Oem flywheel bolts? If they're too long they'll lock up the motor. And that's something that wouldn't show itself on the stand.

 

Nice idea and, at this point, that actually sounds like one of the "best case" scenarios too.

 

Brilliant thinking Curly! I have seen this first hand.....and didn't think of it! Props to you Sir....

 

It's only because I just pulled my flywheel off and noticed mine are blind, which explains my "RMS" leak.

 

Curly, please forgive my ignorance, but what did you mean by "blind" ?

 

Excuse me, I meant through hole.



Through on the left, blind on the right.

 

Can you imagine the naming conventions if thing were named nowdays?

No blind holes, no slave drives, no bastard files.

 

I have used the factory flywheel bolts. The strange thing is, I can't replicate the problem anymore. I have installed the transmission, and drove the car for a short bit. I had an oil leak coming from the oil pump pressure relief bolt. Which lead me to this thread: https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...ht-pics-58278/





I took it out and used a thread sealant and put it back on. Now I have a small leak from the front of the oil pan. I suspect the front main seal. But I am also now throwing a CEL, the car is idling a little rough and it randomly struggles to start. I suspect I'm off by a tooth on my timing belt. I will double check both next weekend. Does this look like it is properly lined up?

 

your cams are timed relative to one another.

No idea on timing relative to the crankshaft though.

 

Hm, it should be TDC, but I'll double check it tonight. I think I may off on my timing belt based on this thread: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=227838

 

Cams look good, it's always hard to tell unless you take two pictures, straight on the cam marks of each one. Kind of like trying to read the speedo from the passenger seat.

 

Is this a little better:



I know its hard to see, but this is the current position of the timing sprocket. I haven't had time to remove the accessory belts and timing belt cover. I'm temporarily working two jobs.



I found this thread when I was looking up CEL codes:

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=227838

This is why I suspected the timing belt being off. I will double check the CEL code as soon as I get a chance.

 

looks PDG to me

 

So have confirmed my oil leak is coming from my front crank seal. I used a flyin miata front crank seal install tool and it pressed the crank seal further in by about 5mm. My question is, should I replace it or try using it again? The front seal is few months old and has about 15 miles of use. I also plan on using the cam seal installing tool to double check the cam seals.







I also had a chicken that would not leave my garage, no idea why.

 

I "believe" you're only supposed to have 19 belt teeth between the marker lines on the camshaft pulleys - from mentally superimposing the images on top of each other, it looks like you've got 20 teeth between the marker lines.

 

Nah, I looks right if you count from either side's cam marker to the middle of the FM tool; 10 teeth including the dead center one from either side, which adds up to 19 (since you don't count the center one twice).


Umm . .. chicks dig miatas ?

 

I had better luck with a Felpro gasket. You can also tighten the inside spring a little.

 

Well, I put everything back together. The cam seals are not leaking. But the front crank seal is puking oil. Is there a brand I should buy for the front main seal? Or should I buy an oem one? I used the seals that came with my upper gasket kit.

 

If you happened to score the crank when removing the old gasket, you won't get a decent seal with anything. As a habit, I only use OEM seals, but it seems most people who've had leaks found it was caused by either a nick on the seal surface (crank) or an over/under depth placement of the seal.