Oil pan sealing -- yippie!
 

I just can't wait to drop the subframe, remove the oil pan, re-seal it and put these motor mounts on! /sarcasm

I get that Permatex The Right Stuff is the... right stuff... to use for sealing the pan. But I never seem to see anybody say anything about the OEM gasket.

When one re-seals the oil pan, is it best to replace the OEM gasket along with using The Right Stuff? Or is replacing the OEM gasket pointless and only using The Right Stuff necessary?

Don’t use a gasket, first of all. Many people here recommend using Hondabond, as opposed to The Right Stuff. Though, I used The Right Stuff for my oil pan and have had a year of no leaks. Two other tips: 1. Make sure your oil pan is not bent after you remove it. I think this is commonly overlooked and probably a source of many leaking pans. 2. Get an oil pan brace. Braces are inexpensive and help to get a better seal. IRP makes a nice one.

Interesting tip about the new pan... I see IRP recommends it’s and then sells them.

For the gasket, you’re saying to REMOVE the old OEM gasket, and the only use Right Stuff/Hondabond between the two metal surfaces?

Yes, do not use a gasket at all, only hondabond or the right stuff. If you search the forum for information on the topic, you’ll see that everyone here unanimously agrees that using the oem gasket will actually make the pan more likely to leak.

I fixed my oil pan leak by replacing the pan with a brand new oem pan, a banzai racing oil pan brace, and The Right Stuff. Also be sure to clean the threads out of the bolt holes on the engine, and make sure all surfaces are clean before reassembly. And give the sealant plenty of time to cure before adding oil again.

A pan can be reused by using a straight edge and dollying out the lip until it’s OEM straight and flat in both axis ...if that’s the correct term. Takes a body hammer, a couple of dollies and some effort but not difficult. It’s what I did about 13 years ago with a Garfinkle brace and HONDABOND. Still dry.

Sealant only - no gasket. I'm on 10+ years of no oil leaks from this pan. No brace. Used the right stuff. Hondabond is supposed to be the new shit due to gasoline resistance.

If you use a thin putty knife and dead blow to separate the pan in the first place you won't bend it. Don't get impatient and twist a flat blade screwdriver in between he block and the pan to pop it off.

Or get a new pan and be done with it.

Good time to upgrade motor mounts and get a 2nd steel one if you're going to do it soon.

Hondabond is good stuff, its been around for a couple decades, it works.
the right stuff is also good.

the current Mazda stuff is a Three Bond TB1217D, part number is 0000-77-1217-ES, price is good, retail is $10.71

Mazda will sell you a gasket, but don't use it, it seems to make things worse

remember to replace the level sensor O Ring, N326-10-T11

Yes I highly recommend a new oil pan. May seem overkill. It worth it. The two engines I had built using used oil pans leaked on me. I have used two new oil pans since and it hasn't leaked.

I also recommend the brace irp sells. Great quality.

Here is a video of my buddy changing out theoutlook pan on one of my cars.

Nothing wears out on an oil pan. Unless it’s really beat-up or someone’s used it as a jacking point there’s only one reason to get new IMO. And that’s easily correctable and costs nothing. :dunno:

Don't forget to scrape the old gasket off the pan and block. Make sure the metal surfaces are smooth and clean before applying Right Stuff. I used isopropyl and a razor blade.

My can of Right Stuff says Grey/One Minute on the front, and on the back says to apply, then assemble and torque components within Five minutes time. Seems like carefully cross-torquing all those pan bolts (or nuts if using a brace kit) along with installing and torquing motor mounts would be difficult within five minutes.

its usually a time vs money vs skill thing. it is faster to buy a new pan that can just be slapped on the car than it is to pay somebody to clean, straighten and maybe paint the old pan. in ye olde times, a new pan penciled out, but now that we have nothing better to do, cleaning the old one sure kills an afternoon :P

use a lot of sealant, and i put an extra circle on the mount to pan and then a little sealant on the mount bolts. you need to be quick, but as long as the pan is touching the block in 5 min you're fine.

oh one other little tip, use a tap, pick etc and clean out the holes in the block, if there is too much old sealant in there it can crack things, usually the front cover

oh and make sure you change the oil level sensor O ring, N326-10-T11 (Capitol Mazda stocks it, and they are open, the "infected zombies are happy to help"), you cannot change it with the pan in the car

We recommend a new pan along with a brace. The stock pans bend when removing them and it is difficult to straighten them correctly. Our brace and sealing instructions can be found here https://www.irperformance.com/produc...oil-pan-brace/ This is also a good time to replace the motor mounts.

Definitely get the new pan and brace. It's not worth it to try to use the old stuff. The oil level in the pan is higher than the seal, so it really wants to find any way out.
Plus, the whole process seems to be black magic. Ask me how I know: (link)

Should I be at all concerned about the increased motor height (from the brace) causing fit or clearance issues?

That thread where Banzai says this job is a PITA is worrysome :(

Oh. It is a PITA. The professionals here all recommend leaving it until you pull the engine, the do it with the engine out.

I didn't have any clearance problems with the brace. I did have to adjust some of the intake piping, but that's more of an issue with my car rather than something I'd expect for anyone else's...

Lucky for me I’m going to do this on a friends lift... still not looking forward to it though.

I'm surprised no one has addressed the reason as to why you only use RTV instead of using the gasket. On the bottom of the block, there are several steps that occur between housings and irons that end up causing air gaps if you use a gasket as gaskets generally aren't made to form and flex over steps and require a flat surface. Go with Hondabond or the right stuff and don't look back. Hondabond dries as hard as concrete where normal RTV will be a little softer when dried. Black RTV is made for oil pans as well, but I have no first hand experience with it and how it holds up with the inevitable gas that gets mixed in to our engine oil.

True, the design of the wankel keg does incorporate wet sump sealing issues.
AFAIK, most the 13B-REW's oil pan leaks come from the motor mount thru pan design. Torque flex and all that stuff.
Make sure you draw little beads around the motor mount holes with your RTV of choice.