for those that might be refreshing/rebuilding their magnificent 13BREWs... one of the best deals (and there aren't many recently) is a new oilpan. if your oilpan was properly sealed, Hondabond, it cannot be removed without bending it a bit... this is in the rear area which is flat and easily straightened... but for around $175 you can get a brand spankin new one. that's a good deal.

unless the new one is. .... BENT

your old pan is fine but bent (and fixable) so you bought a new pan... that is bent and un-fixable.

in two months i am 2 for 2 in receiving new bent oilpans from Mazda. one from Mazda Motorsports and one thru Ray Crowe. they almost look like the same pan. so if you are ordering a pan stipulate that you want a straight pan. unfortunately they are bent driver's side front in an area of compound curve so they aren't fixable..and you really don't want to buy a new pan and then have to try to straighten it.








another speedbump in the process of ending up w a proper build is the rear main seal. there are two. one has twice the rear iron contact area. you can get a leak around the outer surface of the seal. one of the causes relates to how the old seal was removed. do NOT pick up a screwdriver and lever it out. there is a good chance you will score the mating surface. a small divot and you will have an oil leak.
the seal you do not want is N3H1-10-508. the seal you do want is 1668-10-556A (as per Atkins site). it is Orange.

i imagine it is possible to do a leak free 508 but i will take double the sealing area.

 

For the new bent oil pans, I would assume you can send them back to Mazda for a full refund. Still a PITA, and obviously Mazda has an issue with how they store & pack these things for shipping.

 

I've had great success straightening oil pans over the years (using ultra black sealant), but had no idea about that rear main seal! I'm not sure which ones I've been using, but they always feel like they slip in too easily. Have had the odd leak so will definitely try the recommended p/n next time! Thank you, fine sir!

 

A bend in the same place on 2 pans makes me wonder if there was some error in the manufacturing (stamping) or finishing process that resulted in that bent area. I would think that getting 2 with the same issue would be unlikely otherwise.

 

Ray Crowe immediately responded to my email and another pan is on the way.

Mazda Motorsports also replaced the pan. boxing from MM is extremely curious. sort of the opposite from Amazon. parts generally arrive in in a huge box and are bouncing around inside. for instance, along with the bent pan were a set of slightly bent sideseals. slightly bent side seals are a no go. they were in a plastic bag with no protection. i have bought close to 200 sets of sideseals from Atkins and have never had anything bent or not exactly the correct number of items. the Atkins sideseals aren't bent because they have a stiff cardboard insert in the packaging. of course you have to know what you want from Atkins. they recently started making their own compression ring which looks close to OE. you want to stipulate OE until Atkins gets them tuned up a bit. but good for Atkins for making the effort.

 

because it comes from the closest Mazda PDC not Motorsports and they must not train the people boxing parts up in the slightest and/or they don’t care in the slightest.

I had a pair of rotor housings shipped in a box that could hold four housings with almost no packing inside. Not much better on some iron plates. I ordered a replacement aluminum AC piping line many years ago and they put another 20 lbs part in the same box with it and no packing. Needless to say the aluminum line was completely destroyed by the time I received it.
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I would send those back in a heartbeat. A good “heads-up” because that’s just not right
That said, I still have my body hammers and dollies and with a straight edge I don’t see damage visible in the pics that couldn't be fixed with those, and some patience.

 

That was my thought, also. I often try to straighten some bent part so it can still be used, at least as a spare. Most of the time I get it straight enough to be perfectly functional.

 

Bending past the lip, a tear or kinking a flute might be a deal breaker. A judgement call. But I spent time on my old one getting it true in all axies with a straight edge and flat table. Been leak-free for about 15 years now.

 

I will be pulling my engine soon to reseal the front cover and have been debating if I should get a new oil pan. Based on what I am hearing I think I will try and reuse the original and straightening if I need to. Should I replace the rear main seal also?

 

it is best to start the pan removal process at the rear since most of it is flat. after removal you will note, by placing the pan upside down on a flat surface, that the only bent area is in the rear. this area is easily straightened. clean all surfaces and use a thread chaser on the 6 mm bolt threads. clean any silicone out of the motor mount bolt holes. torque to pan bolts to 100 inch pounds or 8 ft pounds. be careful with the front cover bolts as they are easily stripped. . . use no gasket and seal with Hondabond HT . do not refill with oil for a few days.

more on the subject:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...-tech-1039223/


i recommend replacing the rear seal. do not use a screwdriver to remove it as there is a good chance you will score the mating surface and create an oil leak. use only the orange seal (1668-10-556A) as it has twice the mating surface of the dark red (N3H1-10-508) seal.

pictures:
https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Rotary-...ar-Main-Seals/

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I have the metal type Cosmo gasket for the front cover, I have heard they are pretty good?

 

Start with a straight pan. Personally a believer in HONDABOND as well. Follow the HONDABOND directions with hospital clean mating surfaces with a quality pan brace. If you’re feeling flush, a stud kit is probably best, but regardless, be sure the threads are free of old silicone and use the torque specs set out in the FSM.
If the pan is off, you could also consider replacing the oil level sensor gasket as a precaution.

 

"metal type Cosmo gasket for the front cover"

yes, fits the FD

P/N N390-10-502 no sealant, torque the bolts to 17 ft pounds.

 

Mazda's current sealant is a Three Bond 1217ES, 0000-77-1217-ES is the part number, its actually pretty cheap too

 

​​​​​​​same one sold by Mazda Motorsports





which reminded that was another part shipped in a box of other loose, heavy parts that arrived bent up as well.
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the paper N3A1-10-502 gasket was used up to 1995, with the N231-10-174 O Ring and Backup Ring N326-10-C15
after 1995 they used the N390-10-502 metal gasket, and the backup, and O ring are deleted.

the front iron changes from an N3A1 casting to an N3F1 casting, at the same time

 

There's gotta be a grizzled old sheet metal worker out there who could fix it, no?
In case the stop making oil pans...

 

or go full dry-sump …



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