I was just wondering if there was a more correct way to priming the oil system besides giving it no fuel. I looked around, and didnt find much on the subject.

 

on most cars it's best to fill the oil filter with oil before you put it on. this helps alot on the first cranking. but it's kinda hard to do when it goes on upside down....

 

yeah, that will turn into a mess. Don't worry about it though, cause the stock system didn't let oil get to the rotors through the e-shaft until that thermal plug thing opened up anyway. I think its a worthwhile mod to install the thermal pellet that you can get from Atkins Rotary, especially if you are rebuilding the motor.

 

Its not being rebuilt.

 

You can do a pretty good job by filling the two oil passages of your oil filter mount with an oil pump can.

However, unlike a piston engine where you can just spin the pump with a drill with the distrbutor removed, you can not actually turn the oil pump in our cars without turning over the engine.

To do so would require removal of the front cover, tremoving the drive chain and sprockets, and the turning the pump manually with a drill and a 17mm socket, but since the front cover contains a vital oil passage, this is not possible.

 

It'd still be a simple swap. Only requires removal of the e-shaft bolt in the pulley. Pay careful attention to all the warnings that come with the new pellet about proper installation procedures, otherwise, you will be rebuilding it.

FC3S.org sells a new pellet as does Mazdatrix, Atkins, etc.

 

If it involves the needle bearings, im not screwing with it.

 

Thats my theory My engine builder told me to spin my motor over with a rachet a few times, then use the starter.

 

you can get the oil filter almost half way full without spilling. just pour in some oil and then swish it around and most of the oil will be caught in the filaments of the filter and will not spill out all over when turned upside down for a few seconds. I have done this the past 3 or 4 times I've changed oil, and it worked great.

 

hmmm, with all of my oil changes ive never primed the system, and i havent had any trouble, does it hurt the car not to prime before hand?? doesnt seem like it, i change my oil every 1500

 

Its kind of a waste of time if you dont prime before, the oil cooler will be empty and youll be down quite a bit of oil.

 

Restarting after an oil change is just like starting a cold engine. When the engine's off all most of the oil is drained back into the pan. When you change the oil you empty and refill the pan. Apart from the small amount in the oil filter there's hardly any difference between the two. There's still residual oil on all contact surfaces that will protect them until oil pressure is restored.

I've never bothered to prime the system after an oil change and the oil pressure gauge rises almost as soon as the engine catches. I really don't think it's a big deal.

 

the only time I ever did anything besides just starting it was when I had my oil cooler out. then I cranked a bit with the egi out first. as on a change the cooler stays full I belive.

 

Its an engine install, not a plain ol oil change

 

Shoulda mentioned that earlier...

In that case just do what you first suggested. Pull the EGI fuses and crank the engine until pressure registers on the gauge.

 

Let me clarify this. Until the engine has warmed, the oil jets will not spray the rear of the rotor faces (for cooling). However, the rotor bearings will still receive oil.

 

Really? So why is this system constantly bagged as one of Mazda's design stuff-ups? It sounds to me like this concept works perfectly (until the pellet fails obviously), which doesn't seem to be the way it's viewed around here. If this another one of those misunderstood systems like the OMP?

 

To prime the system...a few things here.
First off- you don't have to worry about the bearings. They will be fine without oil for 1 second There is no real friction at all!!
Another aspect is wear on the housing faces. This is easily avoidable by pulling the spark plugs and squirting some engine oil in the holes. Sure, it'll smoke on startup though.
The last aspect is the OMP lines- which are usually at least half empty after a swap or whatever.. not sure of any easy way to fill those (as they take a little while to fill when driving) other than to take the lines off and fill them up by hand.

If you have all your emmesions removed, and have your oil injector air lines hooked into one, you can hook that line up to a manifold vacuum nipple for a minute, and they will fill very quickly- but the engine still has to be run.

 

I drain mine.

 

My OMP is gone.

 

Yeah, but if you have no cooling to the rotors from the oil jets, you get fried oil control rings...

 

I see what you are saying. That makes a lot of sense to put oil in the filter then install it.

 

So until the oil reaches 140degF the oil control rings are not being cooled. Do you think this is a big problem? I would think the coolant wouldn't quite have reached normal operating temp at that point (anyone confirm?), so if you have any machanical sympathy you're still not giving the engine a hard time. I like the idea that all methods of cooling the engine are initially disabled to get it up to operating temp as quickly as possible.

 

Done for emissions to bring combustion temps up as quick as possible. I would HOPE that both thermostats basically open at the same time, but then, what do I know...When does the oil cooler thermostat close?

Problem with the pellet is when it fails, not "if".

 

my oil is normaly at 140-150F when I hit 185F water.


my 109k engine hasn't had the pellet touched... I guess it still works