MY QUESTION IS:





When did Mazda change the coolant seal grooves from being cut in the rotor housing to cut in the irons?

I couldn't find a solid answer so maybe someone out there knows...



Nick

[quote name='alaskarotorhead' date='Mar 26 2005, 07:02 PM']MY QUESTION IS:

When did Mazda change the coolant seal grooves from being cut in the rotor housing to cut in the irons?

I couldn't find a solid answer so maybe someone out there knows...



Nick


[/quote]



Maybe they wanted to increase costs by having to mill out not just the rotor housings, but the side housings as well. Note the oil O-rings are still in the rotor housings.



More probably they just didn't want people to mix early and late housings.

cooling seal grooves have always been cut into the irons.

[quote name='89 Rag' date='Mar 26 2005, 07:30 PM']cooling seal grooves have always been cut into the irons.


[/quote]



Except for the '67-85 engines, and the '04-up engines, of course.



Coolant seals in the side housings is a '86-02 anomaly. My guess is, Mazda moved them back to the rotor housings not for deliberate incompatibility, but for reliability reasons. You never had to worry about a piece of the rotor housing breaking off and leaving the coolant seal unsupported.

That makes more sense than what some have speculated about Mazda trying to prevent people from lapping side plates, or something. Anyway, I'm glad they finally moved the seals back to the rotor housings.

[quote name='heretic' date='Mar 26 2005, 07:02 PM']

Except for the '67-85 engines, and the '04-up engines, of course.



Coolant seals in the side housings is a '86-02 anomaly. My guess is, Mazda moved them back to the rotor housings not for deliberate incompatibility, but for reliability reasons. You never had to worry about a piece of the rotor housing breaking off and leaving the coolant seal unsupported.


[/quo







Thanks,this was the answer I was looking for,up to 85'.Even my local mazda

dealership had no idea.

These are considered S3 housings?I've heard the term before,but did not know if they were just makink it up.

Nick

[quote name='heretic' date='Mar 26 2005, 08:02 PM']Except for the '67-85 engines, and the '04-up engines, of course.



Coolant seals in the side housings is a '86-02 anomaly. My guess is, Mazda moved them back to the rotor housings not for deliberate incompatibility, but for reliability reasons. You never had to worry about a piece of the rotor housing breaking off and leaving the coolant seal unsupported.


[/quote]



yeah you just have to worry about the aluminum rotting away around the spark plugs.....



the 67-73 motors are really bad for that, ive have a few housings with beutiful chrome, but they are all corroded too bad to use

Probably also due to the poor anti-corrosives in use back then. Note that many OEMs had aluminum engine parts in the 60's but then went back to all iron after a few years. Too many corrosion claims. They had to wait for coolant technology to catch up.



Bead blasting and a thin glaze of epoxy might bring those housings back to usefulness, if the problem areas are around the coolant seals. I've seen some awfully corroded things successfully used with either epoxy, or liberal application of silicone sealant. It is vital that all corrosion first be removed.

[quote name='heretic' date='Mar 27 2005, 07:43 PM']Probably also due to the poor anti-corrosives in use back then. Note that many OEMs had aluminum engine parts in the 60's but then went back to all iron after a few years. Too many corrosion claims. They had to wait for coolant technology to catch up.



Bead blasting and a thin glaze of epoxy might bring those housings back to usefulness, if the problem areas are around the coolant seals. I've seen some awfully corroded things successfully used with either epoxy, or liberal application of silicone sealant. It is vital that all corrosion first be removed.


[/quote]



yeah jb weld would work, unless its around the spark plug holes then you're prolly fooked