HI all - recently replaced my valve cover gasket a few days before a track event and lo and behold I get to the track day and I have a steady drip of oil on the ground while the engine is running. After a few weeks of troubleshooting, I finally figured out that the leak seems to be coming from the banjo bolt behind the VVT oil feed. I took it out and put it back but nothing seems particularly wrong with it. Outside of ordering a replacement from Mazda, any advice?


EDIT: I meant to mention, the sucker was definitely over torqued when I had to remove it the first time. It is I guess at an odd angle so I can't really get anything on it without grabbing a light impact to get it off, but again, visually everything on it looks fine.

 

The copper washers are single use, and become work hardened and then don’t seal. You could try re annealing them, or just replace.

 

thanks! I didn't realize that. During the track day event I tried to go out for one session and after a few laps my clutch started to slip pretty good. The people at the track day thought it was a rear main seal leak getting on to the clutch pad. Is there any chance the oil from this leak was somehow making it into the transmission bellhousing? Are there places where it could? I assumed it was a pretty tight *** seal.

 

I picked up these from harbor freight. Their largest size was the right size and my leak has finally stopped!

https://www.harborfreight.com/80-pie...waAuofEALw_wcB

Its the one they label as 5/8" and is the most reasonable price I've found.

 

Yes banjo leaks can and do make it into the bellhousing.
Actually pulled a new motor out when I thought I had a bad main seal at startup before finding banjo wasn't tight enough.
Washers are single use.

 

Make sure all the clamps & brackets on the VVT solenoid oil feed pipe are still intact. Some builders will delete a bracket to simplify installation and service. That usually leaks to a cracked banjo or pipe.