bad oil leak...on the driver side
 

couple of questions


http://rocrotary.webs.com/fix.jpg

if you look at the pic i included...

red arrow - points to a sensor...am i suppose to have two of them i think T-II has two
i do not see another sensor or the line that would connect to it...would that be a problem or its just different like that on fd...

yellow - shows area of oil spill

oil went more back on transmission and fuel lines on the driver side

no problem with the engine runs fine....so i am thinking it must be something on that driver side...would there be any thing one that side that would commonly cause this type of problem....

its hard to see i cant really tell where its coming from... so if any one know what it is.....save me from the trouble of puling the engine out....thanks

The oil pressure sending unit is the area you are talking about. Take it out and inspect it.

The red arrow is pointing at the knock sensor, it is in the right spot and there is only one, even on the TII.

There are two o-rings under the oil filter pedestal, these have a tendency to flatten out and leak.

It also appears that you have a steel motor mount on the driver's side, this can cause leaks if not installed correctly as it does not have the supporting "nub" that the aluminum mount has built into it.

sensor - thanks for clearing that up for me....

oil pressure sending unit and oil filter pedestal was also what i was thinking...

originally i was think oil filter pedestal because oil got so high up...it just so hard to see i will tray to get them two things out for inspection with engine still in the car...


can you further elaborate on steel mounts...i think they are installed properly...
can yo explain to me how would that cause leak...
i can take some more pic if that would help... eliminate that possibility...

You either need to install a spacer between the bracket and the oil pan or drill out the hole in the pan and install another bolt.

To eliminate all oil pan leaks install an oil pan brace http://banzai-racing.com/store/FD_oil_pan_brace.html

Do you need to add the spacer if the vehicle has an oil pan brace?

No, the brace puts pressure on the pan.

its not the pan...its oil filter pedestal...it hard to get it off do to my 6an fuel line right next to it on the firewall side... thanks for the help..

i managed to repair it pretty fast...after i got the UIM and IC piping off...i also blocked of oil pressure sending unite while i was in there...

https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...ictureid=25790
https://www.rx7club.com/picture.php?...ictureid=25791

Ok so now i'm having the same problem
 

I noticed a leak today on my car drivers side. Oil pan seems to be good & oil spatter is visible on the oil line to the pedestal, around the filler neck, & on the oil filter base itself. I checked to see if the filter was loose but it wasn't. & yes I lubricated the O ring on the filter before install. So my question is anybody ever have a leak between the oil filter & its base? or could it be pedestal O rings like Banzai said? I also noticed oil residue under the throttle body elbow :icon_no2:

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/a...K/DSC06985.jpg

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/a...K/DSC06983.jpg

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/a...K/DSC06981.jpg

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/a...K/DSC06975.jpg

You may take a look at the banjo fitting for the line that supplies oil to the turbo(s). That could leak and blow oil all over the left side of the engine. That thing is located adjacent to the PS pump kinda under the filler neck. Also check to make sure the two tubes are connected to the filler neck ports.

Both hoses to the filler neck are attached, & i'll check the banjo fitting after work today, But if you look at the first picture you can see signs of oil puddled just below the oil filter? I was wondering if anyone had an issue with oil leaking from the oil filter base...

Some FD engines have an additional nipple on the intermediate plate, make sure it is capped, otherwise it will spew oil all over the area you have pictured

http://www.banzai-racing.com/schauss...build_rear.jpg

Ok so I checked the banjo bolt for the turbos & its nice & tight no signs of a leak. oil fill pedestal has both hoses connected, nipple on center housing as Banzai suggested is capped, oil filter base doesn't seem to be leaking from its O rings because its clean in that area too. Only thing I think it could be is the Oring to the oil fill pedestal? the actual oil filter (check out the picture below) Before i took the filter off i noticed residual oil at the right side of the oil filter base if your facing the car. So I took the filter off & if you look closely you can see the whole O ring is dry except one area.. Your probably saying well than change the damn filter! well i am but i just want to try to get any other possible areas knocked out before i remove the OMP this weekend & maybe installing a catch can... Oh yeah by the way the oil pressure sensor seems to be leak free as well..

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/a...K/DSC06987.jpg

gravity is always going to put some oil onto the o-ring when you remove the filter, unless it's torn or cut i wouldn't say it is a bad filter seal.

check the filler neck like banzai racing said, and check your oil pressure sender(aftermarket) in your banjo bolt. whatever is leaking looks like it is spraying under high pressure. lastly, check the dowel areas(top of the driver's side of the block) on the front and rear iron for small hairline cracks.

Thanks Karack I'm gonna go over it now. I did check the block and its as clean as when Banzai first built it. I just PM'ed Billy to purchase the Damian filler neck.. (hopefully it includes an o ring) I guess the last thing to check would be the oil filler O ring & oil pressure sender.. Also on the oil dip stick is the rubber insulator supposed to fit snug in the dip stick tube? when I pull it to check your oil it just slips out & drops in the tube no resistance like my other cars..( I ask because there's also a lot of residual oil in this area too).

Idel

I don't know if it's just the angle of the picture, but it looks like the oil filter in this picture does not have an even seal. (looking at the 6 o'clock position compared to the 9 o'clock position of the filter in the image). Have you tried a higher quality filter by chance (not Fram) ?

^
It does have an o ring I guess i just put to much nuts to it when I changed it. Yeah i usually go with mobile 1 oil filters or original Mazda ones but the local parts store only had fram or wix.

[QUOTE=MSTHTD1;10244816Yeah i usually go with mobile 1 oil filters or original Mazda ones but the local parts store only had fram or wix.[/QUOTE]

I'm not one to tell someone what to do, but here's what I did..

http://www.rx7.com/store/rx7/fdengine_maintenance.html

buy the 4-pack of filters. When you have 1 or 2 left, place another order. You will always have a spare available.

Is the filter your problem in this case? I'm not sure. But my brother camaro had an issue once and we traced it down to the fram filter. I'll never use fram again and won't recommend them to anyone.

Good luck!

The oil filter pedestal o-rings can/do flatten out and leak. However I am curious if this mess just appeared after a recent oil change? Often times the filter has a lot of oil left inside when people remove it, it can pour out when lifting.

Based on the ovreall cleanliness of everything the source of the oil has not been leaking long.

^
Actually its due for an oil change & the car has been very well kept since you've rebuilt it. (chads old 93 ssm) But like Karack pointed out it seems to be a high pressure spray or leak. I plan on ordering your block off plate (OMP) tonight & I'm trying to track down a Damian style oil filler neck & i will replace that o ring while I'm at it. I'm pretty sure its not the oil filter pedestal o rings because where the base meets the block its nice & clean. There's oil residue under the intake elbow, under the banjo bolt/sender for oil temp, oil filler neck & of course along side the block. The nipple on the center iron is capped, I also intend on removing the PCV & installing a vented catch can like Damian's. Quick question on this catch can you guys installed. Did you run one line from the primary turbo to the can & then second line from can to the filler neck?

Take the TB inlet elbow off and see how much oil is accumulating in the TB and elbow. The turbos could be throwing too much oil and it is blowing by the TB o-ring.

The line going to the primary turbo inlet is used to recycle the oil fumes, the other end is the downward pointing nipple on the filler neck. It is not needed when installing an oil catch can. In the car pictured the two lines go to the two nipples on the filler neck.

The TB & inlet are clean & oil free. I did notice oil residue on & around the BOV which is what led me to believe I need a catch can. You said when installing the catch can both lines go from the catch can to the oil fill neck I then would remove the PCV and cap the manifold but then that leave the line going to the pri turbo :scratch: does that just get removed & vented to the atmosphere? I'm trying to get rid of the oil coming from the BOV. As for the leak i'm going to order gaskets for the TB, & oil filler neck. Is there an o ring on the sending unit or is it a washer?

Thanks again for the help,
Idel

fyi for anyone, I'm sure Banzai already knows this:

On cars like ours when the oil filter is facing down, I punch a hole in the center of the filter with a hammer & nail starter. This makes air push down any residual oil left in the filter, giving you a mess free oil filter swap.

^
I know it aint rocket science removing these oil filters, maybe the punching the hole thing would help someone on this board. I've never had a problem changing these oil filters, I noticed oil at the base of my oil filter & assumed thats where it was leaking from. Gonna put a order in today for some o rings & parts hopefully i can locate this damn leak. Like Karack said it seems to be a high pressure leak? Oh well I'm sure i'll get it sorted out.

Yup - been doing that forever.

Just don't get absent-minded and start it after you've done that.. :( Don't ask me how I know. :lol:

Those oil filter pedestal O-rings are difficult to replace. Be careful to not drop one of the O-Rings in the hole when you reinstall everything. It is VERY easy to do this by accident, because its a very tight area.

For a mess free oil filter replacement, I noticed that if you loosen the filter slightly, the oil will drain down into the engine slowly and it'll leave no mess. This takes about a minute if you have patience.

You could also get some UV dye and a UV light. OR have somebody revving on it while you inspect for spraying oil . Just a thought.

I used the light to help find my front oil cover leak. really helped out.

^
thanks for the advice guys I'm due for an oil change so I'm gonna do the dye thing. Where can I pick up a UV light?

They have expensive ones at autozone like 30$ Shop around

when changing the oil filter pedestal o-rings they sit snugly in the pedestal, you just have to be careful when placing the pedestal on the block. after you have it in place keep pressure on it towards the block while you tighten the 2 nuts finger tight to keep the o-rings from rolling out of their grooves.

$30 isn't that expensive for a UV dye light kit. about what i paid for mine from another auto parts store.

Ok I put some dye in and did a wot run in 3rd. On again oil all over driverside, too much to tell where it was coming from. I gave it a couple revs at idle with the uv light no joy.
I did notice the dip stick came up above the the rubber insulator with significant oil/dye on it. There was no oil around the base of the oil filter block, but a lot of oil near the filler neck/dip stick area so I'm gonna give Ray a call on Monday to order a dipstic & oil filler o ring. I remeber reading a thread about a cracked oil filler neck so that may be a possibility too.

sounds like the crankcase is blowing oil out of the dipstick tube then, is your crankcase vented at all? stock PCV?

Yes still have the pcv

try cleaning everything - then using the dye in your driveway - run engine for a little bit - then leave it. Check to see if you can find source - if not run it more.

^
I cleaned the engine twice this past week. It's not leaking when I rev it in the drive way or even when I drive it. But if I were to give it a good red line run that's a different story. I do think it's caused by poor crankcase ventalation. Easy fix I'll just do a LS2 swap : )

Take the oil filler cap off, take it for a drive, see if you still have the oil leak. If not then install an oil catch can. Another thing to check is the PCV valve, make sure it is only working in one direction and not allowing the oil system to pressurize under boost.

on the oil filler neck did you cap off both nipples

or you are using one and the other one is caped

if so uncap the one that's pointing down



because it's spraying under high pressure it will be hard to tell where its coming from....it was the same for me....i just had lil bit more oil going on to the transmission side,,and the tip from banzai-racing,, helped me narrow it down to oil pedestal o-rings.....


clean the area - zip tie some rag around the oil filter and pedestal...and other suspects gun it down the street and you will know where its coming from

I'm bringing this back from the dead. Did you ever resolve your problem?