ok like the title says, i have an oil leak at the oil filter pedistal or whatever, and it is slowly just coating the side of the engine with oil, then slowly drippin onto the ground...what is the way to fix this?

 

If the leak is from between the oil filter mount and the rear housing machined plate, you need to replace the two o-rings in between. The oil filter base has two studs (M6?) which go through the rear housing and the assembly is held together with two nuts (10mm wrench size) underneath.

Make sure the leak isn't from the oil filter gasket area (maybe two oil filter gaskets because of one staying during an oil change, etc.).

 

well i thought it might have been the old oil filter, so i changed my oil last night, and yep, its doing it again. can anyone basically give a quick few sentence how to on how to replace the orings so i can do this within the next few minutes?

 

Make sure that there is only one oil filter gasket. (sometimes they come off the old oil filter and stick to the pedistal.) if you put a new oil filter on the old gasket, ur gonna have a leak.

(just an easy free check you can do b4 u order a pedistal)

 

ive been trying to read up on it, and no one has said anything about having to replace the pedistal, just replacing the 2 orings, and i know for a FACT that there is only one gasket on the oil filter! lol

 

The two o-rings are BETWEEN the oil filter pedestal and the rear iron.
There are two 10mm nuts UNDERNEATH the oil filter pedestal that you need to remove.
You cannot see this from the top when you remove the oil filter.
Once you get the two nuts out, the two o-rings are obvious.
http://fc3spro.com/TECH/PROBLEMS/P1/...IL/leakso.html


Mazda part number: 9954-10-1601
You need two of them.
They are about $5 / each.

I doubt it's the oil filter pedestal itself.
Unless the oil filter pedestal got damaged from a bonehead, it's most likely the o-rings.


-Ted

 

I have never hear of the pedestal being cracked. Usually, the o-rings are the culprit, simply hardening due to age. You just order new o-rings (I don't risk this type of part with non-OEM parts), remove the two nuts on the bottom of the rear housing flange (where the pedestal attaches to), bump the pedestal gently with a rubber mallet (up direction) if needed, replace the o-rings, then reverse the procedure. You may want to remove the old (new) filter but it's not mandatory.

 

replace the o-rings, tighten it back down when u are done and u will be fine..

 

Excuse my large hands and limited tools but both nuts (especially the rear one) are nearly untouchable in my 88 vert. I'd appreciate any honest advice to the level of disassembly to get at them. Pictures are a good thing, The one from FC3S Pro is better then the exploded view in my shop manual but alas my engine is in the car and hanging in the air.

 

***HOW TO REPLACE THE O-RINGS***
-Get a flashlight
-Get a short 10mm open end wrench
-Get under the car
-Use the flashlight and look at the bottom of the oil filter
-See the 10mm nut? Use the wrench and take the nut off
-Get out from under the car
-Stand by the driver's side fender and look at the oil filter
-Holding the wrench, cram your left hand in front of the oil filter
-Feel underneath the oil filter for the 10mm nut and remove it
-Go put ice on your hand because I know its scraped up
-Remove oil filter and pedestal
-Replace o-rings
-Reinstall

 

Thanks Phil(?) I already found the nuts last night and used topical antibiotic and benzocaine on the knuckles doing that and trying to work from above. Not having a lift and/or a good jack and stands I tend to work from above in my car port reapir area. Thanks for the advice on going after the rear nut from below.
John

 

tell me how it goes because i think this is why my 1988 GTU RX7 is leaking from the oil filter too.. i was thinking of replacing it with a new pedestal. but i suppose i'll try replacing the o rings too. hope its not cracked as so... but hey guys, i'm now confused.. i'm wondering if oil is leaking from the oil pump behind the water pump housing because i see a streak of oil running down.. i dont know what issue really is.. i'll try getting some photos by tomorrow or so...

 

thats good to hear! that back nut closest to the firewall is a pain to get from above...but you do what you have to do. The AC line and brake reservoir don't help...good luck getting the nuts back on

 

Tighten the filter

 

The first larger leak that I tracked down from that area was from doing the filter TOO hand tight. After clearing that up I was able to degrease again and spot the small leak at the pedestal/engine joint.
But first I gotta take care of the sagging springs this weekend now that I got them delivered and the weather for Sat is forecasted clear.

 

Yes there always is the ".. assembly is the reverse..."

 

Hey guys.. resurrecting another thread. In the process of removing the bolts. Got the front one off, but the back bolt is just being a pain. Is there any way of getting it from underneath the car? Before I waste more time and blood doing this ;(

 

no you cannot get to it easier from under the car, they shouldn't even be all that difficult to remove from the top.

 

I've been going at it for an hour now. This is insane. Should I use bolt buster or something. Just when it seems like it's catching from the top it'll fall right off. Using a few 10 mm wrenchs. I have zero luck getting the wrench on from underneath. I feel like all hope is lost..

 

i really don't know what to say, other than try to get everything in your way out of there. if its a turbo car, remove the intercooler and also remove the oil filter too, but i figure that's all common sense. you could also remove the oil pressure sender, but i feel that's overkill.

 

a stubby 10mm gear wrench is the tool to use