Hi Guys,
Should I bother replacing the air bleed o rings? if so are they the same size as the fuel injector o rings? What type do I use and where should I pick them up from?

Any suggestions on where I can pick up a new water pump for cheap, as well as the shims?

Also have any of you had the issue of peeling paint inside the oil pan?! I am not sure how I should go about preventing paint flakes/chips from circulating into my engine when i put it all back together... I started stripping the paint for a bare finish but i'm not sure if thats such a good idea anymore. Suggestions?

 

atkins.. ( IIRC ) 13.8 x 2.4 cs

bare pan is fine .. it wil have oil in it

 

water pumps are like 50 bucks at the common parts houses...

s4 or s5? s5 didn't have the shims (to the best of my knowledge - and experience with 2 s5s). s4 ones are reusable.

 

Its an s4 NA I lost the shims =( I also lost many of the nuts and bolts to put the car together =(!! so frustrated! I can't seem to find a cheap place to purchase the few transmission to block bolts, stripped a lot of them in the process as well...

 

dont need the water pump shims if you fit the waterpump with RTV and no gasket between water pump housing and front plate

 

Or you could spend the 3 dollars on the correct gasket and do it the non-redneck way?

I'm all for being cheap with these old FC's but damn guys, come on, cheaping out in a 3 dollar paper gasket for the cooling system in an inaccessible area, really?

The shims are used to make up for the thickness of the gasket so that the WPH sits flat. It's theoretically possible that you could have a leak at the gasket (or rtv) without them, since the WPH would be sitting at a slight angle on the gasket without the shims. That said, most people are not even aware that they are supposed to be there and I have seen numerous engines assembled without them which apparently had no leak issues.

 

I have a drawer full of those air bleed o-rings, send me a SASE and I'll send you a few back. I also have the shims.

 

hmm .. $3 you say....

well where i am you might want to add mazda WA mark up..
that makes it closer to $15
.. you have to order it.. so that adds 5 business days
.. you have to pay for the washers ( and order them too )
and then you have to drive 70 km to collect them,, then 70 km back,, that is 3 hrs in traffic and $25 in fuel


think i will stick with the RTV,, which has never leaked ,, and has never fused to the front plate and or water pump housing .. and save a lot of hassle and chase up .. for .. what improvement?

and how good is that stock gasket anyhow when i have to stick a 12a timing cover and water pump on say an FD engine retrofit to early RX...........there is no gasket that will suit correctly.. RTV is the prudent solution

so ,, for some,, for the cost,, for the chase up hassle .. and for sealing right in the retrofit scenario then i think RTV has three distinct wins
and if you find yourself in that boat,, adding the shims will make it leak.....