My 1980 California spec 12a has started to bleed from an unusual place after running and shutting down oil was pooling in the 2 rotor housing dimples just above the pan . The oil isn't coming from the upper dowel pin area, but about the height of the leading plug. Its happening between the front iron and rotor housing seam though. I do see a tiny bit of oil up on the MAZDA 12A dowel pin area, but nothing like what appears to be oozing out lower. I used my fingers and q-tips to follow the seam from the top and nothing slick until more than half way down. Last night I used half a bottle of Lucas oil stabilizer hoping for a miracle. The engine sat for many years before I brought it back to life last year, then an 8 month stay at the body shop before giving it a good running now. Is there an o-ring at the height I mentioned? Would removing tranny and hitting tension bolts with impact gun in order tighten seals up? Its been running up to temp and after I shut it off we are talking half a teaspoon. Also Im using 20-50 Castrol GTX and now Lucas. Any wisdom or experience much appreciated.

P.s Mazdas new o.e.m oil filters are ****........so light and cheap and white WTF

 

Pictures would definitely help.... but sounds like a leaking dowel pin O-Ring. Likely will need to be pulled apart and a new gasket set installed.... really not too tough to do.

Don't use an impact on the tension bolts... even though they sometimes take an impact to loosen. They're only torqued down to about 90 ft/lbs (if I remember correctly).

 

the tension bolts are like 20-24lbs-ft...

 

You're right... front pulley bolt is 90 ft/lbs...

 

The Lucas was a good move. If you aren't ready to rebuild it, then maybe consider a "high mileage" oil (made for engines with high miles on them) plus the Lucas (up to a full quart).

Good luck.



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Yeah might just sub a whole quart of lucas. You think maybe the Castrol high mileage over Castrol GTX I'm using? Thanks for input so far lads

 

I'd still like to see pix of this; as described, that's an odd place for oil to be leaking... There's no oil-under-pressure passage in that region.

It may be following the outer water jacket seal down from the dowel pin o-ring & only seeping out of the seam at that spot, but that's hard to imagine.

 

my bet would be it leaking from the bottomish of the oring and just following the seam of the housings, theres really no other choice

 

I hope it's the upper dowel seeping too! But like I said I tried to find oil up to but nothing. I guess the oil could be running just behind the joint and then showing itself lower down. I would love to take pics but the oil is really clean, and I have been tricked by my shiny painted housings into thinking I see oil buts it's just the reflection of the gloss paint.