I was wondering if your oil pressure would drop any at idle if your rear main seal was bad. I have a pretty good oil leak, dripping at the tranny/engine, and my oil pressure is sitting at 30psi. I was wondering if this is my problem or if it might be the oil pan gasket.

Jason

 

I wouldn't think so, unless it is a large amount of oil that you are losing.

 

Yeah, there is a good amount of oil dripping from the tranny. It doesnt start dripping though till the car has been idling for about 7-10 mins. Any thoughts on that??

Jason

 

is it coming from the tranny or the behind the flywheel? There is a little access window on the underside of the tranny on the bell that you can open up and look in, it has 4x10mm bolts on it. As for the 7-10 mins thing, the seal on whatever is leaking is holding untill it warms up then its expanding allowing it to leak, you just need to find out what and where it is

 

Thanks Ridge, I was planning on taking the plate off and looking today while it was running.

Jason

 

You said that your oil pressure is at 30psi, well that is right where it should be, at idle at least.If the leak is coming from behind the flywhell it is most likely the rear main seal. This is a pain in the *** to change.

 

There's also an O-ring on the rear stationary gear - that's a REAL pain in the *** to change. The gear isn't hard to remove, but it's tricky to remove it *right* so the rotor doesn't fall out of position. When that happens, you ain't getting the motor back together .

I would also check the oil filter pedastal O-rings - that's a common leak, and it could run down and drip so it looks like it's coming from between the motor and tranny.

Dale

 

Yea, forgot about that o-ring on the stationary gear. And yes that is a bigger pain in the *** to change.

 

ok, the O-ring on the RSG would be behind the rear main seal. so if the O-ring is bad, where would that oil seep out at IF the RMS is good? I have checked the pedestal and those o-rings are good. This is also an engine that has 600 miles on a rebuild.

Jason

 

I honestly don't know. I would have to assume so though. Why would mazda put it there if it did nothing at all?

If that is your problem and you have to got through the trouble of taking off the flywheel and stuff you might as well just replace both of them. They are cheap parts.

 

OK, I have had the RMS replaced at a tranny shop, and my car is still leaking oil. The mechanic says it is leaking at the bolts on the right side of the RSG. Is it possible that my oil seal that goes (in front of or behind pilot bearing???) is bad and the oil is making its way out that way????

Jason

 

no oil pressure change.I order for there to be a pressure change you would have to be totally out or low enough and driving rough enough that the syphon wasn't getting anything. A leak big enough to effect your oil PSI would be like the size of the oil pan.

 

something is f'd up. Did you get both gaskets replaced or just the rear main seal? It could still be the o ring that goes back there. Think about it. If it was recently rebuilt, there are odds that whoever rebuilt it thought nothing of reclacing the o-ring. It could very well be that one.

 

I hear ya about the O-ring, but why cant I see it shown in the Haynes. And I havent run accross where the Haynes says anything about replacing the RSG seal in the overhaul section. Am I missing it? The reason I asked about the pilot bearing seal is because its easier to replace that than pulling the engine and looking at the other seal.

Jason

 

i have the same problems with my 88 FC with 177k on it. yes i used to leak oil inthe rear main seal but already changed that. i cleaned the whole back motor with break parts cleaner and after five minutes, i noticed oil seeping out of the bolts thathold up the front and back motor ( dowell pins i think *SP*). anyway, it sucks to have 2nd gear and 3rd gear slipping after 4000 rpms.

so anyone know what would be the cause of oil coming out of those bolts that hold the motor?

 

The engine tension bolts have "seal washers" beneath their heads. You could try to tighten them to torque specs, or if they are already to spec, you would have to remove them one at a time to replace each washer(would be my choice).
Do not exceed the maximum torque specified (29ft./lbs) under any circumstance. If the bolt were to snap, it would be rebuild time!
Not for the faint of heart!
Obviously there is a risk doing this either way, but if they are leaking, I see no alternative.
Good Luck,
Dave

 

I have already changed the o-ring/washers on the 16 tension bolts. Half of them were bad, thought that would of sured my leak. But it didnt. Any one know what posistion the rear rotor would have to be in so it would not fall off the rear staionary gear when it was pulled out? If I decide to tackle this O-ring (that I cant get confirmation that it exsists, LOL).

Jason

 

Trust me, it's there. But the stationary gear has to be out for it to be visible.