Thanks, Culry. Though, you are making me nervous, like AR has not properly diagnosed the issue. Tuning, eh? Also, I did not realize you have to get ride of the EGR for the re-route. I guess I will work on sealing up the radiator tight and work on some hood venting...with a second hood of course.

As for the knock sensor, that might be my bad in reporting what Eddie said. I think he knows better than that.

I am drafting a note to AR regarding the possibility of being mislead by a leak further forward in the engine and to double check on a cleaned engine.

Damn I wish the oil filter was less messy to change.

Thank you, all, very much.

I personally have no idea what the leak is from, my only comment was the quality of the paper gaskets their water pump kits include, they like to leak.

Oil pan leaks are plenty likely at 158k.

Oh, I know. I did not do a good multi-quote there so it kinda seemed like i was commenting only on your info. Sorry about that.

Also, when i am given information on a forum I treat it just as an idea rather than a diagnosis or definitive thing I should do. The final decision is still "mine" regardless of what anyone else says and therefore is my responsibility (for better or worse).

:brain: though right now I feel like Pinky.

Is this the MSM that had the horribly sloppy shifter that I test drove? Wouldn't be too surprised if the oil pan was leaking, it seemed neglected. So if it ran hot at all, it would cook the oil pan seals pretty quickly.

I rebuilt the shifter from the bottom cup all the way up. Shifts like a champ now; no heat transfer through the shifter boot.

The CELs that were on the car were all related to spark. I brought my code reader and used the sloppy shifter and x4 codes to haggle. Changed the plugs and wires and x3 of the CEL went away and have not come back. the 4th was the clutch sensor by the peddle or something and went away with some cleaning and use.

There is a MSM for sale in town in like 35k on it. damn it! Took bad I already put the roll-bar on mine.

Curly, is this from experience? I feel like this is probably one of the more rare occurrences in a miata (at least from my experience). I am more inclined to believe a shitty job on a front main or a cam seal during a timing belt change, than an oil pan leak.

Unless the oil pan was removed at some point...

I emailed AR. They did acknowledge some surprise about the oil pan, noted the cam-seal spread possibility but feel that it really is both. I'm not there, and even if I was would not necessarily know what to look for...besides leaking motor-blood.

Well, if the PO let the shifter get that bad, he/she probably ran it low on coolant, low on oil, cooked all the seals, etc. So once the front main and rear main are cooked, they leak. It runs low on oil, running hotter. Turbo really doesn't help here. Then this hot, low oil car runs even hotter, cooking the oil pan gaskets, and that's where my lack of surprise comes from.

However, I also believe that a factory sealed pan would last a few thousand miles with all of the bolts removed, they seriously stick on when they're cleaned well. So I guess I'm 50/50 in believing the leaky pan story.

I just hope there is not reason to believe that AR would purposefully get that wrong vs. just not looking closely enough.

well, just about anything that is a gasket on the tranny and engine that can be replaced without cracking the block or tanny case was replaced.

went with the "FM level 1 clutch" which is just a Competition Clutch that I sourced elsewhere for like $55 less. Drives amazingly well.

Anyhow, just need to nail down one last plumbing thing as we wired in the MS2. Other projects remain like sealing the radiator well, etc. etc., but I think the car will be happier with me once tuned, esp. now with the other stuff I have added.

Thank you all for the input on ideas about what to service.

Cheers.