BlackRx7

I ordered a thermal pellet from Atkins Rotary and am having second thoughts on the install, I have removed my front pully before with no I'll effects but I don't wanna take any chances with the Needle bearings falling, my mechanic told me to leave all the belts on and get a pry bar or something to press the clucth in, how does this help? any suggestions are welcome!

Icemark

Its very simple actually,

You want to remove the fan and fan clutch (four 10mm nuts).

Then you can get access to the 19mm bolt for the E shaft and pulley.

But before you loosen the 19mm on the E-shaft, jam the clutch down, with a stick or board so that it is in all the way.

Then you can loosen the nut. As long as the clutch is pressed in, the E-shaft is held against moving backwards and the needle bearing wll not slip.

I use the breaker bar and crank starter method for breaking the bolt loose (wedge a breaker bar against the frame on the drivers side (left side) and crank for just a second a couple of times. It will loosen right up.

Don't forget to use some new blue loctite when you are re-installing the bolt with the bypass pellet. It should also be torqued down to about 80 ft/lbs, when tightening back up.

Project84

Never heard of that clutch in thing for installing the thermal pellet. It is a worth while mod though. I've seen the inside of an engine that had the stock thermal plug fail. Its a shame that a perfectly good motor can get ruined because of a stupid design. Its an easy mod to do and its better to get oil to the rotors all the time rather than some of the time, or if the stock plug fails, none of the time As long as you don't rotate then engine with the pulley off, then those bearings and stuff aren't going to move. The front counter balance and timing gear are on the key, and they don't slide if the engine is still. You'll be ok.

Icemark

Anytime you loosen the E-shaft bolt (for example to replace the pulley) if the clutch is not in, the E-shaft can move enough to have the bearing fall.

The bearing is held in longtitudally, so rotating wouldn't matter, it’s the front to rear movement of the E-shaft that allows the bearing to drop out of position.

The drawback of course is that the front cover must come off to re-align or replace the bearing (if the engine was started with it fallen).

Here is a great link on it:
http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/pulley.htm

Just loosening the bolt with the E-shaft not jammed forward and the E-shaft sliding a minuscule amount can cause the problem.

Icemark

BTW: On the S6, S7, etc, you have to just wedge the flywheel, but on any S3-S5 you must jam the clutch in.

BlackRx7

thanks for all the replies, it should be very easy then since I just installed a fiero electric fan I just have to remove the the main pully bolt, FYI I took an impact to the same bolt when I changed my front cover gasket and didn't press the clutch in, and the needle bearings didn't fall..I guess I got lucky......what are the advantages to installing the thermal pellet?

Icemark

You mean the Thermal pellet replacement??? or a factory thermo pellet???

The factory unit allows quicker warm up.

The replacement, allows oil flow 100% of the time through the rotors and E-shaft. It also does not fail, so you never have to worry about your engine being starved for oil in spots it shouldn't be.

BlackRx7

damn your fast, my car has trouble starting as it is, I think my thermo wax is gone, will this effect how it warms up?

Icemark

On all the ones I have ever owned/done, there is very little change in above 50F temps. Under 50F it will add a few more miles before full warm up.

BlackRx7

OMG you are way to fast!

FC Drifter

ok i have a question....how do you know when/if the pellet fails? also how can you tell if the front bearings have fallen? ive pulled my front bolt out and didnt know about the whole clutch being in thing.

Icemark

when the factory pellet fails, typically you are down about 15-20 psi oil pressure through the whole rev range. So at idle, you typically see around only 10-15 psi, and at 3000+ RPM maybe 30-45 psi oil pressure.

You'll hear it when you start the engine when the bearing has fallen. There is a distinc grinding sound coming from the front end of the engine. Most Mazda dealer mechanics will tell you, you need a new motor, but once you pull the front cover it is pretty easy to replace it and thrust plate/washer, and of course the seal.

BlackRx7

OKay I've seen 60 psi at Idle dunno if it's because one of my oil sensors the one near the oil pan bolt the wire broke off, I belive it is the oil temp sender, will this effect my oil pressure, and can I trust the stock oil pressure gauge?

Icemark

The Stock gauge is not bad, but the senders occasionally go out. The sender is located near/below the oil filter.

I think of the senders much like the Pulsation Dampners, as a maintenance part, that every 10 years of so they should be replaced.

The one on the pan is the oil level gauge. It should work or you need to check the oil level at every fill up (as the owners manual suggests anyway).