edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

Since I live way the hell up north and the FD has to go away for the winter, I figured I could get some crap done to it. The list:

Replace clutch
Replace some vacuum hoses that the previous installers missed (pic)
Find out where I'm leaking oil from (pic)
Send injectors out to RC Engineering for cleaning/bore secondaries out to 1300cc

Forgotten vacuum hoses:


I have no idea why they ignored these lines too:

^Also, notice the oil around the primary turbo outlet? That makes me sad... I also found some oil in the intake

I also bypassed the TB coolant system:


And here is a missing manifold bolt, as well as a missing E-clip I noticed...


And now for the oily mess:


Do you guys think this is a leaky oil pan, or rear main seal?

This undertray was covered but I cleaned most of it off:


Where I'm at now -- UIM pulled so I could get to the rear bolts for the tranny. I didn't try this from underneath, and I figured I would pull the injectors at this point anyways. However, stupid me didn't de-pressurize the fuel system, so it all has to go back together anyways. Regardless, it will give me a chance to test the new clutch, which is just another stock one that I got from the previous owner. Driveshaft still has to come down, and power plant frame removed, as well as various other undertray crap. And I have to tie the engine up to the strut bar for support.


Oh yeah... The car has 96k on it, still on the original engine! Woo-hoo! This is good practice for pulling the motor when it grenades anyways.

And my bangin' music setup:


My garage doesn't have heat or power so next on the purchase is a Salamander heater (or something) and another power strip.

Let me know what you think!

windom

iTrader: (1)

Pick up a remington propane heater. Just hook it up to a 40lb propane tank, like from a grill, and it'll last you a few weekends on a fill if you're uninsulated. 50,000-120,000 BTU's depending on what kind, and it looks like a friggen afterburner when the fan comes on. Plus it heats the room so damn fast.

Music setup looks nice, I need something like that. As for the oil leak, not sure. I would clean the bottom of your engine off, and the turbos, maybe let the car run a bit, and see if theres any leaking from a certain area.

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

windom -- thanks man, I will look into the remingtons. Any need to vent the room with the propane?

preludesh2000

iTrader: (1)

looking good....
i also have a propane heater setup (mines an old house gas heater,i changed it over to propane)...its a 2 car garage...i heat it and turn off the heater...usually stays pretty warm...
also like said....you need to clean under the car...and see if you can find were the oil is coming from....
good luck

brad

Section8

iTrader: (6)

Looks good. I need to pickup a propane heater for my garage too. I'm planning on putting on a new 929 brake master, new oil filler neck from the group buy, and pulling the AC off my car over the winter.

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

Section8 -- what is the advantage to the new oil filler neck? Could be another thing to do while everything is apart...

Thanks for the replies guys, I will keep updating the thread as the work progresses...

Section8

iTrader: (6)

The neck i'm getting is baffled which *hopefully* will help with oil blowback while on track. I'm also going to hook up a catch can too. If you don't track the car you probably won't need to replace it - although the stock neck is plastic and I guess it could crack. The GB necks are aluminum.

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

Thanks section8! I'd like to track the car, but I can't really find much around me. Just another thing to think about.

afterburn27

iTrader: (5)

Those two lines have pills in them that would probably prove difficult to remove and replace in a new silicone hose. So that is why they left those ones.

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

afterburn27 -- so do you think I should leave these alone as well? I'm not having any boost issues right now.

amp

iTrader: (50)

use an exacto knife to cut those old hoses to get to the pills..
lube up the pills with dishwashing liquid so that you can slip em easily into the new hose..

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

amp--sounds easy enough. They are both different sizes, so I should be careful and make sure not to mix them up, right?

Oh, and bump the broken bolt count up to two. Just as I was thinking how easy the FD comes apart (compared to my FB), I break a couple bolts for the rear undertrays... Ugh. And my fingers are cold.

windom

iTrader: (1)

Get a heater before you start working. I don't know how cold it is there, but it's much more worth it, unless you're hardcore and can bare it. It's like 15F right now here. Oh, remember the bottom of your car will still be a little chilly, heat rises unless you completely heat your garage up to like 90F. lol

You shouldn't have any issues with the propane in a garage. You usually get issues in a tent or something extremely small for long periods of time.



I know Menard's here carries them. I bought a 55,000-75,000 unit, and I regretted not getting the 75,000-125,000 unit.

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

Feel those lines with the pills in them to see if they are still firm, yet pliable. While searching through twin cores, I found none with bad actuator lines. They are made out of a very durable rubber, likely more abrasion resistant than the silicone hoses that you would put on there.

Unless of course you like to fix what ain't broke, which usually ends up breaking something

Time to bust out the degreaser and pressure washer...

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

Alexdimen -- I'm pro at fixin **** that ain't broke and having it backfire on me. Current example is the FB with the massive vacuum leak from the missing ACV and (apparently) too low-temp silicone rtv. I'll give those lines the squeeze test and probably leave them alone.

And I think I'll be laying under the car with a bottle of Fantastik and LOTS of paper towels, getting oil and dirt in my eyes, for a good couple hours. That **** doesn't corrode aluminum, does it?

Windom -- I'm a bit too east for Menard's :-P I'll hit up the hardware stores around here and see what I can come up with. Sears appears to be useless, and thankfully Walmart doesn't have anything so I don't have to go there.

Section8

iTrader: (6)

This could be Fredericksburg and me. My sears is useless, and I avoid Walmart like the plague

Busted7

Do you have lowes or large hdw. I use propane catalitic heater from lowes 80.00 and no fumes, also last months part time use. Looks like if those hoses are ok you might need to do turbo work later anyway.

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

Looks like fun!

I'm a huge fan of Castrol Super Clean for cleaning oily messes. That stuff continually amazes me - it simply takes bad off of good. I'd use that, it's definitely cool to use on aluminum.

The turbo hoses with the pills - it's not a bad idea just to leave the lines stock. They're not coming off of there, and you know the pills are there. If one of those hoses pop off, hello overboost.

The oily mess at the turbo outlet - that's most likely from the PCV system. Oil vapor from the oil neck is pulled into the primary turbo's inlet. If you haven't done so, ditch the stock PCV valve - the '95s did away with it all together, that helps a lot with the oil mess. Next step up is a catch can. Do some reading and searching there.

The E-clip that's missing is SUPER cheap from Ray at Malloy - don't remember the price, but when I found out how cheap it was I got a handful of them. Also, I'd replace the secondary turbo's oil return line gasket - that's a common leak point, and that could be part of your problem. If it's not that, could be the oil pan, which = no fun.

Good luck!
Dale

dubulup

careful...

I used small zip ties to secure the pill in silcone lines...one on each side so it can't move.

oil + silcone + pill = pill slip / slide and will get pushed to the nipple and you could have boost issues...I did, and that was a bitch to troubleshoot

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

dubulup -- Thank you for the heads up! I might end up screwing with it after all, just for consistancy. All the other hoses are red, those ones are kind of bugging me...

DaleClark -- I'm going to find some of that castrol stuff, thank you. I should be ordering e-clips and gaskets next week, and I'll pick up a few vacuum caps so I can ditch the PCV valve.

Thanks guys.

Jason

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

You can also get the clips from mcmaster-carr in stainless. it's like 4.50 for a pack of 10 or something. you just need to know the main diameter (NOT the diameter where the clip slides in) of the shaft that the clip goes on.

Edit: I went ahead and checked my account on mcmaster:

P/N: 98317A217
Metric Stainless Steel E-Style Retaining Ring for 6mm Shaft Diameter, Fits 5.0mm Groove Diameter
In stock at $4.40 per Pack
This product is sold in Packs of 10

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

alexdimen -- Thanks man! I appreciate the part numbers. Those are going on order next week. Any idea about my missing manifold bolt?

Jason

edwin-82/rx7

iTrader: (1)

Well, my only real triumph of the night was this:

Tranny fluid is drained, starter removed, and slave removed too. I need to buy a couple more tools to tackle the ppf, and with another couple bolts on the tranny gone it's done!

Is that hole on the upper right of the tranny always open? Or am I missing something??? (upper right in the pic)

I also learned that GoJo can freeze....


I'm amazed at how much **** goes under this car, my space is ever dwindling

windom

iTrader: (1)

I think a service cover is designed to sit over the hole. Your garage looks like mine. Lol

preludesh2000

iTrader: (1)

i learned that gojo freezes last year...
looks like everything is coming along nicely...
i also think that hole is for a cover...not positive though...

brad