hudsonstnt

Yesterday I just purchased my 4th rx7, my first third gen..less than ten minutes after it was "all mine" smoke was billowing out from under the hood and a small fire on the exhaust manifold. I need ideas why ...looks like it was oil coming out of one of the tubes on top of the engine that appears to come from the airbox, i need a recomendation of the best shop manual so i can identify all the 'tubes' so i can ask intelligent questions, and i could use any and all useful information i can get my hands on.

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

There's a link to the 93 FSM's in the FAQ sticky. If you have a 94:
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/94-fsms-available-download-449950/

Next time start by doing a search on the forum.

hudsonstnt

found the info i needed on the parts and places etc.. thanks....should there be oil in the bottom of the airbox?

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

oil on the bottom of the airbox?? There shouldn't be any oil anywhere except inside the engine and the OMP...... What kind of air filter? Some reusable airfilters use oil to trap particles that come in.

hudsonstnt

it looked like motor oil to me...the car has a k&n filter on it, but I am familiar with those and it didnt look like filter oil....

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Some oil in the air box is normal. If it's pooled in there, that's not good.

hudsonstnt

what could cause any amount of oil in the box? it leaked from somewhere onto the manifold and smoked and caused the small flame....all the air tubes were oily....i got it from an old guy that just putted around town most of the time.....could that be a contributing factor?

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

When driving the car hard, oil can make it into the intake track which causes it to shoot out of the BOV (and thus into the airbox if you still have everything hooked up stock).

If hasn't been driven hard, the turbos probably need a rebuild (or will soon need a rebuild).

Seeing as you had a small fire under the hood, I would clean the engine bay using engine bright or some other degreaser. Then run the car and see if you notice any oil leaks (around the turbo area or near the oil filler neck).

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Another possibility is coolant leaking and burning. There are two turbo coolant hoses in that area (below the air pump) that tend to die before the other coolant hoses, as well as another one behind the UIM.

Dave

hudsonstnt

Thanks for the good info....forgive my newness..but what is BOV?
also curious as to why the turbos would need rebuilding if the car has been babied? use em or loose em kinda deal? the car is all stock with exception of downpipe and muffler.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

You should read the FAQ.

The turbos may indeed be cracked up to the point they aren't boosting right, or the bearings may be shot. Depends how often he had the oil changed and if he drove hard at low RPMs (you can push 10psi pretty easily without throwing your head against the seat). Or they could just be leaking oil at one of the oil connections. which can happen at any time. Normally turbos last between 75-125k.

Dave

papsmagu

iTrader: (19)

oil system

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

lol, if anyone ever tells you that they owned this car and "babied" it, you should check to see how far that nose is growing.

Keep in mind that one person's idea if "baby'ing" may be different than another person's idea.

Clean everything our and check for leaks first.

hudsonstnt

Ive cleaned everything as best I can on this engine, found one of the rubber(silicone) collars that the plastic air tube fits in was brittle and had a small crack, replaced with new silicone hose and it cured the little leak that I first noticed but on the test drive it was still smoking from somewhere in the engine compartment possibly under the intake or even lower??...after it cooled i looked at the engine from the topside and could see no leak....I've been scouring the posts here, could be a pcv valve but notice no leak around that area, also after my drive I heard gurgling and bubbling sounded like coolant was hot but temp showed normal...I am dying to enjoy this car and want to exhaust all my limited ability before I have to load it on a trailer and make the three hour trip to Dallas.....ideas?? Again, Ive searched and browsed here but am thinking I dont even know the proper search parameters. Thanks

sonix7

I would type in "oil" and "leak" and "fix" and check in the 3rd gen and archives section. read all the threads that appear to be saying the same issues as yours. I found a lot of info on here with that exact approach. sounds like the turbos are spitting oil? keep learning and you will reveal your culprit and solve the problem. good luck

hudsonstnt

Thanks...reading post after post I have discovered a new "maybe" . Going to check the gasket in the Y pipe....It also brings up a new question...what are the advantages to an aftermarket y-pipe?

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

The only aftermarket y-pipe is a later-model japanese y-pipe, called the Efini Y-pipe. See http://www.rx7store.net/product_p/efiniypipe.htm - they give you a new front section of the y-pipe and an aluminum crossover pipe to replace the plastic one. It fits into the old rear y-pipe section. The big improvement is the use of a bolted connection between the crossover and y-pipe section and a different shape for better flow. That connection is the one most likely to crack or leak in the 93-95 stock setup, and the Efini is a much more reliable connection. If you do this mod, definitely take that chance to change the turbo coolant hoses since they're in that area - they are the most likely hoses to leak coolant. That may or may not be the source - there's just so much stuff piled on that block that it's hard to guess. But the Efini and coolant hoses are very well spent maintenance.

If it were my car, I'd remove the UIM/TB/Inlet elbow (takes about 20min with practice) and look harder for that leak.

Dave

Cgotto6

iTrader: (8)

Oh my god. You have a long road ahead of you. Judging from your comments you seem to be very very new to these cars, or just turbo charged cars in general. If I were you I would live on this forum. There is a wealth of information on here. Almost every question you have can be answered by doing a quick search. I wish you the best of luck with the car, but make sure you at least do a little research before you really hurt something on it.

CantGoStraight

It's more than possible for there to be oil in the air box, and there's several ways the oil can get there. Your blow off valve and charge relief valve both vent into the air box and if your turbo's are leaking oil on the intake seal it's more than possible for it to get into the airbox. Hard cornering will also allow oil to get into the intake tract as well as over filling the crankcase, any of these will put oil back into the motor and when the BOV and CRV vent back to the air box it will accumulate. Just clean it out and then monitor it to see how sever the condition is, You'll also find oil in the Intercooler, and tubing to and from the IC.