Damn Front Cover
04-19-2003, 01:58 PM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Eastern PA
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I'm taking a week off just to work on this car and get all these projects done so I can drive her again. Right now I'm in the middle of pulling the front cover which was leaking somewhere. There's so much oil and grease I have no ****** idea, looks like everything is leaking... anyway, right now I have the alternator, water pump & housing, main pulley, CAS off and the only thing left is the pan and front oil cooler line.
I can't tell which nut to turn to get this front cooler line off that connects to the front cover. One nut is over 1" (my 1" wrench won't even fit around it).. there is another nut next to it (the one closest to the front cover) which is smaller. Which one do I have to disconnect to get this line off? I'm taking a break and hope somebody has done this that can help me out quick.
I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions soon.
Chris
I can't tell which nut to turn to get this front cooler line off that connects to the front cover. One nut is over 1" (my 1" wrench won't even fit around it).. there is another nut next to it (the one closest to the front cover) which is smaller. Which one do I have to disconnect to get this line off? I'm taking a break and hope somebody has done this that can help me out quick.
I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions soon.
Chris
04-19-2003, 02:44 PM
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: IL
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the one closest to the front cover is the adapter between the metric and the flare on the hose.... the other nut is for the hose end. You can remove the line either removing the adapter with the line or removing the hose end from the adapter, either will get you where you want to be.
if you plan on replacing the oil cooler lines, you might be replacing the adapter anyways (if you decide to switch to the AN ones mazdatrix has for instance) otherwise you will be keeping and it's probably a better idea to try leave the adapter in the front cover. just get two wrenches of appropriate size and take the hose end off holding the adapter in place... it's kindof a bitch.
good luck
if you plan on replacing the oil cooler lines, you might be replacing the adapter anyways (if you decide to switch to the AN ones mazdatrix has for instance) otherwise you will be keeping and it's probably a better idea to try leave the adapter in the front cover. just get two wrenches of appropriate size and take the hose end off holding the adapter in place... it's kindof a bitch.
good luck
04-19-2003, 06:30 PM
#3
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Location: Eastern PA
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ok, I got the front cover and oil pan off. I pulled the steering rack out for easier access to the front pan bolts (I'm have a manual rack I'm putting in anyway).
I'm wondering if I should replace the oil pump and sprockets or at least the chain. The chain feels pretty loose. I'm going to put everything back together tomorrow hopefully and test it praying it doesnt leak anywhere. I could not isolate the leak. After hard driving, oil would be coming down the front cover from behind the water pump housing and behind the OMP. I thought it was the front cover gasket up at the top but who knows. I'm starting to wonder if it was just the damn omp which I will probably be blocking off anyway. Whatever the problem, this is a good experience for me, I've never done any engine work on an rx7 beside the usual external bolt on crap.
The next job for me is to pull all the intake manifolds, TB mods, send the injectors to RC, remove rats nest, egr, cold start assist, etc, etc. Then finish the suspension bushings, sway bars, put in the new exhaust, brake rotors, calipers, pads, lines, etc. This should be an interesting week.
I have all these old posts printed out from you guys answering my questions and they are a huge help.
I'm wondering if I should replace the oil pump and sprockets or at least the chain. The chain feels pretty loose. I'm going to put everything back together tomorrow hopefully and test it praying it doesnt leak anywhere. I could not isolate the leak. After hard driving, oil would be coming down the front cover from behind the water pump housing and behind the OMP. I thought it was the front cover gasket up at the top but who knows. I'm starting to wonder if it was just the damn omp which I will probably be blocking off anyway. Whatever the problem, this is a good experience for me, I've never done any engine work on an rx7 beside the usual external bolt on crap.
The next job for me is to pull all the intake manifolds, TB mods, send the injectors to RC, remove rats nest, egr, cold start assist, etc, etc. Then finish the suspension bushings, sway bars, put in the new exhaust, brake rotors, calipers, pads, lines, etc. This should be an interesting week.
I have all these old posts printed out from you guys answering my questions and they are a huge help.
04-20-2003, 06:51 AM
#6
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I was going to use just the o ring and the 79-85 front cover gasket but I'm thinking just O ring and RTV.. what did you do? I dont have the teflon ring and I didnt see it there when I pulled the cover which makes me wonder if someone had it off before.
Yeah, all the metering lines are intact. The K2RD block off kit should be here tomorrow so I can get rid of the omp and plug the holes.
Yeah, all the metering lines are intact. The K2RD block off kit should be here tomorrow so I can get rid of the omp and plug the holes.
04-20-2003, 07:42 PM
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Ok, I'll do that. I got the gasket surfaces clean on the front cover and water pump housing but there is some gasket left on the engine. I dont want to have to take anything else out but I think some dirt may have fallen behind the counterweight. Can I spray the front down with carb cleaner or what should I do to clean that whole area where the counterweight and oil pump/chain is?
I also pulled the RP exhaust out and put the Corksport one in. Its nice and light, stainless and fits good but I'm still not sure about the look from the back. I'm not used to having one huge fartcan exhaust tip coming out. If the rain holds off tomorrow, hopefully I'll get the cover and pan back in and start it up.
I also pulled the RP exhaust out and put the Corksport one in. Its nice and light, stainless and fits good but I'm still not sure about the look from the back. I'm not used to having one huge fartcan exhaust tip coming out. If the rain holds off tomorrow, hopefully I'll get the cover and pan back in and start it up.
04-23-2003, 06:46 AM
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I put the new O ring in with some Hylomar but I wasnt comfortable with the way it was sitting so I put a bead of Hylomar on the engine, then put the 1st gen gasket on, then a bead on the front cover and installed it. I cleaned the surfaces real good so hopefully thats it for the leaks. I also put a new front seal in the cover, put on the metering pump block off plate, and put the fc3s oil pellet in.
I couldnt find a chain wrench so I used Pengaru's method (sort of) with a piece of metal bolted to the RB pulley. I put a pipe over this piece of metal (its like a thick exhaust hanger with holes in it) and wedged it under the frame. I was trying to get at least 90 foot pounds on the e shaft bolt and I ended up bending the damn metal piece. I dont think I got enough torque on it, I heard it click but the pulley was turning slow at the same time while the metal was bending. I put about a half gallon of red loctite on the bolt so I guess there's not much I can do now. I still have not let the clutch out since I started all this. Is there anything else I can do about this bolt or is it too late because of the loctite?
I couldnt find a chain wrench so I used Pengaru's method (sort of) with a piece of metal bolted to the RB pulley. I put a pipe over this piece of metal (its like a thick exhaust hanger with holes in it) and wedged it under the frame. I was trying to get at least 90 foot pounds on the e shaft bolt and I ended up bending the damn metal piece. I dont think I got enough torque on it, I heard it click but the pulley was turning slow at the same time while the metal was bending. I put about a half gallon of red loctite on the bolt so I guess there's not much I can do now. I still have not let the clutch out since I started all this. Is there anything else I can do about this bolt or is it too late because of the loctite?