I just installed a pilot bearing and auto zone fucked me up on getting me the damn seal. It was supposed to be here today, but it isn't and i doubt it will be here until monday.

Do i really need that seal? Has anyone installed a tranny without one? I can't wait till monday. I only have couple of days off.

Amel

 

I don't remember where I saw it on this forum, but it was a good quote: "Do it right, do it once"

You need the seal. Do not install the tranny without it. You will be very sorry later if you don't wait.

 

why will i be sorry? the damn thing doesn't do anything. There is no oil or **** that can leak so it needs a seal. Half of the cars don't even need it.

I'm just pissed that the ******* auto zone screwd me like this over a buck. ******** told me it will be here by 1:30 today and now it's not gonna come today.

 

What is the function of a seal? A seal acts to keep unwanted substances away from the object the seal is protecting.

If you do not use a seal, you are leaving the pilot bearing open to contaminants. Contaminants will get into the bearings, and shorten their lifespan. How much shorter will vary depending on your environment.

You know how much work it is to pull and reinstall the tranny. Is it worth doing again because you are too impatient to wait a couple of days??

 

Actually there is supposed to be a small amount of grease in there... that's the reason for the seal. I would wait.

 

I am impatient... i already wasted 2 damn days just sitting and looking at it.

With my luck, when i get it (if i get it) the thing won't even fit right.

I hate this damn car. Every other car i worked on doesn't use the damn seal... What is so special about this one?

 

the other ones may have just used bushings, where the 7 uses a needle bearing.

You're taking the risk of the pilot bushing going out sooner than with the seal. Think about all the clutch material that could make its way into that bearing.

 

Fine. I'll wait.

Thanks

 

The seal keeps that very abrassive clutch dust out of the bearing not necisarilly retaining any fluids, some put the bearing in with just the lube that comes on it, and some even add a very small amount of high temp grease when installing the bearing and seal. Your option, but don't put it together without the seal.

 

i already installed the bearing with the high temp grease... All i need is the damn seal. It'll be here monday probably.

 

You have made a good choice, even though you don't like it. You're welcome

 

Damn holliday weekends ! ! !

 

If the parts dept at your local Mazda dealer is open on Sat, they may have one in stock.

 

They don't have it... I already checked on Wednesday when i ordered the one from auto zone. Only difference was, auto zone promised me friday by 1:30 and mazda wanted 3 days. Which probably would have been better because auto zone did the same to me now.

 

Did you call Malloy Mazda? Ray can/will overnight parts to you (of course you pay for the shipping) if you need it that fast.

Hell, he overnighted some parts to me about 2 weeks ago.

 

You need the seal. It keeps out contaminants, mainly clutch dust. Without it the pilit bearing will go bad prematurely and you'll have to drop the trans all over again. Might even score up your input shaft. I've noticed that most clutch kits for them rx-7 don't come with the seal. I think it maybe a dealer-only item.

 

Yeah my clutch kit didn't come with the damn seal. It came with the bearing but no sea.

Mahjik, i didn't call Ray because i was told it would be here just the same time like it would be if i ordered it from Ray. So i figured why not. I guess i was wrong.

I do have one other question about this damn bearing. The reason i took the tranny off was that i was having a scratching kind of sound when i'm getting to take off in 1st gear. Also it happend when i was downshifting to 2nd or third. When i took the tranny off, i found out that the seal was smashed and the bearing might have been broken or i broke it during the removal with the Blind hole tool.

Could this cause that scraching noise?

Thanks for all your replies guys.

 

^ yeah it sucks that none of the kits I have gotten had the seal either. I didn't even know about that seal, and my pilot bearing sheared/froze 3 times within 20K miles!(on my FC) I will never forget THAT again. I went through what you are now w/ my TII swap, but it was worth it.

 

Yep, that pilot bearing definitely can be the source of a lot of noise. If there is too much drag in that bearing, it will spin the countershaft and make shifts much harder.

I have a slightly messed up pilot bearing too. I drive my car very little right now, but damn I regret not doing that pilot bearing part of the job PERFECTLY. If it's not right, it can/will eat into the eccentric shaft bore and input shaft nose. And replacing those really, really sucks, but labor and $$.

Dave

 

It's not that hard to replace it once you take the tranny down. Just get a tool and it's out.

 

Just replaced the seal and the pilot bearing. The Scratching sound is gone. It was well worth removing the tranny.

 

Where did you get the seal?

 

Advance auto parts. First they told me it won't come by monday... then they called me around 2pm to tell me it's in