My car ('95 RX-7) is in the shop getting the rear main oil seal replaced and they looked at the clutch and flywheel while they were at it. They removed the flywheel and told me that it was gouged and that I needed a new one.

I went down to look at it and they showed me where it was gouged but I don't know enough to tell how bad it is. I've attached a couple pics, but the colour of the ring makes it look *a lot* deeper than it really is, especially in the close-up. I feel a very slight indentation when I run my finger over it.

Opinions?

 

Gouged? That looks like a machined ring to me. As long as it's uniform all the way around, there should be no balancing issues either.

 

So the rear main seal has been replaced and I'm still leaking oil. I replaced the flywheel with another used flywheel that has the same kind of groove worn into it, but a less noticeable one. They are saying that this groove is the most likely culprit for the oil leak... could it be?

 

Seems a bit odd. I have two FD flywheels at home. When I get back I will check them for grooves.

 

Is this a Mazda specific shop?

The rear engine seal on a rotary doesn't normally leak that often. The oil pan on the FD on the other hand leaks on just about all of them eventually.

Attached is a pic of a brand new, never used FD flywheel. It does not have a groove. This flywheel came from a Mazda reman I bought from Malloy last year. Not sure why your flywheel has that groove or if its normal.

I need to sell this flywheel someday...

 

Mine is off a JDM vehicle and it has a visible line but nothing I could feel. Yours looks like a crater.

If you want mine pay for the shipping and I can let it go for $10.

 

Does the lip of an oil seal ride on the place where that groove is? If so, the wear is caused by something abrasive that got on the lip of the seal. The abrasives stick in the rubber seal lip and grind away at the iron.

 

gracer7-rx7: it's not a Mazda-specific shop, no, just some generic garage that I got stuck getting work done at. Thanks for the pic!

Double_J: the lighting and colours make it look a lot worse than it feels; it's actually not very deep at all, and the flywheel I'm running right now is in better shape than the one in the pics. If I need another one I'll keep your offer in mind, thanks.

I'm guessing that both of my flywheels are worn to some degree but I don't know how badly worn they are or whether or not the wear could be the cause of my oil leak. They replaced the prime suspects (rear main seal and an oil level sensor gasket... they found a small leak near the oil pressure sender but left it) so the only thing left for them to doubt is the flywheel.