dac

Anyone have low oil pressure? I do and I am hoping it is not this problem... Anyone replaced this o-ring? Can I do it without pulling the motor? Should I swap out the oil pump while I am in there?



Click here to read the whole FAQ on this subject.

TAKEN FROM MAZDATRIX FAQS



86-92 Front Cover "O"-Ring

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This one is a little hard to explain -- bottom line is MAZDA changed things and never told anybody + did/does not always supply the correct parts !! -- in addition to that, if you purchase a NEW front side housing for your 86-88, it will PROBABLY come with the 89-92 casting style!



What you are trying to prevent is having the gasket and O-ring squeezing out of place and blowing the oil (under pressure) into the front cover instead of through the engine. SYMPTOMS of this problem are lower oil pressure at all times, but especially when the engine is hot. A slight "squeeze-out" can give 10-20 lbs at idle, 40-55 at 3500rpm, and drop to 35lbs at 5000rpm. A large "squeeze-out" can give almost zero at idle, and maybe 35-40lbs above 2000rpm.



The summary of all the following (our recommendation - others shops may differ) is:



If you have the earlier front side housing style, assemble the front of the engine with the O-ring, no front cover gasket, (use silicone instead), and maybe a little Hylomar to hold the O-ring in place during assembly (and throw away the white teflon ring that comes in the gasket set). If you really WANT to use a gasket, then use the 79-85 one, which needs to be purchased separately.



If you have the later style front side housing, use the gasket, rubber O-ring, and white teflon O-ring (and we prefer some silicone) --- gasket CAN be left out, and use silicone in place of it.

13BAce

It could be your oil pressure sender, or even an oil leak. To change that o-ring you would have to remove the entire front cover.

1Revvin7

Have u visually seen any oil? Right now i am replacing my main rear eccentric seal, that caused my low oil pressure, and when revved high when warm it spat oil onto my flywheel and out, near my oil filter assembly. I would just run it and look for leaks ( make sure u keep the oil filled up!) It could be either the o-rings under the oil filter assembly, the rear main eccentric seal, or the oil cooler lines, those are the major spots for oil leaks.

Ace- if it was an oil seal interanally, or between housings wouldn't that also cause oil to be leaked inside, and burned? cuz then u could just look @ the exhuast.

13BAce

It depends. A leak at the front cover wouldn't go into the combustion chamber. A leak at the dowel pin could reach the rotor housing, but it could also leak to the outside.

dac

It doesn't leak any oil and definately not the sending unit. I installed a AutoMater gauge which reads the same. The motor COLD has great pressure, but as it warms up the pressure drops and then at an idle there is no oil pressure on the gauge.



If it is this front oil-ring and leaking... the leaking oil then just drops right back into the pan.



Anyone pulled their front cover?

1Revvin7

thats what my car did, i couldn't find the oil leak either! There is a little cover pieve inbetwwen the tranny and the rear side housing. Its above the oil filter assembly, take that off and run your car hard! if u see oil on the flywheel or it spats out then its the rear seal. check that out.

dac

Cool I will check that. So what did it take to replaces your leak? Had to pull the motor?



I'm telling myself if I have to pull the motor I'm putting a Turbo motor back in.

1Revvin7

nope its just like your replacing the clutch only u take it a step further by removing the flywheel. Then the seal is right there.