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What happens when the oil pump fails?

Old 09-27-02, 01:23 PM
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What happens when the oil pump fails?

I'm just curious what happens when the injected oil goes away. Do you break apex seals? Wear them down to a nub?? Seize the motor??? Overheat???? Curious minds...

I've heard many recommendations for pre-mix amounts, and I believe Mazda went from four oil injectors to two in 93. In all the discussions of the amount of oil needed, I don't recall ever hearing anyone say what happens if it all goes away.

Thanks,
Old 09-27-02, 04:04 PM
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Increased rotor seal wear. (Primarily apex seals, since the side and corner seals do get some oil from what sneaks past the oil control seals)


I drove my first one for 2000mi with the OMP nonfunctioning, with no ill effects, before I realized the problem and started premixing. This was when I first got that car. No clue how long the PO drove it like that, although I did find a can of starting fluid in the back, so they may have had compression-loss problems.
Old 09-27-02, 04:19 PM
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Thanks for the message. For some reason, I always thought this would be an immediate problem, but perhaps not in a street car.

My other rotary toy is an airplane, where the power level will be very high for hours at a time, so it might be a more immediate problem there. Of course, I also plan to run only pre-mix the the plane, so I won't be relying on the pump anyway. In the RX-7, I'm running 4oz of MMO per tank just as a precaution.

Cheer,
Old 09-27-02, 06:59 PM
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I don't know how well an engine would like running at near max load for LONG periods of time (as in an airplane) with no seal lubing oil. I'd definitely pre-mix.

Just want to clarify also that you DO mean the oil metering pump (drips oil into the engine) and not the oil pump ("regular" pump for sending oil through the bearings)
Old 09-27-02, 08:07 PM
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You are correct sir. I meant the oil metering pump. I'll accept the fact that I'm flying a glider if the main oil pump quits

Cheers,
Old 09-30-02, 06:08 PM
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Courtesy of Mazdatrix...





Any of the above...


-Ted
Old 09-30-02, 06:48 PM
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Whoa, that's ugly. Thanks for the pix.

Cheers,
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