Can anyone help me find the way to remove the e-shaft bolt. I have oil leak and trying to replace the front main seal myself. I am stuck at the E-shaft bolt couldn't get it off. I have heated it up with the blow torch, make sure to secure the clutch with the 2x4. Just don't know how to get the bolt off without the e-shaft for turning. Anyone have done this before please help me out the some tips. Thanks

 

There are some major pitfalls if you have never done this before so be careful...

Big *** impact gun is the best answer..............

 

Pitfall??? I follow madzatrix tip on anchor down the clutch. As far as big *** impact gun, the engine is in the car so i don't have enought room for the big gun.

 

When you say that you secured the clutch with a 2x4, are you saying that you removed the transmission and wedged a 2x4 onto the flywheel to keep it from turning?
If so, that is all you should need to do to prevent the e-shaft from turning.

 

No. the 2x4 is to wedge the clutch padle so all the stuff behind the pulley hub will stay in place and not fall off of it position. If this step is not perform, things can go wrong and that I may have to take the front cover off.

 

i have done this with the engine in the car . I jammed a crowbar into the holes in my act flywheel - not sure if you can do similar to std flywheel but if you got someone to jam the ring gear teeth with something it may work . There is actually a special tool for this but I have a feeling the gearbox needs to be removed to use it .
Then get a 1/2" drive socket and bar on the nut . Attach a long length of pipe to the bar and swing like f**k on it

 

That is pretty much what I was thinking about Brettus.
I use a flywheel stopper to prevent the e-shaft from spinning when removing the flywheel nut.
Don't see why you couldn't do the same thing for the e-shaft nut.
Sucks to remove the transmission just to do this, but its a sure way to prevent the e-shaft from spinning.

You can buy the flywheel stopper here (bottom of page):
http://www.mazdatrix.com/8clutch.htm

 

try kissing it some more at the top of the shaft

usually works for me

 

Maybe heating will kill the thermo oil pellet in the e-shaft, and if it stuck in bypass mode you will have oil pressure problems. The problem is that you won't see it without gauge, but your engine will die.
I think it is better to throw away the pellet, and plug in the e-shaft's oil bypass holes.

 

Put a stout strap-wrench on the front crank pulley.

S

 

why not take the time and poull the engine and set it on the flywheel and do the front cover seal as well? mazdatrix sells a flywheel stopper that will hold the flywheel in place if need be. a 3/4 drive impact gun is your best bet to removing that bolt.

 

Just get a good solid breaker bar and use a chain wrench to hold the pulley.

 

Flywheel stop FTW.

 

They both come off easily with a 1/2 or 3/4" impact

Or a long breaker bar and extension

 

Or, the leg of an engine hoist on a breaker bar

 

LOL...or a handle from a jack

 

Sledge hammers are surprisingly versatile tools ....that's all i'm sayin'.

 

Yeah, my jack handle doubles as a breaker bar extension quite often. We actually tweaked the flywheel stop trying to remove a flywheel nut recently. Pretty scary with the engine on the stand.

The 5lb sledge is a very versatile tool,

 

That's why the 3/4" impact is the king The one I have will remove the flywheel bolt with one swat

Gotta watch it doesn't make the motor flip over though

 

You guys are all trying to do this the hard way.
Get your socket and bar and place the socket on the bolt and rest the bar on a chassis rail or something solid so it can't move.
Then put your ignition key in the ignition and turn the key so the starter motor is just starting to turn the motor and then turn the key off.
Job done.
I've used this method when doing cranks seal on Subaru's, works every time.
Simply and easy.

Your impact driver is the starter motor, it has more torque than any impact driver.

Rotaman

 

Yeah, my compressor just died and I am searching for a big replacement now so I can run proper shop tools like a blast cabinet. etc. I bought my father a 900FT/lb 1/2" IR impact and that thing is awesome. I see now they have 1200ft/lb 1/2" impacts

It's all about the tools man!

 

Tried this on my 8 years ago .... didn't work for me .

 

Brett
Maybe your starter motor was a bit tired. I'm sure you aren't going to tell me you have more torque in your arms then a starter motor.
Anyway this is a very simple and effective way to do it, if your starter motor is not stuffed as well.

Rotaman

 

When swinging on the end of a 1m+ long bar .............yes ............... a lot more

 

Only just got this - 4 years too late .