Did Mazda change something or...
 

I recently started my engine build and after completing one rotor and half the other I noticed this:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z..._200944586.jpg

Don't see it? The package is labeled "SPRING,FRT OUTER" and it's the correct P/N yet it has a blue paint mark, which I understand to signal it's a rear spring. Did Mazda change something I'm not aware of or did I just get the wrong part? I have another on order just in case.

I'm thinking you just got a mis-packaged part. I too recently (about a month ago) purchased parts for my build, and the blue/white spring markings were correct per the FSM.

Some parts guys fucked it up...?

Most of your "small" parts - i.e. things that you can hold in one hand; not body panels - usually come packages in multiples of 5 or 10.

Did you open the package yourself?
Or was it opened - evidence the label is torn - prior to your purchase?
If you didn't open the bag, then it's another clue that some idiot swapped the wrong part into the bag...

Could've been a return from a customer who happened to swap the part before returning it...?

Good catch though!


-Ted

Yeah, I opened it. Seems like everything points to the parts guy screwing up. Unfortunately I bought most of this stuff like three years ago before stuff started getting in the way of the build. I thought I went through everything too...

Yeah, fortunately I caught this. This made me realize I started to assemble the rear rotor incorrectly with the front springs on the stationary gear side. Out of curiosity, what exactly is different about the front and rear springs?

Front versus rear oil control ring springs...
The rotation is opposite, so the square end versus round end are swapped.
Square end goes into the groove in the metal oil control ring.
Round end goes into the dimple in the rotor oil groove.
Spring needs to spiral in the proper direction versus rotor rotation.

In the proper installation, due to the rotation of the rotor, it'll lock in the rings properly.
If IMPROPER installation, the metal oil control ring will skip / slip and the underside will wear like a muthu due to the oil control spring (end) slipping...

Don't ask me how I know this. :P


-Ted