Soma

Is it also called the eccentric shaft bybass valve? DM-15 of the FSM??
My NA FC smokes white (very light) on startup but the symptons clear after about a minute. A friend of mine suggested I replace the Thermal Pellet with the one from AtkinsRotary. Oil pressure is good according to the stock gauge, 30 at idle and slightly under 60 with load.
From the threads I've been reading, it seems like a good idea to go ahead and just replace the pellet anyway!! I'd hate to see my FC suffer!
Now all I need to know is where the heck is it...

Can the Thermal Pellet be replaced once the eccential shaft pulley is removed, OR
do you need to take the front cover off too???

Thanks YO!!

spot_skater

Zip off the main crank bolt, it's in the middle of the main pulley. CAREFULLY remove it, it's in there.

www.fc3spro.com

there's a write up on how to bypass it.

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Personally, I don't think it is worth the trouble and possible damage (when done incorrectly) of pulling the front pulley just to replace the thermal pellet. I agree its a good thing to get done (I have it) but do it when its already out for some other reason. If you do decide to do it, make sure to read the thing on mazdatrix about removing the front pulley.
That said, the small amount of white smoke at startup is most likely the beginings of coolant seal leak. Be very careful with the temperature, always check the coolant levels, and don't let it sit for long periods of time.

slpin

iTrader: (9)

your friend is a retard
that pellet just control rotor oil jets
it does nothing to white smoke and crap

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Its also slightly more involved than "zipping" off the front pully nut. Just removing the nut involves a blow-torch and a breaker bar with a 3 foot extension pipe to break the lock-tite used on it.

slpin

iTrader: (9)

^^^ not really
a good torch...
and a strong breaker bar
and the oem starter can take it off

bar on, after a good torch job... and crank....

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Never thought of doing it that way. Then again the engine's always ben out of the car when I've done it.

cmanns

lol the good ole white smoke problem.

If you want less white smoke, keep your coolent level LOW and it wont have enough pressure to leak.....

BlueTII

Do NOT keep your coolant level low, this is creating an air pocket that is much hotter than the coolant in the system and with cause larger problems much quicker. We install the oil bybass pellet in all our rebuilds, it is much trickier to do while the engine is in the car. IF your coolant seals are going, then just wait and have the pellet done when rebuilding.

spot_skater

Why is it much harder with the engine in the car? Reason I ask is because I went to do it, with the engine out, didn't have the proper sized washers, zipped the bolt and pulley assembly back on (with no loc-tite), and now the motor is in the car. Radiator and fan is all out still... is it just harder cause it's more confined with all the **** in there?

Thanks,
James

cmanns

Well my engine temp stayed fine, I ment keep it so the buzzer isnt on. If it goeson we'd put more in it.

The last time the car worked I filled it all the way up and closed the filler necks cap, turned iton and it kept puffing and puffing then I came to the conclusion that when theres alot of coolent it has more pressure.

BlueTII

There is a much greater chance of the thrust bearings falling, with the engine in the car. With the engine removed you have gravity on your side, simply flip the engine front cover side up. The easiest way to prevent the bearings from falling while the engine is in the car is to depress the clutch pedal the entire time the front bolt is out. Space constraints also make it tough, considering the close distance between the radiator and the engine. Getting it off is one thing, tightening to the torque spec is another hurdle.

BlueTII

Air pockets create hot spots, this is why bleeding the coolant system properly is so important. When there is an air pocket in the system, that portion of the engine is not being properly cooled. The air pocket does not stay at the filler neck it gets pushed through the engine.

A bad coolant seal will introduce hot exhaust gas to the coolant system causing the system to become over pressurized and expel coolant from the overflow tank.

spot_skater

I see.

Well, since I never re-torqued it down or put loctite on, I may as well remove it again, as carefully as before, put the washers in to shim it, and reinstall.

Do you have any suggestions for tightening it back to 98 ft/lbs?

Thanks,
James

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Wow, that has to be some of the worst advice I've heard in a long time.

Also, what BlueTII said is defiantely true. When you loosten the front pulley not, the torrington bearings can fall out of place and tear up many components (the bearings, spacer, even the stationary gear) if its not done properly. Plus I would hate to mess with getting that pulley nut off while in the car cause its pretty cramped and might be hard to get the neccesary leverage.
Here's what we are talking about with the thrust bearings: http://mazdatrix.com/faq/pulley.htm

cmanns

WELL.

My puffed MORE white smoke with more coolent added. If your going to drive it with a coolent seal prob then both ways your going to run into probs so why not just rebuild it asap...

I don't know how to bleed the system, care to clarify?

Also I looked, my over fill is at the top top top yet that little tube that will spill it out WONT spill it out, I squeezed the tube to the top of the engine and it wouldnt come out, but if I pulled out the over fills cap it will spill out.

So odd.

kungfuroy

iTrader: (6)

You just gave one of the worst pieces of advise I have ever heard. The cooling system is supposed to be pressurized to raise the boiling point of the cooling liquid, so that it does not boil out. You are doing hack jobs to your car

cmanns

heh.

What hack job? I filled it up alittle everytime the buzzer went off. BUzzer would go off every month or so.

Hasn't overheated recently. Dosen't puff the white when its not filled all the way up.

spot_skater

Well... ****... Time to start a new thread.

Soma

Thanks for all the replies and the info.
I am aware of the precations you must take when removing the crank pulley.
Eventually I plan on putting on an underdrive pulley to see how much additional power I can squeeze out of my NA so I guess I will go ahead and replace the thermal pellet at that time. I spoke with someone today who said it is actually pretty easy to do... he was able to use a breaker bar and the torque from the starter to swing the nuts off.