I think I blew a coolant seal
10-20-02, 10:00 PM
#1
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I think I blew a coolant seal
I think I blew a coolant seal. Is there a fix short of a rebuild. Much over 3k rpm results in massive coolant loss. My other car is still under the weather, so if I need a new motor, I'll have to limp this one around for a couple of months while I save up the cash.
10-20-02, 10:03 PM
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Nope. You're fawked. This happened to me shortly after I bought my first 7 (the seller was a weasel who knew it was doomed and I knew SFA about rotaries at the time.)
There's no way around it and your 7 will soon be undriveable.
Like your sig says, time to start molding.
There's no way around it and your 7 will soon be undriveable.
Like your sig says, time to start molding.
10-20-02, 10:03 PM
#3
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**** man, are you shure its the coolant seal and not just a leak? Does your coolant system get really pressureized and ****? Maybe you should go to a shop and have them mesure the CO1 and CO2 in the coolant to see if you have a blown "head gasket" (that is probably what they will tell you since they are dumb to rotarys most of the time). Good luck man and let us know
10-20-02, 10:12 PM
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Good point.
Simplest way to check (you did say MASSIVE coolant loss, right?) is to yank the rad cap off and start the car. If she geysers, that's that.
Just where is the coolant escaping? Blasting out of the reservoir?
Simplest way to check (you did say MASSIVE coolant loss, right?) is to yank the rad cap off and start the car. If she geysers, that's that.
Just where is the coolant escaping? Blasting out of the reservoir?
10-21-02, 02:08 AM
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Ive long since been a member of the BCSCA, and have recently become a member of the BASCA (Blown Apex Seal Club of America).
Im also no stranger to the BNSPECA (Brand New Street Ported Engine Club of America!!! In fact, Im just about to re-up my membership.
Im also no stranger to the BNSPECA (Brand New Street Ported Engine Club of America!!! In fact, Im just about to re-up my membership.
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10-21-02, 03:01 AM
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oh waaaaaaaaaat, are you guys serious? i notied mine has been leaking out of the cap in the middle, not the front one. you think i just need a new cap? or is mine going to die out as well? i sure as hell hope thats not the case because i just got this car and i have NO money for a new engine....i took off the the 2 caps today and the front one was all the way up to the top with about an inch to go before it was comming out, and the other one released some air shooting out then stopped and then the coolant couldnt be seen... whats wrong?
10-21-02, 03:05 AM
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oh and when i got home just now, i noticed some smoke comming out of the hood, but when i opened it it kinda went away, so i dunno where it was comming from...it was white smoke....is this bad?
10-21-02, 04:46 AM
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Originally posted by deltr0n`
oh and when i got home just now, i noticed some smoke comming out of the hood, but when i opened it it kinda went away, so i dunno where it was comming from...it was white smoke....is this bad?
oh and when i got home just now, i noticed some smoke comming out of the hood, but when i opened it it kinda went away, so i dunno where it was comming from...it was white smoke....is this bad?
...dismal music....
10-21-02, 11:58 AM
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To Deltron
The rubber seal on that cap might be blistered. This would let a little coolant out causing a little smoke when its burned off. Try the cheapest part before freakin' out.
Also, please don't ever open your caps when the cooling system is hot/pressurized.
The rubber seal on that cap might be blistered. This would let a little coolant out causing a little smoke when its burned off. Try the cheapest part before freakin' out.
Also, please don't ever open your caps when the cooling system is hot/pressurized.
10-21-02, 12:17 PM
#14
Yes the rule of thumb for possible blown coolant seals is to start cheap and work your way up... ( hoses if they break thermostats radiator caps water pump) before buying an engine Youll notice that if you have a blown seal that they will break hoses because of the exhaust blowing into the coolant making it more pressurized I ended up two little 5/8" lines and one upper radiator hose while i had my blown coolant seal....
10-21-02, 01:04 PM
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My car will run fine about 1/4 on the stock temp guage, then out of no ware it will go up to 1/2 then the add coolent light will come on, then it will go to 3/4 and hold that for a while. I usually will turn it off when it gets up to 3/4 so I don't really peg the guage. what could be causing this? bad coolent seal?
10-21-02, 04:54 PM
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Originally posted by deltr0n`
i took off the the 2 caps today and the front one was all the way up to the top with about an inch to go before it was comming out, and the other one released some air shooting out then stopped and then the coolant couldnt be seen... whats wrong?
i took off the the 2 caps today and the front one was all the way up to the top with about an inch to go before it was comming out, and the other one released some air shooting out then stopped and then the coolant couldnt be seen... whats wrong?
Okay.
Have you tried removing the cap on the filler neck and starting the engine (with the coolant topped up?) If a coolant seal has failed, coolant will come out rapidly (either blasting out or pouring out like you just turned a tap on.) If it isn't a seal, it will fart out a little and the level in the filler neck will rise and fall a bit as the pump is turning and the coolant temp begins to rise.
Here's hoping it's something minor!
10-21-02, 05:00 PM
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Originally posted by Mark'sMazda
My car will run fine about 1/4 on the stock temp guage, then out of no ware it will go up to 1/2 then the add coolent light will come on, then it will go to 3/4 and hold that for a while. I usually will turn it off when it gets up to 3/4 so I don't really peg the guage. what could be causing this? bad coolent seal?
My car will run fine about 1/4 on the stock temp guage, then out of no ware it will go up to 1/2 then the add coolent light will come on, then it will go to 3/4 and hold that for a while. I usually will turn it off when it gets up to 3/4 so I don't really peg the guage. what could be causing this? bad coolent seal?
You may have an air bubble in your sys.
On a separate note...
I've flushed my cooling system 3 times in the past year. When I first got my engine it rarely went over 1/4 on the temp gauge. But last winter it was getting into the neighbourhood of 1/2. So I did the flush. No change. I flushed it again in July. No change. 3 weeks ago I flushed it and then refilled it, adding 2 things of Water Wetter (I used Water Wetter with each previous coolant change, but never this much) and installed an aftermarket temp gauge and a new OEM thermostat.
The temp has yet to go over 1/4 on the factory gauge and 182F on the aftermarket. She most often sits between 165 and 175 for city driving.
I just wanted to put this out as a coolant story with a happy ending, for those of you who are concerned about your engine running hot. I don't know what I did with that last change that made a difference, but I'm pleased as all hell that my 7's now running the way I want her to...
10-21-02, 05:27 PM
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massive coolant leak
I just bought a 1991 Rx7 with 92,000 on the odo. It runs great and just passed the emissions test here in Arizona. The whole car looks like new. HOWEVER, if I drive it a short distance everything is fine. When I drive it a little harder, the add coolant light comes on. When I stop, I have a massive coolant leak coming from the rear of the engine under the oil filter area. I have topped off the radiator and have run the engine with the radiator cap off. There appears to be no pressurization and the overflow tank doesn't fill up. I can run it with the radiator cap off until it reaches normal operating temperature and there is no leak. I even had my son take it for a 5 mile drive, after it was warmed up, and when he returned, there was no leak. The car sat for two weeks and didn't lose a drop of coolant until I drove it again. It's the wierdest thing that I have seen. I have never owned a rotary before. I think I am about to learn how to replace an engine. Anyone see this before? Thanks for the help.
10-21-02, 06:07 PM
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Re: massive coolant leak
Originally posted by allenbillings
I just bought a 1991 Rx7 with 92,000 on the odo.
I just bought a 1991 Rx7 with 92,000 on the odo.
I've been posting a lot in this thread, but I'm not exactly Mr. Coolant Guy. But here are my thoughts on your prob...
Back in the spring there was a post about spraying carb cleaner into various vacuum lines to give the insides of our engines a quick cleaning. Some of us tried this (including me) and I noticed an immediate improvement in performance (I'll post a link to the thread if you'd like.) Some of us also noticed something else (the simultaneity of which no one could account for...)
There are two hoses that go from the engine to the heater core, one on the driver's side and one on the passenger's side. Some of us had the hoses on the driver's side blow out!
The thing was, sitting at idle, there was no sign of a leak. But when I went on delivery and pounded the car (I deliver for Pizza Hut) the add coolant light came on and the temp gauge would soon start climbing (this was all in one evening.) I got back to the store and there was very little coolant in my engine.
I freaked, thinking I'd blown a seal. At idle, there was no sign of a leak. Then, while under the hood, I revved it. Coolant spewed out of that hose. I shut the car down and had a closer look. The hole was TINY. But under pressure (the pressure of the water pump spinning at high revs) coolant was being forced out. The hole was about an inch back from the end of the hose that went to the engine. I chopped the end off the hose and reconnected it and she held until I replaced it.
I would suggest replacing all of your coolant hoses, not just the heater core ones but also the biggies to the rad. Chances are they're all the same age and if one's failed, others may also go soon.
Sorry that this is long, but my story is pretty much the same as yours, ne?
10-21-02, 07:01 PM
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cool, i'll try that. i just now replaced the 2 caps, putting the front on the back and the back on the front, so if it still leaks im going to buy some jspec ones, from a local shop for 40 bucks. i hope this is my problem and not the seal....
10-21-02, 08:10 PM
#22
I feel Ur Pain!
I had an experience leaving jury duty two years ago...the temp alarm went off...the temp light came on.. I made it home & saw a little drip of the bottom rear of the motor, but couldn't find a leak...it was up inside somewhere I couldn't see. Fortunately the local Dealer turned me onto an exclusive RX7 mechanic in my area...I filled it up...drove over there (18 miles) only stopped for water once!! My mighty mechanic couldn't find it...so started taking the bottom manifold off? I think? It took him 2 tries & I had him clean the injectors while he had it apart. $400 later & that was 2 years ago...its still all good...so don't be too discouraged!
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10-21-02, 10:20 PM
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Yes, the car will be low on coolant. it comes out the over flow tank as steam. it's weird because the car will run at 1/4 for a while and then all the sudden the light will flash on for a few seconds, it will do this a few times, the temp goes to 1/2, then the light will come on solid. The gauge will keep going up unless I am on the freeway. I think that I have a bubble in the system how do I get it out?
A couple of weeks ago I blew the driver's side heater hose. The car ran fine, (1/4) all the time and now after the hose it is running hot. I replaced the hose and have checked and rechecked it to no avail.
I tried the run it with the cap off test and, it will sprayed up when I first crank the motor just one spirt of water then it will raise and lower, even when I rev the motor it won't shoot up. So I think the coolent seals are good.
A couple of weeks ago I blew the driver's side heater hose. The car ran fine, (1/4) all the time and now after the hose it is running hot. I replaced the hose and have checked and rechecked it to no avail.
I tried the run it with the cap off test and, it will sprayed up when I first crank the motor just one spirt of water then it will raise and lower, even when I rev the motor it won't shoot up. So I think the coolent seals are good.
Last edited by Mark'sMazda; 10-21-02 at 10:22 PM.
10-21-02, 10:39 PM
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Originally posted by Mark'sMazda
Yes, the car will be low on coolant. it comes out the over flow tank as steam.
Yes, the car will be low on coolant. it comes out the over flow tank as steam.
it's weird because the car will run at 1/4 for a while and then all the sudden the light will flash on for a few seconds, it will do this a few times, the temp goes to 1/2, then the light will come on solid. The gauge will keep going up unless I am on the freeway. I think that I have a bubble in the system how do I get it out?
I'll see if I can find any 411 on this. I think that I may have a bubble, too. I hear a quiet gurgling when I give the car throttle.
A couple of weeks ago I blew the driver's side heater hose. The car ran fine, (1/4) all the time and now after the hose it is running hot. I replaced the hose and have checked and rechecked it to no avail.
Just cuz two things happen at the same time doesn't mean they had anything to do with each other... It's surprising but often turns out to be true.
I tried the run it with the cap off test and, it will sprayed up when I first crank the motor just one spirt of water then it will raise and lower, even when I rev the motor it won't shoot up. So I think the coolent seals are good.
How new is your thermostat? Is it OEM (Mazda)? Aftermarket thermostats have an awfully bad rap on this Forum. And do you use Redline Water Wetter in your coolant mix?