HLA Cleaning: I need a final answer.

[Mazda_Power]

I have my HLAs out while my heads and block go in to be machined. I never heard it run so how do I know if one of them is collapsed? Also I read that the best way to "service" them is to flip them upside down depress the little ball on the inside, let the oil out, take the HLA apart and let each part soak. What is the best stuff to soak them in? Can they be mixed and matched (I know the intake and exhaust can't since it's a ZE)? What is the proper way to reassemble them? Do they need to be submersed in oil? Any help would be great thus starts the 1 WEEK ZE REBUILD.

[Mazda_Power]

My HLA's are sitting, waiting to go into the heads. Just have to clean them up first... Anyone care to take a stab at it?

[Mazda_Power]

No one knows, huh?

[GTcruiser33]

im sure a few people know, give them time to check the board

[naustin]

Over my head dude. I'd say replace them as long as you have the block head apart... I don't think the HLA's are that expensive (??? not sure) I thought the labor was the expensive part of replacing them...

If it isn't too expensive, just get new ones.

[Mazda_Power]

I think they are something like $50 from the dealership... I think I'll be pulling mine apart for that much $.

[andrewpgt]

if I remember right my dad worked on some and used automatic transmission in them. soaked them in it and then compressed them a few times, to get the contamanated <-(misspell sorry) oil out. don't quote me. let me check with my dad tomorrow. it wasn't hard I know that much.

andrew

[Mazda_Power]

I'm going to go searching for a good cleaner for the HLA's today...

[andrewpgt]

I'm going to go searching for a good cleaner for the HLA's today...
ok, mazda power. I just got off of the phone with my dad. you can use dexron mercon III transfluid or the other one. let them soak for 10 min or so. now after that you need to push down on the part where the oil would go through to get the sluge out. then reinstall them and start getting the oil running through them. the thing is you need to get the oil back into the hla ASAP. the trans fluid will clean it out but will start eating the seals if oil isn't run through it soon. It does work. I have helped my dad when he did this. thats why I remember. oh, don't work about the trans fluid staying in after install. when the oil starts running through it the oil filter will pick it up.

hope this help
andrew

[Mazda_Power]

Yikes! Mine have been soaking in GUNK Parts Cleaner since a few hours after I posted! Maybe I should pull them out. I was always told that they were supposed to soak for a few days. So now I'm supposed to apply some pressure and put a paperclip in the little hole and the gunk should then come out?

[andrewpgt]

Yikes! Mine have been soaking in GUNK Parts Cleaner since a few hours after I posted! Maybe I should pull them out. I was always told that they were supposed to soak for a few days. So now I'm supposed to apply some pressure and put a paperclip in the little hole and the gunk should then come out?


no, no, no if you used the cleaner you should be ok if the cleaner said to soak for a while. IT'S THE TRANS FLUID THAT YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT

Andrew

[Mazda_Power]

Sounds good. I had all the HLA's set up so I could install them back where I got them, but my dad needed to use the table saw (which they were on) and moved them. So I just put the ones that I could compress the most in the front. I figure that way I can switch them out much more quickly!