Hey,

My 2004 6speed rx8 with 180,000KM has been leaking oil lately from behind the crank pulley, after doing some reading it seems its most likely the oil seal.

I read its not a easy job and I also heard some people getting quoted like $500 to get it fixed from mazda, I just called my local mazda and they said its a 1-2 hour job to replace @ $90/h, does their pricing seem right? seems nice and low... whats the hard part about trying to change it myself? is it basically getting the bolt free and replacement the seal? or is there a lot more to it and is mazda actually quoting me wrong?

Will only one seal be required for this job? or do more seals needs to be replaced to get to the main seal?


I appreciate any info, thanks!

 

the hard part is there is a chance that the installer will mess up the front stack, which in simply terms, if leave unfix, will **** up your engine.

it's doable, but just sort of hard with the front cover attached to the engine. the safest way is to remove the front cover, hammer the old seal out, new seal in, and of course make sure the front stack is sticking by using something ultra sticky like vaseline, then put it back all together. and check the end play BEFORE starting the engine.

 

If I had been quoted that price, I would have had it done. It is not hard, there is a DIY, I added some stuff to it, but it really takes 2 or 3 people unless you have the flywheel tool that works through the starter hole. It sounds like they know the easy way to do it. The hard way starts with pulling the engine.

Now, if they screw it up, and do not pin the clutch pedal forward, it can do a lot of damage. The clutch pedal needs to be braced all the way to the floor the ENTIRE time. I shoved a few cabinet shims between the back of the pressure plate and the transmission housing just to be sure.

I even had one of my helpers makes sure the key was safe, he pulled it out and handed it to me. If you read the DIY, you will know that is not what is meant by "keeping it safe".

 

Alright thanks for the info

Looks like I am going to try and get mazda to do it, if for some reason they change their pricing on me I will try and do it myself

I wonder if mazda will get me a new engine if they screw it up :P

So all that is needed for this job is the main seal and labour? Will the fact that I have an Agency power underdrive pulley make this job any harder to do? or is it just loosening the belts and breaking the bolt free and pulling the crank pulley off?

 

I watched my atkins 13b rebuild video to help me understand and it all makes sense now and it really doesnt seem too hard to do yourself unless its hard to hold the flywheel with a crowbar.

The video helped me understand that we hold the clutch pedal in before breaking the bolt free to keep the e-shaft from moving backwards and having the torrington bearing fall out of position, leave it pressed in untill job is done, ill be doing this job in the near future i honestly don't trust the mechanics with the rotary engine

thanks guys

 

You got it.

I think I used a 27 inch firing strip, I likely posted it to the DIY.

I think you can get cabinet shims at lowes, and shove them between the pressure plat and trans housing for insurance.

Use a small torch to heat the end of the bolt. The sealer installed is on the threads, and is gluing it all together. I put a hell of a bend in a half inch breaker bar (3 ft) with 2 people pulling before I said screw it and torched the bolt. It came out easy after that.

Get a new o-ring for the bolt when you get the seal. I always buy 2 of each when I attempt something like this.

Tell you buddies that being careful of the key does NOT mean to carefully extract it. Go over this several times. Use a small screwdriver to hold it in while pulling the pulley mount forward.

Yes, the key is on the bottom when you line up all the marks. But, it seems captive, it can only be pulled out.

If you use a depth gauge, use a 6" or smaller one, an 8" will not fit down there no matter how much room you think you have.

I pulled the lower pulley to make things easier. Make sure you mark it and the sensor plate to put them back on the same way.

Finding someone else who needs this done can help. We did 2 when I did mine.

This is a great opportunity to clean the ESS...

Good Luck.

 

Thanks, I had a feeling the bolt would be tight and need to be heated, did you use a regular propane torch to heat it? how long did you torch it for?

So when pulling the pulley hub piece it can sometimes pulls the pin out with it? So i should be very careful when pulling it off and use a flathead screwdriver to keep it in position?

What do you mean the key is on the bottom and can only be pulled out? Im a little confused when reading that. Wont the key be in a random position depending where the e-shaft last stopped when shutting the engine off? and its not possible to push the key in too far is it?

 

Also was wondering one more thing, is it possible to just leave the car on ground in gear with some wheel chokes to break the bolt free? I dont see why it wouldn't work.... then after breaking the bolt free make sure to press the clutch in before loosening any further?

Wouldn't this method work and be a lot easier?

 

The answer to your question is NO absolutely not, this is because you need to engage the clutch to have pressure on the flywheel at all times, if the Ecc shaft moves even the slightest bit and that bearing falls out your engine is toast.

I actually did mine alone, I said I used a friend but the friend was the ground, you take the starter off and wedge a tire dismounting tool wedged to a flywheel tooth and the ground. It takes some time to rotate the engine in the perfect place to wedge it perfect but it works.

I made the DIY a few years ago, let me know if you have any questions.

DIY is here

 

Ok makes sense, guess i will be trying to hold the flywheel with a crowbar lol.

Alright the DIY looks really good, just wondering about step 6, though, I run an agency power underdrive pulley, will it have the flat alignment mark you speak of? and i guess the purpose of lining the mark up is to make sure the pin is on top after taking the pulley off?

Thanks for the info

 

I am honestly not sure why the TSB calls for that , I believe its because that is the best position of the rotors and ecc shaft, and to be sure you place to pulley back in the right position.