I'm putting in a rebuild and the seller advised me I would need to put a pilot bearing seal in. The engine is an s4 block with s5 rotors and TII housings, and it has an s5 flywheel on it.

I've checked the FSM for 86-88 and about as descriptive as it gets is "install pilot bearing seal."

The 89-91 FSM doesn't even mention the pilot bearing seal. Only mentions the pilot bearing and says do not remove unless you need to replace.

The problem: I've gone through two pilot bearing seals because I cannot get it to seat against the pilot bearing as the haynes manual states and compared to how my bad engine's (s4) shaft looks. There is an inner lip on the shaft which I can't seem to get the seal to pass. The seal has an outer metal encasing which gets damaged completely if you try to get it passed this lip.

At first glance it looked like the lip was damaged from removal of the old seal. I took a grinder to it and smoothed it out a bit, but the second seal I tried still wont pass it.

I'm beginning to think that this seal doesn't need to meet the pilot bearing as it does on my bad engine. It just doesn't fit. If anyone has any experience with installing this seal please help. I have one seal left and I don't want to have to order anymore from mazdatrix and wait to put this engine in any longer.

Thanks,

RB

 

also...fyi

there's also a rounded edge to the seal where the metal encasing rounds out and then aslo a more open ended side. Any idea on which side goes into the shaft? I've tried it both ways with no luck

 

did you put some grease on the seal before u tried tapping it in?

---->my 2 cents

 

lol yes

 

it just seems like the seal is too big to pass the lip. It just wont go any further. You can keep tapping it in or even pound it with the socket/hammer and still wont pass it

 

Sounds like the outer piece of the old seal might still be in there. Shot in the dark...

 

I thought about that too...is there supposed to be a metal lip in there?

 

The pilot bearing has rubber seal on both ends. Get it as square as you can and use a 11mm? socket and extension to tap it in. It will seem too large but it will compress somewhat. ****, it's been 2 years ago since I did this. It's not hard at all.

 

Well I got it in as far as I think it will go, it just looks like the pilot bearing is too far back? Don't know if that's possible, but if you compare my old engine to the rebuild, the seal appears to be in the same place, but the bearing is further back on the rebuild. Can't seem to get the seal to meet the bearing like it's supposed to

 

THe pilot bearing can go in further than you want it to. It should be driven in to about 1/4" under the bevel of the eccentric shaft. Then, the top of the seal when pushed in will be even with the bottom of the bevel.

 

is there anyway to pull it out without damaging it? Will it cause problems being further back than it should? I didn't put this bearing in so I'm not too sure how to go about it at all

 

It sounds like I have the seal positioned correctly. but not sure about the pilot bearing being repositioned.