so, a couple of months ago, i bought my 86 NA 5-speed hatch. i know a

little and am learning more from this forum every day. the car has

around 100k on the odometer and it ran a little rough when i bought

it. funkspectrum and his buddy came down to replace the primary fuel

injectors and it ran like a charm.

lately, ive heard a slight thumping noise and found out it was the

bearings that needed to be repacked. also, my clutch went out and i

had to have the car towed home, only to figure out that the problem

was solved by a little DOT3 Brake fluid. my question is this...

if the clutch fluid gets low again, should i check the master

cylinder?
&
if i repack the front left bearing, should i do the right as well?
&
how hard are both of these tasks?

thanks in advance.

 

Just fill it up with DOT3, then bleed the system. Better yet, replace the Mast/slave/slave hose and you'll be golden (about $140 from mazdatrix, brand new).

 

thanks.
yeah, all the parts are stock except the ones im replacing. but i refilled the clutch fluid and it works like a charm. is it normal for the fluid to get low? or is it a bad sign?

 

i would clean out, inspect and repack both sides to avoid running into problems down the road...

make sure to throughly clean out the bearings and races to check for pitting.

 

Mine drinks the reservoir dry in about 2 days flat, or heavy stop and go traffic. It's not supposed to 'eat' fluid. Something needs to be replaced.

 

i filled up the clutch fluid cup with DOT3, past the maximum line, then beat on it all day... checked fluid cup again and some fluid had come out of the tiny hole on top of the cap. i figured this was okay since the fluid level had not changed. it looks like that hole is there for a reason.

if the clutch drops to the floor again anytime soon,
i will replace the slave cyl., master cyl. and hose.
looks like that one can go on the back burner.
thanks for all your help guys.

now as for the bearing repack...

thanks for the tips. i'm going to take your advice and do both front bearings at the same time. it makes alot of sense.

but, just to get this straight in my head...

- take off both wheels
- remove both hubs?
- open bearing cups and check for damage?
- clean old grease out (solvent?)
- remove inner/outer bearings/races & check for damage?
- repack bearings/races with grease & put everything back together?

im kind of confused as to what the most efficient and straightforward way to do this. also any suggestions as to how high the car needs to be and if i should buy some jackstands or anything that would make the job easier & could be used for alot of simple maintenance. i beat the **** out of my car... but i really do love it to death and never want to lose it. kinda makes me understand domestic violence.

 

http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/frontbrg.htm


thatll help you out...


edit: also, if you have access to a parts cleaner... thatll greatly reduce downtime... make sure to also check the spindle for damage. before putting everything back together, i would suggest investing in a bearing packer. they can be found at most auto parts stores. also remember to pre-load the bearings when reinstalling the nut... theres a thread around here that goes into better detail... just search "front wheel bearing"

 

awesome. thank you. i'll probably do this today.

 

i dont have access to a lift and i dont have the money for grease or solvent. i guess today is not the day.