want to use the correct wrench for this...

 

I think it's 21mm and 27mm not sure which is the fitting or the hose. I'd go ahead and get it welded. Tell them to tighten barely more than hand tight, then start the car. If a little oil comes out tighten by VERY little. Like 0.002 degrees, well, I mean very little.

and second to what trochoid said, use new crush washers. If you can, get Earl's Stat-O-Seals. They've got some rubber added to the inside and they're a little wider than others.

 

I must find a shop to weld it for me. I may have a guy I know do it if he can weld it.

 

For the oil cooler inlet fitting, I grinded down a 21mm IIRC. It works fine specially for the front cover.

 

+1

 

Is there a certain size or part number for the crush washer

 

Yeah, Is there? I should probably know that before doing this.
Also, do you think it'd be wise to drive it a short distance home so i don't keep it at their shop? I'd feel a little more comfortable if it were in my garage.

 

mazdatrix or your mazda dealer will have them for a couple bucks each.
as long as your oil level dosent get low it should be safe to drive, how far is the dealer from your house?
another option would be to get a good used oil cooler for like $100.. if for some reason the welding doesnt work. good luck.

 

If it's a minor leak you should be fine. I've been driving on an oil leak for a while now, although I have to add about a quart a week if I daily drive the car.

I have a new (to me) cooler and lines and and waiting for a day warm enough to install them. The best advice I found in another thread said when tightening the lines at the cooler, get them finger tight first, then tighten them using only TWO fingers with a wrench. Crank the car up, and it should spew a little oil. Then, just tighten it until it stops leaking, and no more. The engine side of the lines can be tightened to the regular torque specs (whatever those are.)

I'm glad I read this thread though, I forgot about getting new crush washers. The used ones have them on it, but it would probably be bad to reuse them.

 

Well, the shop is getting it welded. How nice of them. They're possibly getting a used 13B oil cooler (this is great- the owner actually knows his rotaries, seriously) and putting that in and giving the welded one back to the 'donate-ee' kinda like a core exchange. Either way, my oil cooler will be fixed with new lines by monday. I was hoping to do this myself, but they started on it already.