oil filter pedestal leak, NOT o-rings!
 

WTF?? all the sudden earlier this week i started having a look at my oil filter pedestal. i was a little shock since its a new motor and thus the o-rings are new but i thought, ok, ill replace the orings, no big deal. so i get 2 new orings via my local mazda dealership (OEMs the only way). well that did not fix the problem. AND im sure that the pedestal is tightened down all the way (thought that could be a problem too so i made sure that its tight. anyways, it still leaks, any ideas?? it is an aftermarket pedestal with two ports (one blocked, the other runs as a oil feed line to my turbo). thanks guys, its driving me nuts.

sure its the pedistal leaking? do u have the nipple on the center iron open?

Are you sure that the one or both of the out ports are not the problem?

hopefully it didn't break like mine did.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...s/DSC01971.jpg

o crap, that sucks! but no, its not broke, and nither port is leaking (i thought that may be it too but its leaking from under the pedestal, the area all around it on the sides is clean). actually, its leaking from one spot in particular: right around the rear stud/nut. the front one is clean. also, i dont think its leaking from anywhere else, when i took the pedestal off i saw no other point that were oily, but just to make sure, ill check again when i pull it back off. any other ideas?? thanks so far guys

yea, its definately not the nipple on the center iron, i physically watched it drip from the pedestal. also 87 t-66: i just read your thread, that effing blows, i immediately went and looked at mine, that center stud is tig welded to the base thank god. lastly, how tight are those nuts supposed to be? they were on pretty tight so i dont think thats the prob...im just stumped, the only thing that i can think of now is a possible crack in the pedestal mount (not the pedestal itself, thats definately ok, but the part on the rear iron that the pedestal bolts to)???? i thought maybe an oring poppped out of place upon assembly. but they were in there spot when i pulled it....i am fresh out of ides guyss.....please help me or mail me some cyanide...!!!

it's not a cracked iron is it?

i really sont think so, or at least i hope not....the leak is not toooooo fast (about 1 drop every 4-5 seconds) but definately enough to worry about. i tried to inspect the iron but its so hard to see up in there. what do you think? it did start happening all of the sudden the other day.

if it is, im seriously hoping one of you guys gives me that cyanide....this is a fresh rebuild with only ~600 miles on it. i have not beat on it at all. 0 boost and the highest ive taken it is ~3200 rpm.

only one way to find out...it should be pretty easy to tell if the iron is cracked once you remove the pedestal.

I had one of those on for a oil temp meter and had the same kind of leak, one drop every 4-5 seconds. When I removed it the pedestral, everything was fine. Did a search on here and found several similar cases. Apperantly those pedestral things cause problems on most rotary engines, lots of replies saying 'don't use those things'.

thats what i figured, and i couldnt see a crack, so if it exists, its on the underside of the mount.

that blows. i have never heard of other ppl having probs? if it was just for an oil temp meter, id take it off and replace the stock, but i need to source oil for my turbo. i would like to put the stock one back on to see if that leaks, but then my turbo gets no oil while im checking!!! any other good places to source oil from that would not require removing and welding of something (i just wanna check to see if the stock pedestal will leak.) i kno i can use the oil cooler lines, but that would be a long term solution.

Why not add a short nipple and a 'T' fitting to the stock oil pressure port? One end of the 'T' for the turbo supply and one end for the stock pressure sender? Do away with that crappy add on pedestal?

use the RB sandwich plate. I never had any problems with that. It goes in between the stock pedestel and the block and uses longer studs.

I'm running this plate too. It doesn't look like much but I've had zero problems with it. There really isn't anything to break on it other than o-rings. I run one port to supply oil to my supercharger and the other for oil pressure.

both of these are valid ideas, and either one would be easy since there in the same area and my ss feed line is alreadt the right length.

on another note, is there a way i could supply oil to the turbo (short of manually) while i start the car and let it idle with the stock pedestal on to make sure thats the prob? thanks

also, which one do you guys use, the type I or type II? (talking about the rb pedestals)

guys i called my local hydraulic shop today to get the neccessary fittings to source oil from the pressure sender hole. tommorow ill hook that up and put the factory pedestal back on. hopefully that solves it, and ill be happy. if not and there is a ppressure crack in the rear iron, i will be F***ing pissed. what could i do> pull the motor and weld the crack? PUT A NEW IRON IN?????! hope not.

My rear iron cracked, and the symptoms - oil under the pedestal - sound similar to yours. Mine was also on a recent rebuild - and could have been stressed previously as the iron was reused.

Because the FC engine mounts in the centre, there is some twisting stress on the rear of the engine when launching hard. It's possible that the iron could have been weakened to the point of cracking and it's just now failed.

If it's happened, then the engine will need to be rebuilt with another rear iron - but try to get the stronger iron with larger dowell seat casting and the triangular strengthening piece.

I'd also suggest putting some thread sealant in your threads for the oil nipples, as oil will happily track down the threads

you probably checked this but did you check the oil filter to make sure there is only one oil filter gasket? sometimes the old one can get stuck

yea, the filter/gasket was good. im really freaking out tho about this, i just dunno how it could be cracked, i mean i have given it zero boost and nothing over 3200rpm. no launch, nothing... guess ill find out tommorow, if the rain lets up

:fingersx:

your not kidding dude.

hey, if it is the iron, can i just like replace that iron vs a full rebuild?? (maybe a stupid question??)

thanks jesus the one and only saviour. i tee'd off oil from the pressure sensor to feed the turbo and put the stock pedestal on. NO LEAKS. i am so relieved that i am not even mad i spent money on the speedmachines pedestal, just glad to have it off. i will never use one again. thanks for all the help guys.

altho 87 t-66's experience and my own vary greatly in terms of severity, let this be proof that these filter pedestals (or at least the speed machines ones) should be banned!