Coolant leak...started tearing things apart need help!
 

Ok I made a bold move today, and that was to fix the coolant leak coming from the turbo's myself. I started tearing things apart and I realized I need to replace a LOT more then I thought but thing were going smoothly, until..... I had to remove the bolts for the catalytic conveter. I had a brand new mid-cat installed a few months ago, with BRAND NEW bolts, and when I tried taking the bolts apart, it started loosening up, BUT then they got tighter and TIGHTER, then it stopped, and now its stuck!!!! how is this happening to BRAND NEW bolts wtf???? I dont care about the bolts they can be replaced, but I dont understand how this is even happening with new bolts!! Anyway, does anybody know the best/easiest way to BREAK these catalytic conveter bolts off? This is where im stuck now :wallbash:

there is two way to do it.The first one,i don't think that you have torches at home so forget about this. second one,me i cut them with a grinder or a cuting wheel.Take care to do not cut exhaust or cat.

you can try to put loose nut on it for 1h but put alot and try to break it with an impact gun

The exhaust is going very hot to cold often so it make bolt rusting faster

Soak the bolts in PB Blaster overnight. After they have soaked for a bit, you need to loosen them until they stop, then tighten, then loosen again. Keep doing this until the bolts come off. You can also heat up the bolts with a torch, but be careful where you aim the flame. If all else fails, find a friend with some air tools. A good impact wrench will zip those suckers off in a second.

If you haven't done so already, now would be an ideal time to replace the pre-cat.

yeah the person who installed it forgot to put anti-seize on the threads before putting them on.. but like said above take a torch or some non flammable loosener.

I like the idea of the cutting wheel, I think this is the cheapest solution? I know air tools will be expensive. Maby the reason why the bolts are like this is because they didnt use antiseize, how long does antiseize last?

Is this here the kinda tool I need to break it off? http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...1510000P?mv=rr

That there tool should do it with the appropriate cutting wheel. The thinner the wheel is, the faster it will cut through.

Well, my brother actually helped me to break these bolts off today with a breaker bar, So tommorow I work, and Ill be back on this project on thursday. The strange thing is that when they broke, I noticed they were in PERFECT condition, no rust or anything? I think they may have been "Lock Bolts" I never want this to happen again! Does anyone know if factory Mazda bolts are regular type and NOT lock type?

Mazda exhaust nuts are self-locking.

So basically your saying... everytime I want to remove the catalytic conveter, I have to break off the bolts because they are self locking? that sucks

No, if you use anti-seize you stand a pretty good chance. But it's not fun getting them off for the first time.

Dave

What actually happened was that the bolts were so clean and dry, that when you started loosening them, they "galled" (localized pressure/heat induced welding) together. Lubricating with a penetrant before attempting to loosen, and then doing what "crcleofdst" said would most likely have prevented this.

Hey guys, I took some more parts apart today but I need some more help... There were 3 of those small little vaccum hoses attached to these air intake hoses here in the 2 pictures, and like an idiot I forgot where they all 3 of them go. Is there some kind of a diagram I can follow?? or does somebody have any pictures of their car with these hoses attached, so I can figure out where they go? Here are 2 pictures to hopefully clerlify what I need help with... any help is GREATLYT appreciated!!

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0313.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0314.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0316.jpg
does it matter which vaccum nipple each one plugs into?

Download the mazda vacuum diagram. Its in one of the stickies in the section. Also, replace all of those hoses.

That is good advice. Make sure you pop for a good quality silicone hose. The blue and red colored silicon hose at your corner Autozone gets very soft and collapses after just a few heat cycles (not good). 4mm is the size you need.

Im just going to replace these hoses with original Mazda hoses so I dont have to wonder if they will last or not, thanks I will check out that diagram

Ok now im a little more then 50% done with all of this this but im stuck again now. Is there some special way to install the factory Y-Pipe? it was a little hard getting apart but it seems like the Y-Pipe ends dont line up to the turbos properly, could they be adjusted somehow?

The y-pipe is a two piece unit, it joins in the middle so you should be able to adjust it to fit properly.

Im assuming I adjust it by disconnecting some of the bolts in the middle, so I can turn it?

The two halves of the y-pipe are fit together with an o-ring. You should have no trouble just turning one within the other.

while you are at this project you might as well replace all the hoses under the UIM with silicone hoses, I'm sure they are brittle from heat.

Im replacing almost all of the vacuum hoses with silicone in the rats nest. The only ones Im not replacing are the ones under the extension manifold, because I dont feel like taking that apart lol plus, the previous owner already had all the vacuum hoses replaced, so they are still some what flexible. Here's the list of every thats being done to it:

---Replace both turbo coolant hoses
---Replace vacuum hoses with Hose Techniques Silicone
---Replace 2 Pre-cat to Mid-cat exhaust bolts
---Replace 1 Air Pipe gasket
---Repair Turbo AirPipe nipple ( Im not spending $85 to replace it!)
---Replace 4 crushwashers for oil feed pipes
---Replace 2 bolts and 4 crushwashers for coolant hardlines
---Replace Air Cleaner assembly (used)
---Replace Air Pump (used) , and repair connectors and wiring
---Clean EGR valve, and replace gasket
---Replace worn intake hose rubber ends with silicone (X2)
---Replace upper water pump coolant hose with new clamps
---Replace 2 air hoses that attach to the factory Air Cleaner
---Replace 6 Intake hose clamps with T-Bolt style
---Replace 4 Radiator hose clamps with T-Bolt style
---Replace upper and lower radiator hoses and clean up corrosion
---Repair ANOTHER small broken plasitc nipple
---Replace factory AST with Fighters Garage unit
---Replace all coolant hoses attached to AST
---Replace SEVERAL miscellaneous hose clamps
---Clean corrosion off of radiator
---And im sure im forgetting a few things! lol

and to think im replacing all these things, when the only problem I had, was 1 bad turbo coolant hose. Im doing this now, because I dont wanna have to do this again for a long time!

Heres some pics from the project so far

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0318.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0336.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0362.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0354.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0363.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0346.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0325.jpg
This is "refinished"
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0356.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...SANY0283-1.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0343.jpg

Now is the perfect time to add an FC thermoswitch to your improvements. With all that stuff out of the way it's easy.

Dave

So far today I finished putting all the parts together and started the car today for the first time in a month ( I already added coolant), and everything sounds ok, no strange sounds, but after the car was running for only about 30 seconds I see a white smoke coming from the turbos and it smells like somthing is burning, No leaks, just smoke.

Im Fucking pissed that now I gotta take all the fuckin bullshit apart again to find out what the fuck is going on. Could it be that I had some grease stains on the turbo heat shield? besides that I cant think of anything else??? I cant do anything now cause its too hot, but later ill check it out. what do you guys think?

Let it warm up and see if the smoke goes away after a time. If nothing is hitting the ground, or spraying up and your water temperature is normal then it could be oil residue left over. Don't freak out.....just yet Ernesto.


Later

Just to be sure, I tore everything apart just now ( im getting pretty fast at this by now) and seriously, I could find absolutley NOTHING WRONG???? I already cleaned off the oil residue and I really dont know where its coming from?? All I can think of is to put it back together and hope that it goes away, being that now I KNOW that everything is ok. Im so pissed right now but ill put it all back together and let you guys know whats goin on..... It wasnt overheating cause the car didnt even get a chance to warm up yet? ill put it back together and let u guys know whats going on....

Ernesto - I was looking at your blue tubing and I am hoping that it is high quality Silicone vacuum hose ( like Baker Precision hose ) and NOT the cheap ass Auto Zone crap. IT should be thick walled hose and not the thin stuff.

The cheap ebay/auto zone crap will last several days under that heat and all of it will fail.

Later

Ok well I spent about 6 hours taking everything apart, just to find out that the smoke was coming from the catalytic converter....I feel so stupid but at least I know the turbos are fine. I got ALL of the parts together now, the next problem im having is burping the coolant? it keeps shooting up out the car and im wasting coolant aka $$$ ill look up how to do this but if anybody has any tips on how to burp the system let me know, then ill get that done, and I still gotta go for a test drive to make sure the turbos are boosting fine, and power is good.

burping
 

When filling ,take the pipe of the back of the throttle body and fill till water comes out and stick it back on,this should make sure no air is still in the system,fill up run it and top up.RIX

My method of filling coolant is slow but it works. Disconnect the tb hose. Fill until full, then reach down and squeeze the upper rad hose and dislodge the air bubbles. When it seems full doing this, take a 20min break and do it again there will be more air. Then when it seems done, reconnect the tb hose and take the car for a 10min drive with your extra coolant and a large crap towel with you. If/when your coolant buzzer goes off, pull over, open the cap with the towel to protect you from steam/splash, and top off. After all that it's always been 100% full.

ya I used the "Hose Techniques" silicone like 3 ply or something, its very good quality kinda expensive but worth the money. Ill try and burp the system today, and then time for a test drive, thanks Illl keep you guys updated. Oh yea, if I squeeze the Bottom radiator hose, would that also take the air out? cause squeezing the top hose is kinda out of the question without taking everything apart

Well so far I just finished everything up, and I did squeeze the radiator hose ( lower one) and I let the car run while the cap was off, and checked the coolant level, and there was no bubbles, so I think I got all the air out, but tommorow ill drive to work and bring some coolant with me just in case of anything. WOW what a difference!! I took it for a test drive and it feels like it has a LOT more power then before, I actually spun the tires in first gear( I wasnt trying to) but ya im very pleased with the results... Now I need to drive it for LONG distances and see how it does thats the real test. Thanks guys for all the help!!!! this definitley wasnt easy but its always nice to have the support! For some reason my RPM isnt working intermittently?? idk maby itll fix itself after driving a while, these old cars have all sorts of problems, but im glad its done heres a pic of what it looked like when it was 99% done. Now I can get my Cali plates and registration, smog legal and finally its done, thanks again

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...o/SANY0427.jpg