http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8272/cars075it6.jpg

My crush washer on my drain plug wasn't in great shape so maybe some leaked out and filmed around? Or am I just being hopelessly optimistic and the pan gasket is f'ed up?

It looks like ur gasket is f-ed up.

Yep, Its leaking.

The OEM oil sealant dosen't last long. I scraped all of mine off the block and pan, chased the bolt hole threads and cleaned them out. Cleaned the bolts and bolt threads.
I used the copper colored gasket stuff in a tube.

Never leaked again until I took out the pan with a large rock.

One note to be aware of:
Since some of the bolt holes are in the Aluminum housings if there is debris in the holes and the bolt is threaded and torqued down the housing WILL crack.

That oil isn't coming from the seal - it would be on the pan, not the "block", it's coming from above.

You will notice your "leak" is right below the dip-stick - you are a messy oil checker, nothing more.

Use brake cleaner spray to clean it up, then watch where it re-occurs.

S

damn, so it's not just me that has this oil pan seal leak issue

how hard is it to have this re-sealed?

That oil isn't coming from the seal - it would be on the pan, not the "block", it's coming from above.

You will notice your "leak" is right below the dip-stick - you are a messy oil checker, nothing more.

Use brake cleaner spray to clean it up, then watch where it re-occurs.

S

or it is draining down from oil spilled during filter change..

beers :beer:

now that I think about it I think you are right. I will de-oil using brake cleaner and check in a while. Which brings up another good question. How on earth do you change the filter without at least some oil spilling?

Wrap a rag under the filter while unscrewing it and taking it out.

i heard you can pop a hole in the filter with a nail or screw then let the oil drain out...and switch the filter as your last step, the rag should be used aswell

Punck two holes around the top edge of the filter before you drain the pan. As you are getting the drain tub under the car and removing the plug the filter will be draining down.
This is kind of dangerous but put the plug back in, fill with oil then replace the filter, this allows the max oil to drain from the filter.

Sorry,I meant punch holes.

Damn pubic skools!!!

Well I just unscrew it a little bit to crack the seal, allowing air to go in and oil to drain out. Maybe a little leaks out then. But then when I take it totally out I always drip some. I can only get one hand in there so I can't do the towel thing. Maybe if I do the pretzel and get the other hand in below the hoses....

The hole punch idea is inovative but don't you worry about jarring the threading of the oil filter screw?

if its just oil filter's left overs.

Go buy a can of electric cleaner. and just spray on the area for maybe 10 seconds.

Clean engine. no mess.

No I do not worry about it, been knocking holes in the filter since 1985 when my neighbor bought her 84 RX7 and I started doing all the maintenance.
Any possible jarring of the threads is negated by the rubber sealing ring on the filter.

Well I just unscrew it a little bit to crack the seal, allowing air to go in and oil to drain out. Maybe a little leaks out then. But then when I take it totally out I always drip some. I can only get one hand in there so I can't do the towel thing.

I use a thin 4-foot section of bamboo to snug a couple of shop rags around the base of the filter, and then to retrieve them. Lightweight and easy to maneuver. Works like a charm. I hate punching a hole in the filter because I like to put them back upside-down in the box while they await their trip the the recycle center.

You don't have to use bamboo; It just happens to be one of the many weeds in our yard :). A 1/4 inch wooden dowel would work fine.

Don't use brake cleaner, it eats paint.

WD-40 or Simple Green removes oil grunge without hurting paint.

bump because I just had this taken care of on Saturday.

I took it to Rosenthal Arlington Mazda for the oil leak around the oil pan, once they verified that the oil is indeed leaking from the seal, they not only just re-sealed the pan, they actually replaced the whole oil pan and gasket, all under the extended powertrain warranty for all 04-06 RX-8s. I was pleasantly surprised :D

The pan is a TSB item.
However, your "leak" was absolutely not so.
Good news - you got a new oil pan that you deserved.
Bad news, the tech at Rosenthal is, at best, a scammer (they billed Mazda corporate for hours) or, at worst, an idiot.

Don't use brake cleaner, it eats paint.

WD-40 or Simple Green removes oil grunge without hurting paint.

umm I would have to have VERY bad aim to hit any paint while cleaning the oil pan/block

That said I have both brake cleaner and simple green and i will try both to see which is better when i actually crawl under my car and do this.

bump because the leak is back :(

and now that my warranty has expired, i can either try to do the oil pan re-seal myself, or have a local garage give it a shot. how hard is it to reseal the pan?

Its weird to have the oil pan leak.
Did you hit something?

No, but your walrus is pissed.

Its weird to have the oil pan leak.
Did you hit something?

no, my oil pan never hit anything.

maybe i'll clean the engine/pan w/ electric parts cleaner first and try to track down exactly where it is leaking. it's leaking towards the rear of the engine, there's oil stain across the crossmember behind the oil pan, on the oil pan, and on rear rotor housing and rear rotor sidewall.

no, my oil pan never hit anything.

maybe i'll clean the engine/pan w/ electric parts cleaner first and try to track down exactly where it is leaking. it's leaking towards the rear of the engine, there's oil stain across the crossmember behind the oil pan, on the oil pan, and on rear rotor housing and rear rotor sidewall.

Have you changed the oil since you last had it replaced?

I would bet it isn't a pan leak if it looks like the original post.......It could be a oil filler tube seal leak...or more likely a poor oil change leak like mentioned above. Or if it in that corner check the oil pressure sender area...