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[NomakeWan]

So while rebuilding the Capri I took the valve cover baffles off to reseal them as I suspected the RTV had failed and was the cause of my oil issues. There are two baffle plates--a large one for the breather port on top and a small one for the PCV on the bottom. The top large plate was definitely on there something fierce, though it had signs of hard, crumbly RTV.

The bottom small plate, however, had no evidence it had EVER had any RTV on it! It came off instantly when I released the screws and there was zero RTV residue on either the plate or the valve cover. Is this normal!? I thought both baffle plates were supposed to be sealed?

Please let me know. I want to get them sealed but I don't want to break it further by sealing something that isn't supposed to be without knowing it. On the other hand, if it was supposed to be sealed, that solves the oil problems I've been having since forever. Thanks Ford/Mercury!

[SHOwn]

I did both of mine, twice now, but still had to settle for a vent on the driver's side where the hose feeds the intake. I was getting quite a bit of oil but now that I went to venting I have no drips from the vent.

I'm going to address an external head gasket leak in a few weeks, but I'm starting to believe several mechanics who have suggested going away from synthetic oils. I've run 5w30 Mobil 1 or Super-Synthetic all year because I drive in some winter weather below 0, but the two mechanics who looked at my car said these older cars weren't designed with synthetic in mind and the leaks are one result.

I'm currently blending in quarts of 5W30 conventional as I lose oil so as to come up with a blend.

Next oil change will be semi-syn, and maybe 10W30 depending on the month.

Back to your concern, I think both are supposed to be sealed, but someone correct me if I'm wrong. I would RTV the surfaces, lay them together and lightly start the screws. Wait whatever your RTV tube recommends for setup time, then tighten them fully.

[NomakeWan]

That's what I ended up doing.

As for venting the breather, that's how I lost a lot of oil and made a mess of the engine bay, underside of the car, and back of the car.  it was also how I found out that whatever issue this actually is, it causes a lot of the same symptoms of a dead turbo (because the breather dumps oil into the pre-turbo intake tract).

Anyway, car will be back together this evening on the new turbo and valve cover. Then she'll get a nice full wash and oil change and with luck the issue will be solved.

[SHOwn]

If it keeps oiling, I'd try a catch can. Also double check your PCV valve and the turbo check valve. If all the above is right I'd start wondering how much blow-by is going on.. The wrong PCV valve can do things like this.

[NomakeWan]

The car has been through 5 PCV valves, and the current one is the $40 OEM 323 GTX PCV that all the turbo Miata guys rave about. Since changing the PCV several times hasn't changed things, I'm unwilling to believe the valve is at fault (though that had indeed been my first thought, thus trying five different valves).

I'll check compression once the car is back together. I don't have my tester with me.

What turbo check valve, though? Do you mean the bypass valve? If so, it's working correctly, I've tested it before. If you mean the wastegate, it's working correctly too.

[SHOwn]

Bypass valve, yeah. Where did you locate an OEM 323 GTX PCV? My local Mazda said they were long gone and they have a reputation of being pretty good on service and parts.

[NomakeWan]

I gave my local Mazda dealer the part number and they got it for me, no hassle (except for the ridiculously steep price). There was no mention of how or where they got it from, but it was the correct part number and came in an original Mazda OEM bag.

EDIT: Oh yay, while putting the car back together I found that the turbo shop left the oil inlet fitting off, so it's missing. I'm guessing it's M10-1.5 but I'm not sure where I'm gonna get one of these now. Argh. I'll have to call them on Monday and see if they still have it somewhere. I doubt it, but hey...

Anybody in southern California with a VJ14 they can give me the oil inlet from? LOL

EDIT 2: Looks like Earls Performance had the fitting I needed, so I'm good to go. It'll look ricer as hell with that nice blue anodized fitting on the otherwise boring turbo CHRA, but hey, if it works I don't care! Got the valve cover back on with all the corners RTV'd with a new gasket and grommets, time to let it sit for 24 hours for the RTV to seal up then get the car back together once and for all.

EDIT 3: Oil drain hose split apart. Time to get a new one. RIP