1994 RX-7 13B Coolant Seal Leak Cause
05-26-13, 08:57 PM
#1
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1994 RX-7 13B Coolant Seal Leak Cause
Can a lack of use cause the coolant seals to fail ?
If so, what is the minimum miles per month/per year that the car should be driven to preclude coolant seal failure.
Since new in 1993 I have been driving the RX around 3000 miles per year – it is not my daily driver. Over the past year the RX has only been driven 450 miles and now has the 58,000 mile coolant seal link problem.
RX has not been tracked/raced or over temped.
Anybody else have a low yearly mileage coolant seal leak problem ?
At what mileage have you had to have your engine rebuilt ?
If so, what is the minimum miles per month/per year that the car should be driven to preclude coolant seal failure.
Since new in 1993 I have been driving the RX around 3000 miles per year – it is not my daily driver. Over the past year the RX has only been driven 450 miles and now has the 58,000 mile coolant seal link problem.
RX has not been tracked/raced or over temped.
Anybody else have a low yearly mileage coolant seal leak problem ?
At what mileage have you had to have your engine rebuilt ?
05-27-13, 09:05 AM
#2
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uh oh..I have a couple questions for you:
Is the Engine operating fine now?
Do you enjoy your car when it is out?
Do you worry that chickens are gonna fall from the sky?
If the car is properly maintained the Engine can last a LONG time,so if you are Really worried about coolant seals then just do not drive it,put it under glass and consider it the biggest coffee table conversation piece you ever purchased.
Coolant seals are rubber based so yes they will deteriorate over time,but so will the car's rubber bushing,etc.
If you are taking care of the car,and it is operating flawlessly then for the love of Mike,enjoy the damn thing!
I'm sure that Eventually the car may start to exhibit a quirk or two but hell you are putting the Cart way before the horse on this one.
Now,you never said that the car is doing anything other than you are worried your Baby is Upchucking and you can't get the fever down.
what is your 58,000 mile Coolant Leak(link?..typo?) problem..Is it showing signs of problems?..post specifics..every car is different.
Is the Engine operating fine now?
Do you enjoy your car when it is out?
Do you worry that chickens are gonna fall from the sky?
If the car is properly maintained the Engine can last a LONG time,so if you are Really worried about coolant seals then just do not drive it,put it under glass and consider it the biggest coffee table conversation piece you ever purchased.
Coolant seals are rubber based so yes they will deteriorate over time,but so will the car's rubber bushing,etc.
If you are taking care of the car,and it is operating flawlessly then for the love of Mike,enjoy the damn thing!
I'm sure that Eventually the car may start to exhibit a quirk or two but hell you are putting the Cart way before the horse on this one.
Now,you never said that the car is doing anything other than you are worried your Baby is Upchucking and you can't get the fever down.
what is your 58,000 mile Coolant Leak(link?..typo?) problem..Is it showing signs of problems?..post specifics..every car is different.
05-27-13, 09:25 AM
#3
Copied from another thread..........
IF your car truely has a failed coolant seal, there's no real way to know the cause. Granted it's rare to see a coolant seal go out in a low mileage FD, but then I've seen headgaskets go on piston engine cars at relatively low mileage as well. 
If you want speculation, I'd guess the coolant wasn't changed very often and even though it it sits, electrolysis would still take place making coolant acidic over time. Again, just a guess.
A coolant seal failure is a common problem....at least in the FDs of which I'm familiar. IMO it's the price for forced induction. Boost is power. More power= more heat= more stress. NA rotarys have coolant seal failures too, but AFAIK, not nearly as soon as the FDs.
Still, before doing anything, make sure you have a failed seal. Besides the 'Champagne test" these are all the symtoms I can think of... but no single symtom by itself is confirmation. Many symtoms could be from other causes. However the more symtoms/conditions you have in combination, the more likely it is a coolant seal failure.........
*Stumbling idle on cold start-up that clears up quickly. The combustion chamber is fouled with coolant. As soon as it's purged or burned up, your car will run fine until the next cold start.
*Slightly sweet exhaust smell, especially on start-up. See above. Coolant is being burned and it has a distinctive smell.
*"White smoke" (steam) on cold start-up even in warm/hot weather. See above.
*A coolant over-flow tank that is over-flowing. This will usually result in a puddle under the car near the right front...the area of the over-flow tank. When coolant gets hot it expands and that's what the overflow tank is for. But with a failed seal the nature vacuum that forms and pulls that coolant back out as the engine cools down is lost. That leaves that coolant stranded in the tank and eventually it overflows.
*Coolant loss that isn't explained by a puddle on your garage floor. It's being consumed by the engine and going out the exhaust.
*Spiking temps that seemingly recover on their own almost as quickly. Air pockets in the cooling system allow steam to form. That will cause temp spiking. This is different than a rising temp just after a period of hard boost. It can happen as you're steadily cruising down the highway.
*Boiling sounds after shut down even shortly after properly "burping" the system. See above.
*Failed coolant system pressure test.
*Failed test of coolant for hydrocarbons.
*Unusually clean plugs, or wet plugs if you pull them right away after starting the car. (Sometimes you can even smell the coolant)
*One or more episodes of serious overheating in the car's history regardless of miles. (from what I've read, 115 C./240 F. seems to be the critical number for OEM seals to begin to degrade)
*An otherwise well maintained and cared-for FD approaching 100K miles or so.
As for a bandaid, some have used one of the many "Stop-Leak" coolant additives to give them a bit more time but use at your own risk. While it's not anything that will leave you on the side of the road, a failed coolant seal can lead to errosion/rust/pitting of the coolant seal grooves in the irons. That can cause a junk iron and make the inevitiable rebuild more expensive..
Still, before doing anything, make sure you have a failed seal. Besides the 'Champagne test" these are all the symtoms I can think of... but no single symtom by itself is confirmation. Many symtoms could be from other causes. However the more symtoms/conditions you have in combination, the more likely it is a coolant seal failure.........
*Stumbling idle on cold start-up that clears up quickly. The combustion chamber is fouled with coolant. As soon as it's purged or burned up, your car will run fine until the next cold start.
*Slightly sweet exhaust smell, especially on start-up. See above. Coolant is being burned and it has a distinctive smell.
*"White smoke" (steam) on cold start-up even in warm/hot weather. See above.
*A coolant over-flow tank that is over-flowing. This will usually result in a puddle under the car near the right front...the area of the over-flow tank. When coolant gets hot it expands and that's what the overflow tank is for. But with a failed seal the nature vacuum that forms and pulls that coolant back out as the engine cools down is lost. That leaves that coolant stranded in the tank and eventually it overflows.
*Coolant loss that isn't explained by a puddle on your garage floor. It's being consumed by the engine and going out the exhaust.
*Spiking temps that seemingly recover on their own almost as quickly. Air pockets in the cooling system allow steam to form. That will cause temp spiking. This is different than a rising temp just after a period of hard boost. It can happen as you're steadily cruising down the highway.
*Boiling sounds after shut down even shortly after properly "burping" the system. See above.
*Failed coolant system pressure test.
*Failed test of coolant for hydrocarbons.
*Unusually clean plugs, or wet plugs if you pull them right away after starting the car. (Sometimes you can even smell the coolant)
*One or more episodes of serious overheating in the car's history regardless of miles. (from what I've read, 115 C./240 F. seems to be the critical number for OEM seals to begin to degrade)
*An otherwise well maintained and cared-for FD approaching 100K miles or so.
As for a bandaid, some have used one of the many "Stop-Leak" coolant additives to give them a bit more time but use at your own risk. While it's not anything that will leave you on the side of the road, a failed coolant seal can lead to errosion/rust/pitting of the coolant seal grooves in the irons. That can cause a junk iron and make the inevitiable rebuild more expensive..
If you want speculation, I'd guess the coolant wasn't changed very often and even though it it sits, electrolysis would still take place making coolant acidic over time. Again, just a guess.
05-27-13, 09:56 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Used yellow Prestone coolant 60/40 distilled water and changed it every 2 years per replacement directions.
Loosing 1/2 cup of coolant after driving 25 miles then coolant warning light comes on.
No leaking radiator or radiator hoses and all clamps are tight.
Coolant reservoir stays at full level. Have oil in coolant.
RX Engine is running now, no over temp and has no other problems.
My other car is a 2010 Vette, see my album, which now has 12,000 miles on it plus a 1997 F-150 with 88,000 miles on it.
Again the question remains - how many coolant seal failures and at what mileage ?
Loosing 1/2 cup of coolant after driving 25 miles then coolant warning light comes on.
No leaking radiator or radiator hoses and all clamps are tight.
Coolant reservoir stays at full level. Have oil in coolant.
RX Engine is running now, no over temp and has no other problems.
My other car is a 2010 Vette, see my album, which now has 12,000 miles on it plus a 1997 F-150 with 88,000 miles on it.
Again the question remains - how many coolant seal failures and at what mileage ?
Last edited by RAVEN007; 05-27-13 at 10:03 AM.
05-27-13, 03:09 PM
#7
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Some of us are away from Home for up to one year at a time and cannot get our car on the road.
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To my fellow Veterans - Passed, Past, Present and Future -- Thank you for your Service
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05-27-13, 03:55 PM
#8
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..I heard your "gardener" loves your car..(while you are away!)..lol!..just kidding,I have to have fun sometimes..!!!
I am sure you miss a lot of things including the beast when you are not at home,so any help here is hopefully readily available to ease your mind while you are enjoying your homestead!
I am sure you miss a lot of things including the beast when you are not at home,so any help here is hopefully readily available to ease your mind while you are enjoying your homestead!
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