ColinOpseth

why would it leak so BAD at the distributor...??? it's leaking so damn bad, like a quart every 500 miles.... it's done it since i rebuilt my motor.. almost like.... the distributor doesn't want to seat all the way completely or something... i can't figure it out, my car is torn down to the intake manifold right now (just did it in an hour, I RULE) but i'd like to figure this out... i'm going to be restabbing my intake manifold regardless, but i'd like to know now before i get any deeper... thanks guys..

also... would having over 100psi of oil pressure kill the seal on the rear of the intake?? the whole back of my motor is covered with oil.. ideas?

thanks again..
Colin
Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

ColinOpseth

weird thing is... my motor is a fresh rebuild... 10,000 on it... what happened was... i got a hi-flow pump but the ****ers at Pep Boys sold me a hiflow hi PRESSURE pump so it had so much pressure my gauge NEVER went below 60psi... i think the pressure release valve in the pump wasn't functioning correctly or something... regardless, my motor leaks oil like a BITCH.
i had this problem before. i pulled off the TPI and even doubled up distributor gaskets.. it's been blowing right past. i'm not sure if my distributor isn't seating or if there is oil that's going right up the distributor shaft... the shaft is covered with oil (like it should be) but i can see on the gasket where the oil is going right past.. i'll post pictures in a few minutes...

Engineboy

1) Make sure that the dist. paper gasket is flat against the manifold.( don't double gasket, this will make it twice as likely to leak ) I have seen 1 instance where the dist. didn't bottom out on the intake, it bottomed out on the oil pump drive before it sealed to the intake.

2) Are you sure its not the oil sending unit?? You say 100 PSI, is that with the stock gauge or an aftermarket. When a sending unit fails sometimes the gauge will read super high (mine does ). They will also leak badly.

3) Don't use the end seals given in the intake set. Lay a fat bead of silicon accross the "china wall" and let it sit for a minute or 2, then install the manifold.

If I missed anything I'm sure someone will fill in the blanks.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

GO #3

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited December 16, 2000).]

ede

all the oil in a SBC flows pst the distributor. a leaking gasket would blow a lot of oil.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

ColinOpseth

hey man... to be double sure i had doubled up the distributor gaskets... no luck.. there is alot of clearance there.. i can't get a feeler gauge in but it looks to be the thickness of a gasket when i put it in with no gasket on... that's bad...

when i put any parts together i always wipe the surfaces with gas first..

my car has a new sending unit, i replaced every sensor during my rebuild except the MAF.. and when i say 100psi that's probably near correct as even when my motor was at 220 degrees (normal) the pressure was still pegged at over 60psi.. not good

i never used any end seals, i laid two nice beads of Ultra Black silicone down and let them tack up for a minute before i set down my intake. i can see the RTV when i look into the distributor hole so i know there is enough there...

would i be having this problem if i had used RTV to seal my intake manifold???
that's what just popped into my head... ideas? thanks for the help man..

ColinOpseth

nix on the RTV on the intake, that would have actually helped if my distrib was stabbed with the intake higher..

i changed the Clevite pump with a stock Melling, my pressure is mucho normal now, but i really want to beat down this oil leak problem... would pics of my distrib help?

I ROCK

I had a similar problem with my old 87. Someone either put in a high flow pump or shimmed the spring b/c it pegged out at over 60 all the time. It also leaked from various places and when I fixed them it leaked from somewhere else. I recommend putting in a lower pressure oil pump or you'll always have leak problems. Luckily I got mine to stop leaking long enough to sell it...whew.

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89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 170' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to have 3.73 posi...

Vader

Colin,

As a last resort, you can install a distributor with a groove cut for an 'O' ring in the diameter right beneath the flange. Most Chevy and Buick V-6s use this arrangement. It works great on my truck engine that runs at 80 PSI at idle. Some stock Delco distributors use this same sealing scheme instead of a gasket on the flange, or in addition to it. Mallory billet aluminums use the ring, too.

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
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ColinOpseth

hey Vader... i replaced that hi pressure pump with a stock Melling so my pressure is A-OK now...

my problem is.. it almost looks like oil has been coming up the middle of the distributor... want me to take a few pics of the distrib so you have an idea what i mean?

thanks for the help guys...

Vader, is your distrib setup for the external coil ('87 and later)... if so, what's the PN? I can order it at work at get 20% discount... damn i love working at AutoZone

Vader

Colin,

Photos would be very descriptive.

My distributor was reworked from a Delco HEI from the early 70's. It's stuck in a '50 pickup somewhere near the back of a 355. I cut the groove myself right at the shoulder of the distributor so the ring gets squeezed into place when the distributor is clamped down. I learned this from sweeping the garage floor for an old stock car builder, along with a few other things.



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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

My boss at the shop I used to work for told me that the external coil HEI distributors are famous for the seal in the base of the housing going bad, therefore causing oil to pump up through the distributor. This sounds like it might be your problem. Remove your distributor cap and see if there's oil down in the housing. If so, a remanufactured distributor should cure your problem.



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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."