Alright so I have a low oil pressure problem I think..



The gauges aren't the most reliable thing ever.. I drove all summer with a peak pressure of (according to my stock S4 gauge) 40 psi? Idle pressure was around 10..



I have been told (and I agree) that I should take the front cover off and inspect things if I have a low oil pressure problem..



I think what might cause the problem is a failed e-shaft thermo valve.. I am going to be putting in a replacement pellet which I already have in my possession but is not installed (car is in storage for winter and a brief body teardown)



My question is I read all the crap at mazdatrix about the front cover o-ring. Do these fail alot or.. I also read a thread where someone said something about using a metal gasket and you don't need the o-ring.. What's all that about?



If I pull the cover off what do I need to put it back on? Is there a kit? Just the one gasket and o-ring or what else?



What should I be looking for if I pull it off considering that my initial problem is a suspicion of low oil pressure? I would feel better if I pulled the cover off before I drive it again but I am not looking forward to doing it with the little experience I have with the front cover..



Ahh yes I forgot to mention the shaft seal behind the main pulley is leaking (just slightly but a leak is a leak). Tough to change or no? Expensive?



The motor will be out of the car for all this work..

I forgot to add.. The reason I was curious about the front cover o-ring was because I thought it was a problem when people were building the motors, not an issue of the o-ring failing..



Which makes me nervous to reinstall the front cover after tearing it off because if I had the wrong o-ring or something... ?

Hey Colin,



The only time I've ever heard of the front cover o-ring failing was abused (oil starved) or during a bad assembly of the front cover (when the o-ring wasn't put on properly, such as on the older 13B's prior to Series 5, when the o-ring would shear and cause some of the pressurized oil to dump back into the oil pan.



If you trace the oil pathway through the galleys in the front iron housing, it goes like this:



Oil pickup tube/strainer in the oil pan -> oil galley to oil pump -> up over and around inside the oil pump -> oil galley to 90 degree turn -> oil galley up to front cover o-ring and front cover oil galley -> front oil cooler line



If the front cover o-ring is sheared or missing, the oil pump will pull oil out of the pan and then dump it directly back into it, creating a loop. That's where the overall RPM oil pressure drop comes from.



The earlier 13B's had a smaller o-ring land that would house just the o-ring itself. The newer 13B's had a wider o-ring land that would also accompany a thin, teflon ring to help prevent any mis-installation of the o-ring and any shearing.



Here's a link to some pictures I have setup that detail front cover components' re-assembly: http://bdc.cyberosity.com/pictures/1...CoverAssembly/



Here's the front cover o-ring and teflon ring installed on an S5 motor closeup:



http://bdc.cyberosity.com/pictures/1...gInstalled.Jpg



This help any? Before you tear the front cover off, verify your oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. Plumb it where the factory oil pressure sending unit is. If it's an FC, at operating temp (idling), you should see about 30 to 45psi at idle and in the mid to high ~60's psi at 2500rpm and above.



If you do tear it off, replace the o-ring and teflon ring. Use Hylomar to help hold it in place. For gasketting, I recommend NOT using the Mazda replacement gasket but, instead, using Permatex Ultra Black. Make sure to scotch-brite the gasket surfaces with brake/carb cleaner adequately before applying or it will leak.



Good luck,



B

There's only one part number for it and it comes w/ the teflon ring.



Also, in your Mazda (or equivalent) gasket set you'd buy for doing an engine job, there's a mess of o-rings in there. The front cover o-ring is unique from all of these: It's slightly lighter in colour, it's thinner, and it's the only one of its size compared to the fuel injector diffuser o-rings (I think there's 8 of those in a gasket set and they can be easily mistaken for a front cover o-ring).



B

Thanks! Very helpful..



Is there an instructional somewhere that describes how to pull the front cover?



It's pretty simple isn't it? Main pulley shaft bolt, then remove pulley, then pull cover? Or..

pulley, front flange bolt, front flange, 6 front cover bolts and you're done. of course you have to take off the oil pan too. and your leak on the front is prolly your crush washer on the front bolt, cheap and easy fix. but yea get your oil pellet too.

Awesome thanks guys. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/smile.png



I love this place

Me, too. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/smile.png It sure is better than the "other" forum. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png



B

but if you use a metal front cover gasket, you only use the teflon, not the rubber

I've never even seen a metal cover gasket.. Just herad about them in other threads.. Who is selling them?