Hi guys,
I got my engine back from Turbo Clinic Miami yesterday. Actually me and him put it together so I can say that I have minor experience in engine building now! Anyway I'm I'm looking at my pilot bearing and wondering if it should be replaced. Please see the video.
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Bearings are cheap, removing the transmission to replace one is expensive and unnecessary especially since you already have the engine out as it is. Replace it.

 

Your video show the release bearing, not the pilot bearing, but you should replace both of them while you have access.

 

Thanks for the quick reply guys. I didn't get the pilot but I got the throw out bearing. well time to put it in.

 

I would install a new pilot bearing as well. If the one in the eccentric shaft is original there's a good chance that its failed and you'll have to pull the trans. Now is the time to replace it and the seal!

 

Change it! Its like $20 for both the bearing and seal. Take it from me as about 6 months I had a seized pilot bearing that locked my engine and transmission together (you can not disengage the clutch either). I spend hours using chisels and flat head screwdrivers hammered between the bell-housing and engine to get them apart. I then had to chisel the seized bearing out of the crank to make room for the new one. If you don't have a puller just just the bread/socket method, it always works for me.

 

does anyone know the specs for 6 speed manual 04 transmission bolts? I think i lost one and mislabeled them. confused between two sets of bolts.

 

Which bolts? The trans to engine bolts?

 

I got that sorted out

 

all fuses good

 

Check the connections at the starter and ensure they are clean and tight. Ensure that the signal wire is fastened properly. Check all grounds under the hood and check the negative cable ground as well.

 

Will do. That was my next move. I was checking the battery level with my multimeter and got sparks so I figured it was a ground. Also I think I broke that flat electric connector on the starter. I will have to fasten some kind of connector.

 

the starter isn't attempting to turn over. Even with a dead or dying battery your will hear clicks. Make sure you didn't hook the starter up wrong and blow the fuse. Check your starter connects and your main fuses.

 

I checked the starter and everything seems to be tight. the battery terminals are tight too. the lower intake manifold ground wire is tight and a ground wire from the main harness to the engine on the side next to the spark plugs is tight.





What is that?

 

I think the little mystery black box is a condenser to reduce ignition noise in the stereo system.

If you don't even hear the starter solenoid pushing the starter gear out then power isn't making it to the starter.

Pull the starter relay and use a multimeter to check voltage at each of the two larger pins (in the relay socket, not on the relay itself which will be unpowered when the relay is out). One should be 0V and the other should be whatever B+ voltage is. If you don't have power there, then the starter relay can't send any power to the starter. If you do have power there then test the relay.

You can also run a wire from B+ to the spade connector on the starter. In fact, if you haven't already done this to prime the oiling system, do it. Pull the oil filter and run the starter this way in a few short intervals until you see oil at the filter pedestal. If the starter doesn't turn by applying voltage directly to the spade connector this way, you either have a bad starter or a serious wiring problem.

 

raining now
ill give it a try when it clears

 

main fuse is good too. have to test the relays

 

Take a picture of your starter next time you are under there that way we can rule out that the power lead hasn't been mounted to the ground on the solenoid. I doubt the starter is bad because it worked before the engine change. The good news is it really can only be a few things...

 

Gets 12v to the pole...

 

the starter clicks 1 time

 

If it's the solenoid clicking then that means it's getting power and pushing the starter gear forward to engage the flywheel.

Kind of sounds like either your battery can't provide enough current to actually turn the motor or the starter is bad. Batteries can have a failure mode where they provide 12V but have very little current capacity.

You should be able to take both starter and battery to Autozone, O'Reilly, Advance, etc and have them test both.

 

I swapped batteries with a Scion xB. No luck with the scioS battery so I used the rx8 battery and drove the Scion around for a while. Put it back in same thing. Slapped the starter with a hammer... 1 click. How would I know if it's a starter or a ground? I'm going to take the starter out but leave the wires attached and see if it spins.

 

The starter is hooked up correctly...

You are getting power to the starter so it shouldn't be a relay or fuse.

You confirmed the battery is okay.

It would be odd to have the starter work before the engine pull and not work after... (likely not the starter assuming you didn't hook it up incorrectly at some time)

If it were me I would try two things

I would try turning the motor over by hand by using a socket on the crank bolt (with the car out of gear of course) to ensure that the motor isn't locked (worst case senario).

I would also take the starter out of the bell-housing and just let is hang there and try cranking it to see if the starter would free spin....

If those don't work, I would make a 4 or 8 AWG ground wire and connect it directly from the negative on the starter solenoid and connect the other end a strong ground point on the frame somewhere... (If that really juices things up it maybe a simple grounding issue)

I must let you know that I am not an expert, but this is what I would try....

 

Take the starter to an auto parts store. Have them test it for free.

 

Good right?