Engine Disassembly

NOTE: With engine removed from vehicle, disassemble in the following order.

Remove hot air duct from exhaust manifold. Remove exhaust manifold with thermal reactor. Mount engine in suitable engine stand (49 0839 000, 49 0813 005 and 49 0820 006).
Remove all emission control components from engine. Remove metering oil pump rod, oil lines and vacuum sensing line from carburetor. Remove intake manifold with carburetor.
Remove alternator, water pump pulley and water pump. Remove both distributors. Identify distributors with a mark to ensure that they are installed in same position. Remove distributor sockets.
Attach suitable flywheel holder (49 0820 060A) to flywheel. Remove eccentric shaft pulley bolt, pulley and key. Remove clutch assembly and flywheel retaining nut using suitable wrench (49 0820 035).
Remove flywheel using suitable puller (49 0823 300). Rotate engine in stand so that bottom of engine is facing up. Remove oil pan and oil pickup.
Mark rotor housings designating front and rear for reassembly. Rotate engine in stand until front of engine is facing up. Remove engine mounting bracket and engine front cover.
Remove "O" ring from oil passage on front housing. Slide oil slinger, spacer and distributor drive off of eccentric shaft. Remove oil pump drive chain adjuster.
Remove nut securing sprocket to oil pump. Slide off oil pump drive sprocket and driven sprocket with chain. Remove key in eccentric shaft.
Slide off balance weight, thrust washer and needle bearing from shaft, remove bearing housing retaining bolts. Slide off bearing housing, needle bearing, spacer and thrust washer from eccentric shaft.
Loosen tension bolts in sequence shown in illustration.
NOTE: Do not remove bolts all at one time, slightly loosen bolts in sequence two or three times.

Fig 1: Tension Bolt Loosening Sequence
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove front housing and check for any seals that might have stuck to rotor running surface. If any seals are found, reinstall in original position in rotor.
Remove three corner seals and springs, and six side seals and springs. Place seals in a suitable seal case (49 0813 250) in accordance with marks next to appropriate seal groove in rotor side face.
These marks are used to ensure that seals are installed in original grooves in rotor during installation. Remove sealing rubbers and "O" rings from front rotor housing.
Hold rotor housing down and withdraw tubular dowels using suitable extracting tool (49 0813 215). Remove front rotor housing. Remove "O" rings, sealing rubbers and air injection nozzles from front rotor housing.

Fig 2: Extracting Tubular Dowels
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove apex seals and springs. Place an identification mark on bottom of seal noting direction when installed. Place apex seal in seal case.
Remove front rotor from eccentric shaft. Remove seals from rear side of rotor and place in seal case. Hold intermediate housing down and withdraw tubular dowels as previously outlined.

Fig 3: Identifying Apex Seals For Reassembly
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove intermediate housing by sliding off of eccentric shaft. Pull eccentric shaft out of rear rotor and rotor housing. Remove rear rotor housing and rotor, following same procedure as outlined for front rotor housing and rotor.

ROTOR HOUSING, INTERMEDIATE HOUSING & ROTOR

Engine	ROTOR HOUSING		INTERMEDIATE HOUSING		ROTOR
Engine	Width In. (mm)	Distortion Limit In. (mm)	Width In. (mm)	Distortion Limit In. (mm)	Inside Diameter In. (mm)	Housing-to-Rotor Clearance In. mm)	Land Protrusion In. (mm)
1972-73
RX2 & RX3	2.7551-.27559 (69.98-70.00)	.003 (.04)	1.9646-1.9724 (49.90-50.10)	.002 (.04)	3.1497-3.1504 (80.00-80.02)	.0051-.0067 (.13-.57)	.004-.006 (.10-.15)