POssible water seal failure... can someone confirm?
 

My previous thread...

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/new-car-some-problems-please-help-795480/


I've not done anything to the car since. Today I removed the AST cap and found something stuck to the underside of it.

Basically a browny/bronze bit of material a couple of centimetres in length. Sort of like an elastic band but softer. (if you get me).

Now I'm no rx7 expert here, but I would hazard a guess that it's a part of the water seal?

Also, the engine was actually rebuilt about 3K ago. So I would assume the likely hood of the internals being ok are good? Simply a case of take it apart and replace all seals?

PS : I've replaced an engine on my last FD so I at least know roughly how to take it out and put it back in.

It is physically impossible for a coolant seal to make its way into the cooling system unless the retaining wall has failed. This requires replacement parts. I suppose another possibility is that the seal was pinched in the rebuild. The OEM seals are orange and look/feel like a rubber band. Have you done any of the test to determine that you have a bad coolant seal?

I'd bet that it is a bit of RTV sealant that came loose - if joints are sealed with a bit of excess sealant, the excess forms a bead of sealant where it has squeezed out. these often detach and wind up floating around.