RenoCYM

I’ve posted in the past about my experiences with the local Mazda dealership’s service-department-from-hell. Among other things, they managed to take a small (penny sized oil drippings after a couple of weeks) oil leak and turn it into a gusher (dinner plate sized after a couple of days). They tried to fix it twice, and made it worse each time. So, after just putting a drip pan under it and telling myself I’d fix it when I got the time, I got the time.

I crawled under her and spent a full day with cleaner, paper towels and rags. I noticed that the service-department-from-hell had, apparently as a last gasp effort to stem the leak, coated the seam around the oil pan where it mates to the block with an orange goo, probably RTV Sealant. After cleaning, stuffing paper towels in spots to check where the leak was coming from, I narrowed in down to a spot in back near the PS motor mount. There was a huge wad of orange goo there, but the oil was seeping out pretty good. So, I put a wrench on the pan bolt on that corner and discovered it was stripped out! Spun like a top. I had to pry it out with a pair of pliers. Big time oil leak now.

I know now what they did: they replaced the pan gasket the first time and of course probably warped the pan when they took it off. The second time they had to fix it they weren’t about to spend the time to remove it again so they just torqued the crap out of the pan bolts, stripped at least one, and then tried to stop the leak with the orange gasket stuff.

I’ve got it up on jack stands today, and I’ve just ordered a new oil pan and also a Banzai oil pan brace (I don’t want to have to do this again.) and I’ll do the Right Stuff pan gasket-less procedure. I know I’ll have to drill out and tap the stripped bolt hole and put in a heli-coil, and the bummer is (here’s the whine part) that I’ll have to do all this on my back out in high 90 degree temps in my drive way. As I’m doing the work, I’ll be thinking of pleasant ways of “repaying” the dealership for my troubles: you know, things like mysterious fires, a clunker parked across the street with a sign on it “This car was ruined by Service Department”, a nice juicy lawsuit, driving a Hummer through their showroom. Just random, pleasant thoughts as I sweat my old, cheap, geezer *** off correcting their work.

amp

iTrader: (50)

reno.. might i suggest taking detailed pics of the dealerships work..
notify the dealership that you would like to file a complaint and provide them with your findings..
and that a copy will be filed with mazdausa as well for their craftmanship..
depending on their standings with mazda... this may or may not produce some sort of retribution

RenoCYM

Yes, I'm definately sending something to MazdaUSA, even if nothing happens I want to go on record as to the screwing I got from an incompetant service department. I've argued all I care to argue to the dealership itself, they don't want to know about it. "It wasn't leaking when it left here." And it's true, it didn't start leaking again until the next day.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Sorry to hear. And what Amp suggested is probably the only practical thing to do at this point. If you haven't already done so, it might be a good time to consider a set of good aftermarket motor mounts too. Or at least be ready to replace with OEM. Even at 60k, your's are likely shot.
At any rate Good Luck from another "old cheap geezer". Sounds like you've done a bit of homework on this job, so just take it by the numbers and you'll be fine.

badddrx7

iTrader: (7)

Now take your time and get it right. Some more tips, clean and clean and clean the mating surfaces so that NO oil residue is left before applying the "right stuff". Also invest in a Moroso oil pan stud kit from Summit. Really makes the job easier. Torque the nuts up in a crisscross patterns in steps. After you are done tightening, then take your finger and run all the way around the pan seams to finish the "seal" on the pan and remove excess sealant. Also allow the pan to sit 24 hours BEFORE you add oil.


later

Ernesto13B

iTrader: (4)

Your doing right in fixing it yourself. Make sure to use Permatex "The Right Stuff" gasket maker RTV. It cost like $15 for a tiny tube but its good stuff trust me. I have someo other conventional RTV and the conventional RTV oozes out kinda watery, whereas the Permatex comes out more sticky and dries faster. I used permatex The Right Stuff to fix my oil leak on my FD's oil pan, and it hasnt leaked a drop of oll in 4 months. I also used the oil pan brace, because as much work as it was, I NEVER wanna do that again!

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

the banzai brace comes with the studs, nuts, and engine mount bolts.. you don't need the summit kit. here's some links that might help you.


https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...easier+oil+pan
http://www.xcessivemanufacturing.com...l?pid=5&step=2
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...il+pan+removal

I just finished the same thing last night on my 7. GL!

badddrx7

iTrader: (7)

Stud kit included, ok I see it. I got the Garfinkle kit when I did mine.



Later

RenoCYM

Thanks guys for all the good advise and moral support. I'm sure if I follow everything I've read here it will turn out just fine. Acutally, the only part that scares me (the rest is just hard, dirty, uncomfortable work) is drilling out the bolt hole and tapping it - I'm going to buy a drill guide that will insure I drill it straight, and I hope I can fit it in there after the crossmember is dropped.

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

well i wouldn't put it in a drill. I would recommend using a hand tap. if you're not pulling the engine then tapping that sucker in a driveway with a drill will be incredibly difficult.

i used the autozone hand tap: 3rd one down. .... http://tiny.cc/odWcy


fixing the oil pan with it in the car is a PITA but if you go slow it's not so bad. i did it over a week. cleaning and waiting for packages to arrive.... oh and bugging forum members!

pacman74

I'm also in the process of doing the same thing. I got a brand new oil pan, a Garfinkle oil pan brace, the Moroso stud kit, and new poly engine mounts from Banzai. Cleaning everything is taking forever because my oil pan was leaking for years, so I had years of gunk built up on my subframe and other parts. My subframe had some damage from an unfortunate incident years ago, so I got it repaired and then I sanded and painted it.

Also, I used the spray can Gasket Remover to help clean up the old RTV on the engine side, but if you do this lying on your back, make sure you wear glasses/goggles, a face mask, gloves, whatever you need to in order to protect your skin because that stuff will straight up burn your skin!

Here's a pic of my subframe after I cleaned, repaired, and painted it.

RenoCYM

Yeah, I'm going to use a hand tap, but I have to drill out the hole first for the heli-coil (one size bigger than the standard) and tap that to take the heli-coil, and that's what worries me.

RenoCYM

Working on your back under a car just sucks, no way around it. Then, throw in that when you're an old geezer like me you have to wear bi-focals, and everything you need to do falls right between the focal planes of your glasses (and you're also having to wear safety goggles for all the reason you list) it just ain't a pleasent way to spend time, if you know what I mean.

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

AH! I see. not going to be much help on that one good luck!