Unit 5302

Hey guys, I'm helping a friend out who's in a bad spot with his new RX-7. It's a 1993 with gasp, an automatic! Anyway, the oil pan was obviously hit as the car bottomed out somewhere before he got it, and was of course leaking.

It's been having a check engine light coming on and off, and he's been having shift problems where it wants to hold in gears, not downshift or upshift properly.

He just got it about a month ago, and Mazda dealers (yes more than 1) have been switching off trying to fix this thing. The one "specialist" called the rest of the mechanics idiots and said it was a boost line of some sort that was cracked and causing an incorrect boost read to what I'm assuming is some sort of modulator valve controlling transmission shifting. Long story short, he had it replaced, the problem seems to be back again intermittently.

Here's what I've found. Lots of oil in the intake tract... After the turbo but before the intercooler, after the intercooler and in the intake. Some pooling going on. I'd say 2-3mL in the entire tract anyway. I'm no expert on turbo's, but it definately sounds like his shaft seal is junk, which would necessitate the turbo being rebuilt, correct?

Also, the oil has fuel in it. A lot. To the point of the oil losing it's good lubricative properties. It's somewhere on the order of my 91 Escort GT 1.8L Mazda engined jobber that wasn't hitting on all the cylinders and was just washing fuel down past the piston rings. In this case, is it an indication the Apex seals are shot or is it the entire engine most likely? The car has about 79,000mi on it, and I know these things need a rebuild at 100k pretty badly, but 80k would seem a little early.

Btw, I got the oil pan off after dropping the subframe, whoever did it last was an idiot. The previous owner also put K&N pod filters all over the place, but obviously didn't feel the need to oil them so that really needs to be done right away as well as I'm sure everybody here knows cotton/gauze filters don't filter much of anything dry.

What's the verdict, guys/gals? Turbo and engine need a rebuild?

Thanks for the help!

xstacy7

looks like you/your friend are in for a rebuild. You say the check engine light keeps coming on? Here's what to do to check that...in the engine bay near the driver side strut tower and near the battery is a little box that says "diagnosis" open that up and take a paper clip and bend it until it goes into the slot that matches up with "TEN" on one end and "GND" on the other, then get in the car and turn the key to almost on and watch the light and see how many times it blinks. That will give you a code for what the problem might be. And as for the Mazduh Dealers...uhh yeah I would never take the car there EVER!! Find a repectable rotary shop near you to have a look at it. Check your fluid level in the transmission for the shifting problems. Might add the vacuum hose job to your list of things to do. And while your in there with the oil pan out make sure you put a nice good seal on the new on or whatever you get (duh but just thought I'd say it) PM or AOL IM me if you need some help

Thanks

Jack

Unit 5302

Hehe, I'm not that good of a friend. The oil pan swap is done, and I'm about to do the back brakes.

The shop wanted $1000 for those two things so I've done my good deed for like 10 years, lol.

I got the pan out and in with only minor problems. (1 busted socket on the subframe bolt before the mapp gas came out). Seriously, could they have engineered that fix worse? Maybe as bad as Ford's heater cores? LOL.

Unit 5302

Hehe, I'm not that good of a friend. The oil pan swap is done, and I'm about to do the back brakes.

The shop wanted $1000 for those two things so I've done my good deed for like 10 years, lol.

I got the pan out and in with only minor problems. (1 busted socket on the subframe bolt before the mapp gas came out). Seriously, could they have engineered that fix worse? Maybe as bad as Ford's heater cores? LOL.

By the way, thank for responding to confirm my suspicions, I appreciate it!