Cam seals and valve cover gasket are good. No cas, that plug is holding fine. It's pooling under the water pump on top of the oil pump. Trickling by that hex cap (that covers the relief valve?)

Motor has to come out again. I just don't know how to seal it any better than I had the first time.

Liberal amounts, finger tighten, wait 30 minutes, then torque all the way?

I've used just a gasket before. It was a mess shortly after the first start up.

And I seriously doubt I had a '94+ oil pump.

The oil pump I have is shimmed to run at a slightly higher oil pressure (+14psi), this shouldn't overpower the o-ring in any way right? I don't need to move on to a fatter plush oring to create a tighter seal?

In any event, stock parts are coming in soon. Just the last question:

Do you guys wait for the RTV to become tacky before you fully torque against the block, or do you just tighten it and hope for the best?

My BE pump is also shimmed and I had no leaks at it with the stock OEM o-ring or one made at the local hydraulic shop.

I don't build 1.6s, but Comp had the wrong p/n on their '94 page for the oil pump so I ended up with a 1.6 pump for a custom '94 build (my standard builds get Boundary VVT pumps). Gasket only, no o-ring, no RTV, clean surfaces, no mess.

+1.

It really should be either/or, not both. Something else was wrong with your 1.6 Curly.

Huh, weird. It's leakless as of now, so oh well.

I am also using a +1 shim BE pump, RTV in the groove, no gasket. No leaks south of the head gasket. All my issues are up top, valve cover and cam seals.

Are you running the rubber O ring? I just looked and my new OEM pump has the groove for it, but did not come with a new o-ring. Guess that is what I'll be hunting down next.

From reading several install articles, it just looks like I lay the bead of RTV and bolt the pump right on completely. I had previously installed it, left it finger tight, then after a half an hour, tightened the rest of the way. Perhaps this method (read from somewhere I cannot locate) allowed for the creation of microchannels as the RTV started to set. My bad. Redo.



O-RING (FE1H-14-122B) - $3.76 - FE1H14122B

I used this method for my oil pan the last time I had it off with great success. However, for the pump i'd agree that this is a bad idea. I'd put a light line of silicone on there and torque it to spec immediately, then let it dry.

In general, letting RTV setup a bit (15 minutes or so) prior to final torque is good practice (for example, do this on your oil pan). For the pump, it's imperative to get the O-ring fully compressed -- so torque right away.

o ring
 

I had to pull my motor once because I didn't realize the pump I got needed an o-ring. I was pissed, at myself.

I just started the car up after sealing it back up nice and fresh. It still leaks; looks like from the same area. I wonder if the surfaces aren't flat.

Anyone have any leak issues with boundary engineering pumps? I'm at such a loss I have no idea what to do. I have no clue if a dealer would even touch this. But I have no facility to pull the motor myself another time.

anyone in the new england area willing to take on an oil pump job for pay?

Did you use dye? Do you know EXACTLY where your leak is coming from?

Yea the first time I saw it pooling at the top of the oil pump near where the o ring was housed. It's the same. I'm wondering if the o ring is unseating itself

Pooling at the top of the oil pump makes me think cam seals.

Seriously, clean it up, dye it, run (idle only in the driveway -- no airflow) until you have oil. Take a black light picture for us.

I would be shocked at this point if you have an oil pump leak. Remember the definition of insanity.

Wouldn't it collect on the water pump first?

I tried taking a picture/video today of the location and it's near impossible for me to angle properly and provide light.

I can try again, but last time I used the UV dye, the valve cover gasket and cam seals were fine. Even the back of the block didn't show evidence of leakage.

I think Leach took some images on his phone of the UV mess

Same photo first in normal light, then blacklight.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1398172590

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1398172590