distributor leak seal or gasket?

[74ausfiat]

hey everyone -

when i bought my car the previous owner told me (after i noticed smoke from around the distributor) that the distributor gasket needed to be replaced.

i read some posts on here that made mention of a distributor seal. which i hadn't heard of before (pretty new to working on this stuffs) or been able to find on auto ricambi.

would the distributor leak from a certain area if it was the gasket vs. the seal?

id hate to have the thing pulled apart only to find out i have the wrong part!!



or can i see if the gasket is installed without pulling off the whole unit?


thanks for all your help! i have a haynes manual coming but it wont get here for another 3 days!

[kmead]

There is an o ring and a seal on the main body of the distributor to the shaft. Vicks has a video on utube showing how it is replaced.

[So Cal Mark]

if the seal is leaking, oil will come out of the body of the distributor. If the gasket is leaking oil will come from the mounting flange. Most likely it's the seal

[74ausfiat]

Ahhh. I'm not sure why I didn't see that seal for sale when I got the o ring. Might as well replace both if I've got it apart.
Great now I'm going to have even more tools to keep track of!!

Thanks guys!!!

[seabeelt]

Small correction, Its actually International Auto that shows the distributor rebuild on youtube

[74ausfiat]

Small correction, Its actually International Auto that shows the distributor rebuild on youtube

i saw it just a few minutes ago. it was a pretty good video and slightly hilarious at the same time.

[74ausfiat]

actually i have another question.

after seeing the video - and seeing whats involved tool wise to remove it id like your opinions.

i have no experience doing any of those things. never done timing, never got an engine to tdc etc.
nor do i have any of those things, well i have a hammer and a flat head screw driver. but hell, i don't even have grease.

keeping all that in mind, should i go ahead and buy these tools and try to do it myself, or take it someplace?
really i just want it done right, and there seems to a lot of components of actually changing these things out.


thanks for your input guys and gals!

[So Cal Mark]

if the pin holding the gear has never been removed previously, you won't be able to accomplish it with a hammer and screwdriver. Those pins are peened on the end and they are very hard. We have to cut the end of the pin on a mill in order to remove them.

[74ausfiat]

ok have decided to go forward with this on my own.
ill get a punch (as suggested in that video) and i can dremel off that pin. what should i use to replace it?

when reassembling will i need to adjust the tuning on the carb? too rich vs lean...?

i know that i have to adjust the timing.. not that i know how to do that yet lol. hopefully that hyanes manual will walk me through all this!!!

[74ausfiat]

ok have decided to go forward with this on my own.
ill get a punch (as suggested in that video) and i can dremel off that pin. what should i use to replace it?

when reassembling will i need to adjust the tuning on the carb? too rich vs lean...?

i know that i have to adjust the timing.. not that i know how to do that yet lol. hopefully that hyanes manual will walk me through all this!!!

wait, i know i don't have to do the carb. ok, do i need to get a fancy timing light or can i get the cheapest one i can find?

[RRoller123]

I bought a Xenon timing light that works well at Harbor Freight for 12 bucks and they have 20% discount coupons in many magazines.

[djchan]

You should make sure where the oil is leaking from. Use your hand...if the bottom ( underside ) of the distributor is oily then its the shaft seal, if its not, it's probably the exhaust manifold stud. Getting out the pin that holds the distributor gear onto the bottom of the shaft is really REALLY hard. I had the right tools, proper size drift, 5lb. hammer, and a vise, and couldn't get it out. 2 people with hydraulic presses tried and gave up. I ended up having to drill it out and replaced it with a rolled pin.
My advise to you would be to just install a good used distributor instead. But if you do do it replace the bearing too. Good Luck...

[74ausfiat]

honestly i think its just a crapped out o-ring.

guess well see this weekend!!!