I just purchased a low-mileage street-ported engine, with 3mm APEX seals, that was built about 2K-miles ago. Compression is good at over 120psi on all faces and a constant vacuum of 17-mmHg.

I see nice RTV on the front-cover gasket, however, I don't think it has the thermal pellet removed, and an Atkins by-pass installed, nor does it look it has the Japansese *metal* front-cover gasket.

They also used RTV, not "The Right Stuff Import" on the oil-pan.

I'm going to remove the oil-pan and install the Garfinkle oil-pan brace along with the "Right Stuff Import".

Since I'm doing this, should I go ahead and remove the front-cover to install the Japanese metal gasket (with a little "Right Stuff) and the Atkins thermal pellet by-pass ?

The engine is out (no flywheel) and mounted on a Pineapple engine stand.

Any caveats on removing the front-cover so I don't disturb the e-shaft clearances and mess-up the bearings ? I did read Mazdatrix's write-up.

I don't have a flywheel installed so I can't wedge or tape down the e-shaft.

I assume I should attach the flywheel.

What orientation should the engine be when removing the front-cover ? Vertical, flywheel top ? other ?

I'll also replace both the front & rear main seals, under General Principle.

Thanks,
:-) neil

 

if you have the engine out, put it so the front cover is up when you take it off.

its the easiest way to work on it too.

the metal front cover gasket is nice because it doesnt blow out like the paper one does. they also eliminated the front cover o ring when they did this, so they also updated the front iron. so a late front iron does not have an oring groove, and the metal gasket.

this gives you a couple choices.

1. use the paper gasket. let the silicon dry with the proper bolt torque, and its ok

2. use the metal gasket. with the o ring. this seems to work fine?

3. use the metal gasket WITHOUT the o ring. i'm too scared to try it.

the rx8 front cover gasket is actually the one to use, as it replaces the water pump housing gasket too.