So, I was removing my pilot bearing today. It wasn't cooperating, but it eventually came out, but along with it came out a small piece of metal that didn't look like it was part of the pilot bearing. It turns out that there was a small lip around the inside of the e-shaft (s5) where the pilot bearing goes, and now 1/3 of it is gone. I looked on my other e-shaft (s4) and there is no lip, it is just smooth. What the hell? I thought they were the same. They are the same part number at mazdatrix. This would also explain why it was so damn hard to get the pilot bearing installed and removed.
On the part that has the lip removed, it looks kinda like it was designed that way, so what gives?
I need some insight on what the hell happened, so I can know if the e-shaft is good or a table decoration.
Thanks in advance.

 

wow i have the same problem, still keeping fingers crossed... my boys t2 motor's pilot bearing is "seized" or welded into the ******* eshaft from age i suppose. i grinded it out best i can... (not the best idea... but cant figure out what else to do, broke a couple of puller and screwdrivers... used alot of pb.. and another puller, no go, so... i just said **** THIS whip out the dremel.. now the new pilot bearing doesnt seat all the way i suppose i got the thing grinded at a slight taper.. but the tranny sat in.. so i hope it works out.

 

Well, before this the pilot bearing was working fine. It also kinda came apart as I pulled it out, I assuming because that was the only thing it could do because of the damned lip.

 

pretty much... actually from experience, all pilot bearings blow up when you try to remove it.worse case scenerio, i will pull the ******* tranny and bore out that hole with a good size sanding bit and then put another ******* pilot bearing in it.

 

I just replaced a clutch, trans and pilot bearing for a local buddy on his '88 vert. His bearing had no rollers (probably exited months ago) and this resulted in a galled tranny input shaft and a lip as well. I bet a similar thing has occured with yours, but on the inside of the e-shaft instead of the tranny shaft. It may have seized and spun the cage inside the e-shaft, creating a ridge. My buddy's pilot bearing came out with the normal amount of force (with the proper slide hammer tool) and the inside of the e-shaft was smooth and straight. I would test-fit a new pilot bearing before condemning the e-shaft. A new bearing should fit very snugly, but not a press fit. Mine took 7 or 8 taps with a medium ball peen hammer. And remember, the bearing doesn't go in all the way to the bottom of the bore. There should be a small gap between the seal and the face of the bearing.

 

Id say the rollers on your bearing are trashed and all thats left is the outside of the bearing and the "lip" that holds the rollers, my first clutch job went the same way and i thought it was meant to be like that, my new bearing wouldn't fit so i cracked that lip and pryed it out (probably not too smart but i didn't have a puller).

Not positive but id be the other 2/3rds of that lip needs to come out.
Matt

 

Well, for a bit of history on this engine, it was originally in an auto equipped car. The engine was dropped in as a temporary solution until I could rebuild my other engine. I was planning on using the rotating assembly form this one, though, since its an s5 (and I trashed a rotor on my other engine) I honestly can't remember what it was like pulling out the pilot bearing on this engine, or if autos even have a pilot bearing. I do know that on my old engine (the s4 one with no lip) the pilot bearing came out without much problem.

 

Yea that might make a difference... didn't look through the fsm but a quick breeze through the haynes didn't show any pilot bearing or input shaft in auto tranny, torque converter to flywheel so i dont know what you were pulling out earlier.

 

Well, I don't even remember if I pulled anything out. After thinking about it, I actually kinda remember renting the pilot bearing tool but not needing it because it didn't have one.

Edit: OK, autos definitely don't have pilot bearings. So what the hell is the groove there for?

 

Automatics have 4 bolts that hold the torque converter to the flywheel, and 6 bolts holding the flywheel to the rear counterweight. No pilot bearing used. Can you send us a pic of the e-shaft end? The pilot bearing cage has a lip if you remove the needles....could this be the lip you're speaking of? or the remnants of the seal perhaps?

 

^^ Man. that would suck to get out...... I would imagine a steady hand and a die grinder? I would be real scared of scarring up the e-shaft even more.

 

^ +1 on the outer cage being still in the e-shaft. The e-shaft should have a smooth bore. I'm going to check the parts fiche to make sure the man. and auto. e-shafts are the same. I had a similar problem. The proper puller is really important here. I ended up grinding the outer cage *really* carefully. It's worth mentioning - don't forget to grease the bearing and put in the seal.

On a related note, where I really screwed up was I didn't have someone with experience check the input shaft bearing, and it's making some noise now. Check all other tranny bearings too and replace front and rear tranny seals.

 

Checked the parts fiche. The item number on the page 11-4001 shows the e-shaft with a pilot bearing and seal, but lists two part numbers on the chart N326-11-D00A for M/T, N327-11-D00A for A/T. I can only presume that the difference in part numbers is only because the part number for the auto. is the e-shaft with no pilot bearing and seal.

The pilot bearing part number is "Bearing, Needle" N326-11-D03, and the seal is "Seal, Oil" 1881-11-404

 

I've never seen the lip you describe. My guess is that it's part of the seal itself.

 

It really looked like it was part of the e-shaft, but maybe it is just part of the pilot bearing. I'll check when I get home.

 

Ok, I checked it and I really don't think its part of the pilot bearing. It appears to be pretty well attached to the e-shaft (as in it won't come off.)

 

Pic. (use macro function for a real close up)?

 

The camera wasn't cooperating yesterday, but I'll try it again tonight when I get home.

 

+2 on the left over outer shell of the old bearing.

My J-spec replacement engine came from an automatic.
The e-shafts are identical.
I only had to clean up the pilot hole to press in the bearing.
I used its counter weight to mount the light flywheel..

 

Wow, I feel stupid. I just felt all the way in and it is the shell of the damn pilot bearing.