cloudlight69

so my heater hose had a hairline tear in it, and i quickly fixed it, replacing it with a new mazda hose, this was a relief because i couldn't take much more of the buzzing. so on the way home yesterday, all of a sudden i noticed my oil pressure gauge was dead. i quickly pulled over and checked the oil, it was full, and there were no strange noises or knocking from the engine, all hoses intact, and no strange smells. i drove the 40 kliks back home and opened the hood, still nothing out of the ordinary. then i changed the heater hose. when i was filling the coolant (my rad has no rad fill on it) i managed to get coolant everywhere. i went for a 15 minute drive and everything chekced out good, except for the oil gauge. when i got back home and parkes, there was this strange smell, and white smoke coming from under the hood by the front right headlight. i opened the hood and there was white smoke billowing from that whole cluster of engine parts; the oil metering pump, the water pump, the exhaust manifold. i threw some water on it just to be sure it wasnt a fire, and the smoke slowly dissipated. the smell was kind of like exhaust and hot metal. i thoroughly rinsed the whole area once the car was cool, hoping that would solve the problem. i went for another hard drive, and when i got back, the same problem, although the smoke was much less. this morning when i got in and drove to work, the smoke and smell no longer happened.

a quick note, the engine never was abnormally hot, by sight and gauges, there were never any strange noises, the drive was normal, and she has full fluids all round. could this be just because coolant leaked into the exhaust manifold and stripped down some sediment and burnt it off? or is it related to a much larger problem??? i called a local rx mechanic and he said as long as my car isnt overheating i should be fine, that the oil pressure gauge was likely a short in the line or sensor. this is my daily driver, i dont have any other mode of transportation and i work 50 kliks from home, am required to drive to meet clients, any help or suggestions are entirely welcomed and i am grateful for them!!!!

thanks

lax-rotor

iTrader: (1)

what do the gaskets look like for the oil metering pump? just to be on the safe side, i'd look to where ever there might be a possible oil leak (but it doesn't sound like you have one).

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

Check the MOP lines also...they are - generally speaking - yellowed, and near the point of bursting on most FC's by this point.

I would also verify that you DO have oil pressure before really going anywhere else. You could purchase one of the oil filter pedestals and an aftermarket gauge and sender to figure it out. Of course, before that I'd just make sure that none of the wires for the factory oil pressure sender have simply fallen off or something easy before goign and purchasgin some products.

Icemark

#1 never ever use water as fire retardent on a car or truck. Water spashes oil and fuel (often speading the fire) and shorts electrical. Go get a halon or residue free fire extingisher (or even a dry chemical fire extingisher if you are too cheap). You want something rated for A, B and C fires, but in worst case a B, C extingisher will be fine.

#2 check out the ACV solenoids. The Port air solenoid has been known to short out around 120K miles (its only supposed to be on for the first 20K miles, but gets re-activated at 100K miles), resulting in a electrical melt down of the solendoid and wires at the solenoid. The solenoid's wires run right above the MOP.

riverzendz

+1 billion. I about fell over when I read that you dumped water on that smoking, hot engine.

cloudlight69

i checked the MOP lines and they are indeed yellow, but not near the point of bursting. i am assuming hat the oil pressure is fine, as the engine still is sounding fine, and not overheating. what would be a good indication to stop driving if the oil is not getting to the engine? what sensor or noises should i look for. there is only one rx sepcialist in my area that is worth going to and they are in the middle of moving locations, will not be open for another week or so. the car will be going in for a complete rebuild in october, so if i can run her with cautionuntil then that is perfect. a mechanic came by the branch today and i asked him what his feelings were on the issue and though he is not familiar withthe rotary engine, he said it is likely that water and coolant splashed into the exhaust manifold as the cowling that covers it is loose. he told me that it is also likely that this dirt has been slowly burning off, and tat is the source of smell and smoke. i turned the car on and high revved it for him, no smoke, bu the smell was barely there, he noted a little antifreeae and exhaust not passed through CC or muffler. The whiteness of the smoke i described to hik sounds like a combo of coolant and exhaust. its not that i dont trust him, its just that i trust you the people of this forum alot more than i would trust anyone not familiar with the rx. i am truly grateful for all the advise i have collected over the months. so... what should i watch for as a warning sign if the oil pressure gauge is not functioning and the oile appears to still being fed to the engine? smells? sounds? looks? thank you

cloudlight69

yah damn well i was panicking ( about the smoke)

Icemark

Again:

Burnt plastic smells a lot like burning oil and coolant

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

When the ******* thing pops....check your oil pressure!!!

cloudlight69

pops? i dont get it. or are you just trying to be funny?

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

no Im being very serious

If there indeed is no..or very little...oil pressure you WILL blow your engine.

CHECK IT!!!

lax-rotor

iTrader: (1)

I know on piston driven cars if you start your engine to get the oil circulating you will have less amount of oil in the dip stick because the pump is doing it's job. could you do the same thing on the rotory? that way you could at least rule out a oil pump failure (i guess you could even just check the oil pump since i think it's external: feel the pressure on the hose?)

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

The oil pump is not external. thats the MOP. It injects oil on load based incriments to the apex seals...

The ACTUAL oil pump pumps oil through the inside of the rotors, rotor bearings, and eshaft then through the oil cooler and its located inside the front cover.

drago86

Check the oil pressure, you will have no warning except for the engine blowing soon if it is that low. "Its not making sounds so it must be ok" is not a valid check for oil pressure. Though if youve driven it this much its probably to late.


The smoke is probably just coolent/oil spilled on the exhaust manifold if it went away. Ive gotten smoke for the first 15 minutes after just touching the exhaust with greasy hands.

teknics

iTrader: (4)

the wire probably fell of the oil pressure sender, its right under the oil filter. hard to describe especially if the engine bay is stock cause its even harder to see.

kevin.

Icemark

Yes, I suspect that he knocked off the oil pressure wire when he was changing the heater hose (since it is right there) and the smoke was from the port air solenoid burning up.

So I think he is making the mistake of thinking the problems are all related.

iceblue

That's because the oil is stuck up in the lifters.