oil leak....i think its the oil pan(pics)
 

Hello. Ive been noticing some oil residue on the subframe right at the oil pan. It has not been even enough to drip until this morning i find 3 little oil spots on the driveway. I jacked it up and crawled under for a look. Everything looks dry and clean except the back side of the oil pan.

I remeber reading that FDs oil pans seem to do this, but this i mazda reman with 2000 miles on it? should it be doing this?

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l4...n/100_0824.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l4...n/100_0823.jpg

every fd oil pan leaks.....unless u reseal it and install the garfinkle oil pan brace..

Not necessary pan. I currently have a leak that shows up exactly the same but I traced it coming from somewhere around turbos. Waiting for winter to fix it.

if its your turbos....it will be more then likely one of the 2 oil returns lines.....

Not sure. I cleaned up everything dry with brake clean, started car and watched. Didn't look like return line. At least not where it connects to the block. It comes somewhere between turbos and block and I can see it going down between 2 exhaust manifolds.

so are we ruling out the oil pan here?
thats always the number 1 culprit.
but if its the turbos its probable that its leaking from either one of the return lines (there are 2 remember) and it could be leaking from where the lines bolt 2 the turbos (not where its bolted to the block)
if its not either oil return it could be the feed line or the turbo seals themselves. but i have my doubts on the latter of those 2.

by taking a second look @ your picks i would definelty say its the pan...
do u see the collection of oil in the bolt for the motor mount?
that oil can only collect from one place.
the motor mount bolts should be given a slab of silicone before installing them do to the fact that oil can leak out of the pan there also

Don't rule out anything. Turbos are possible, but so is the oil pan since Mazda uses paper pan gaskets that almost never work properly.

Dave

smitter113fd: did you realize you were answering 2 different users?

i went back under the car after reading about the turbos. and i dont see any residue anywhere, other than right at the back of the pan. the turbo assembly and everything around there looks dry.

yeah i figured that out. tk7 is definetly his oil pan.
katit has it narrowed down to his turbos.
2 birds with one stone...haha

Yeah, definitely pan would be #1 cause. I just suggested to clear it out real good with brake clean and watch it. I have new engine with resealed pan, so it didn't come there

My pan had the same problem, I will be using a brace when installing the motor.

I resealed one pan after cleaning every thing as well as could be done .Well poop it leaked before I started the car .The oil pan brace was made that week .This was about six years ago .

yep the Garfinkle oil pan brace is the thing to get. This keeps it from leaking and gives you that piece of mind.

I'm in line to get mine