The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk distributor seal?

It has been a story of leaks for me. After my truck sitting for almost 4 years getting painted - and I finally get to drive it

So, I see oil leaking from the distributor - how is that sealed? I have a 235 .... I believe that it is from a 55.

Thanks for any help. I am no mechanic, but I am trying on this one.

The distributor really doesn't use a seal as it turns in the hole - providing the vacuum advance is working. There are two groves on the upper part of the distributor where it goes in to the block. You could pull the distributor and put some silicone in the upper groove, this may slow down the leak. You just don't want to stop it from turning.
Fred

WOW, thanks Fred. I thought for sure that there was an O ring or something. I am leaking a lot of oil from there so I don’t know if the shaft on the distributor is out or the hole in the block.

By the way, I have not put the horn in, but it is painted and cleaned up and looks pretty! Thanks for that - and that is more my league of stuff to do.

So, I may have a front seal out. I know I have a rear seal so trying to figure out how to go about this. I also have a minor leak at the fuel pump - ah but that I know I can do

These major leaks are not things that I know how to do and if I had to pay for it I wonder what would be better - maybe a whole rebuild. I guess I can try and if I mess it up tow it to the shop.

Thanks - Rino

Rino,
The replacement of the front and rear seals requires removal of the oil pan. There are 2 bolts on the inside of the front cover that have to be removed from the inside. Oil leaks are on these old engines while messy and annoying but are quite "normal". They don't require a complete rebuild to fix.
Fred

Just a suggestion....before you go changing a bunch of seals and chasing leaks, you might stop and ask yourself "what is causing the leaks?" The most common answer is excessive crankcase pressure, which is pushing the oil past the seals and up the distributor. An engine that is worn out or an engine that has been setting up for four years, is likely to have compression leakage past the rings, which builds up crankcase pressure with the resulting oil leaks. A quick test is to pop off the oil filler cap with the engine idling....watch for "blowby"....huffing fumes that increase dramatically when you increase your rpms.

Before I did anything more I'd run a compression test..(Do "search")..first dry and then again with a squirt or two of oil in each cylinder. If the compression pressure comes up appreciably with the oil added, you know your rings aren't seating properly, either from being "stuck" from sitting up or worn out from high mileage. At this point you can opt to run the engine for a while as-is, to see if the rings will settle in.

If the truck was running okay, no oil burning, smoking or leaks when you parked it 4 years ago, I'd say it would be worth a shot! However, if the engine was high mileage and had similar symptoms when you parked it, it may be time for a rebuild. Existing conditions are not going to get any better with age!!!! Hope this helps.

Dave

Well that is good news about fixing it, now, if the distributor leaks - in fact it is kind of wobbly - what is the fix for this. I know the distributor first, but if the block part is worn??

Fred - I cannot thank you enough for this help. I totally understand about the “normal” leaks. It is just that there is one somewhere that is making the top of the starter all wet and to me it looks like it is coming from under the distributor. It only happens when I take it onto the freeway and run at 65mph - even for a few miles. Get home and there is oil dripping from the front suspension - the pan - and sundry other spots.

I know your not a clairvoyant - but you have given me confidence in trying :-)

Rino

Ah, Dave - your were posting while I was replying. That is interesting knowledge. I did have more leakage when I checked the oil, was a bit low, added some and whamo - leaks. I will check what you say and see.

The engine was running OK before I had it painted. The top end was done 3 years prior I got the truck from my brother, then bottom was strong. It had the rear leak, but it was minor. These are new ones for me since the paint job. The milage is low on the engine.

Again - thanks so much both of you for your input!

Rino

The back freeze plug behind the camshaft (under the bellhousing) can leak oil. So can the side cover, right onto the starter.

Don't be afraid to try your hand in "fixin" stuff around your bolt. I would suggest you buy a shop manual and any other book that covers your truck's innards. It's really not that hard and a whole lot of fun to boot.

Rino,
Unless you have an overdrive or have changed the rear gears in your truck, 65 is pushing it pretty hard. It is possible that both the distributor and the hole in the block have some wear. As others have mentioned, the side cover and any leaks from the front of the engine will blow back also.
Fred

Well, I found the pressure problem. It seems the OIL breather cap I just replaced did not have the hole in the center punched all the way through - result, blowing oil from the distributor. So, my front seal is leaking pretty bad from the added pressure.

I am going to take your advice Big Chevy - and the others, I am just going to do it myself. I have a friend that will help me, but the bottom line is you all have given me the confidence or stupidity to do it myself. Like I said, what is the worse that can happen?? I replace the engine ;-)

Thanks for that - and I will keep you posted!

By the way, I have not been able to send my pics of the truck in to stovebolt yet, but you can see it at www.rinodattilo.com then click mylifeblog. I know that there is more information there than the truck, but if you like you can see it.

Just a couple of things to mention here:

On a 235, you don't strictly have to remove the front cover to change the seal. You can pull the damper/pulley, pty the old one out, install the new one and put the damper back on.

It is normal to see the distributor on these old 235s wobble at idle. That is not a problem, so I am told.

Just a suggestion...when you pull the harmonic balancer to get at the seal, pay special attention to the area on the neck where the seal rides. If it is heavily grooved you can pick up a FelPro "quick sleeve" that slides over the neck of the harmonic balancer and gives you a true surface for your seal. These are available from most any of the major parts houses or by mail order.

Secondly, when changing out the timing case seal, it is suggested that you loosen the timing cover, apply a little grease to the newly installed seal, press or draw on the balancer, centering the seal and after the balancer is fully seated, tighten the timing cover bolts. This will guarantee a good seal.

The down side of this procedure is that you'll have to drop the pan to get the 2 bottom cover bolts loose from the front main cap. Now would be a good time to remove the main cap, tap them to 3/8" drill out the 2 bottom holes to 3/8+ so you can install your cover bolts all from the outside. This is a one-time fix and will save you time and headaches down the road.

Dave

BTW...nice looking truck!!