Best way to fix leaking front cover seal?
06-01-07, 12:29 PM
#1
Best way to fix leaking front cover seal?
The front cover on my FD has been leaking oil for a while now. I had my oil pan leak fixed about two years ago. At that time, the mechanic told me that my front seal was leaking too. They wanted a huge amount of money to fix it, so I decided to live with it for a while.
Now I'm getting tired of the leak. I called some rotary shops about the repair, and got different stories. Some places told me that the oil pan would have to be redone. Some told me that the repair could be done without re-doing the oil pan. I want the job dont right, but don't want to pay more than I should. I'm hoping that some experienced members here can offer suggestions. I'm not doing it myself because of a lower back problem. I can't lean over an engine bay for very long without hurting my crummy back.
Thanks, Adam
Now I'm getting tired of the leak. I called some rotary shops about the repair, and got different stories. Some places told me that the oil pan would have to be redone. Some told me that the repair could be done without re-doing the oil pan. I want the job dont right, but don't want to pay more than I should. I'm hoping that some experienced members here can offer suggestions. I'm not doing it myself because of a lower back problem. I can't lean over an engine bay for very long without hurting my crummy back.
Thanks, Adam
06-01-07, 01:44 PM
#4
White is tight
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Wow really strange. I noticed my front cover leaking a few years ago and decided to give it a shot myself. I got the motor out of the car and a week later I was in the hospital with a L4/L5 herniated disk( not related to working on my car). Lower back problems are a nightmare. I have read all the front cover leak threads on here and I think the consensus was that you need to re seal the oil pan while you're in there. It is a major pain in the *** either way.
06-01-07, 01:53 PM
#5
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Don't most FD's have the metal front cover gaskets?
By removing the vaccum chamber, belts and a few other accessories you can get to most of the front cover bolts with a socket, some extensions and U joints. Assuming that yours likley has the metal gasket, try and tighten that **** up before pulling the entire front cover..
By removing the vaccum chamber, belts and a few other accessories you can get to most of the front cover bolts with a socket, some extensions and U joints. Assuming that yours likley has the metal gasket, try and tighten that **** up before pulling the entire front cover..
06-01-07, 01:55 PM
#6
You can remove the front cover without removing the oil pan. You need to remove some bolts on the oil pan that bolt into the front cover. One of the bolts that hold the front cover on is right behind the oil feed/return pipe. Thats gonna be a bitch to undo. The front cover gasket is a card like material. It is slightly oversized and you generally chop the excess off before installing the sump gasket. I suppose this can be worked round though. Also remember to be very carefull about the needle roller bearings because these can dislodge, get caught and squashed by the spacer on reassembly. This can cause the endfloat to dissapear meaning the engine is too tight. A real killer of this engine!
06-01-07, 01:59 PM
#7
White is tight
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06-01-07, 10:24 PM
#12
#1 - Not one domestic FD that I have worked on has had a metal front cover gasket, matter of fact Ray cannot get one. I ordered a metal one from a forum member here and installed it on my new engine recently. I had already bought the cover black gasket from Ray and just stored it. Metal is the way to go if you can get one.
#2 - You DO NOT have to drop the oil pan to replace the front cover gasket.
#3 - You DO need to understand the front torrington bearing ( thrust bearing ), end float shim, etc when removing the E-haft bolt. Search. I usually place a wodden wedge on the flywheel to keep the shaft pushed forwards when the engine is in the car. When it's out, work it vertically.
#4 - Perform the "pinnapple racing oil bypass mod " Two 5/16" lock washers on the end of it to prevent bypassing.
#5 - You can do this yourself and save big $$.
leter
#2 - You DO NOT have to drop the oil pan to replace the front cover gasket.
#3 - You DO need to understand the front torrington bearing ( thrust bearing ), end float shim, etc when removing the E-haft bolt. Search. I usually place a wodden wedge on the flywheel to keep the shaft pushed forwards when the engine is in the car. When it's out, work it vertically.
#4 - Perform the "pinnapple racing oil bypass mod " Two 5/16" lock washers on the end of it to prevent bypassing.
#5 - You can do this yourself and save big $$.
leter
06-02-07, 10:17 AM
#13
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06-02-07, 04:34 PM
#15
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#3 - You DO need to understand the front torrington bearing ( thrust bearing ), end float shim, etc when removing the E-haft bolt. Search. I usually place a wodden wedge on the flywheel to keep the shaft pushed forwards when the engine is in the car. When it's out, work it vertically.
pushing the flywheel forward would put any play to the front of the e-shaft where the bearings are and allow them to drop.
granted i speak from FC knowledge and doing it more then a few times, but I'd only assume the FD is the same.
kevin.
06-02-07, 06:49 PM
#16
What's your point ?
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Ummm I'm pretty sure youve got that backwards. You want something holding the clutch pedal down, and you want to move all the end play, if there is any, to the flywheel side of the e-shaft to prevent the torrington bearings from falling.
pushing the flywheel forward would put any play to the front of the e-shaft where the bearings are and allow them to drop.
granted i speak from FC knowledge and doing it more then a few times, but I'd only assume the FD is the same.
kevin.
pushing the flywheel forward would put any play to the front of the e-shaft where the bearings are and allow them to drop.
granted i speak from FC knowledge and doing it more then a few times, but I'd only assume the FD is the same.
kevin.
Stick with the FC's (you know them) the FD has a pull clutch and this will move the flywheel rearward (not what you want to happen) sometimes it's best to say nothing if you don't know.
06-21-07, 06:12 PM
#17
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for thrust bearing info: http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/pulley.htm
quote from site listed above:
"1) If the engine is in the car (this DOES NOT APPLY for 93-95's) do something to wedge the clutch pedal down -- meaning a 2x4 or something like it, holding the pedal down and wedged against steering wheel or front of the seat.
2) If the engine is out of the car, set it with the flywheel down, front pulley up, the whole time you are working on the front of the engine. Do not roll the engine horizontal until the front bolt is tightened.
3) For 93-95's you need to do something to wedge the flywheel forward - easiest we have done is a small piece of wood up through the inspection plate on the bottom of the bellhousing. With the wood between the pressure plate and the bellhousing. Do something to hold it there, because if you rotate the engine while trying to get the bolt loose, the wood will fall out.
What any of the above steps will do is to hold the rear torrington bearing in place against the thrust plate - keeping it from dropping out of place if the spacer moves forward."
quote from site listed above:
"1) If the engine is in the car (this DOES NOT APPLY for 93-95's) do something to wedge the clutch pedal down -- meaning a 2x4 or something like it, holding the pedal down and wedged against steering wheel or front of the seat.
2) If the engine is out of the car, set it with the flywheel down, front pulley up, the whole time you are working on the front of the engine. Do not roll the engine horizontal until the front bolt is tightened.
3) For 93-95's you need to do something to wedge the flywheel forward - easiest we have done is a small piece of wood up through the inspection plate on the bottom of the bellhousing. With the wood between the pressure plate and the bellhousing. Do something to hold it there, because if you rotate the engine while trying to get the bolt loose, the wood will fall out.
What any of the above steps will do is to hold the rear torrington bearing in place against the thrust plate - keeping it from dropping out of place if the spacer moves forward."
06-21-07, 06:15 PM
#18
If the leak isn't too bad I would wait untill the motor comes out. Its a pain in the *** to go it in the car. If you really want to do it I suggest re-sealing the oil pan again because the front of it seals to the bottom of the front cover. It may be possible to get away without doing so, but do you really want to risk a leak again?
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