The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil leak from distributer shaft

A couple of months ago, I put a used GM HEI dist. on my 292. At the same time, I sent my radiator out to be re-cored, so I didn't run it for any length of time after that. Yesterday, I finally put in my "new" rad., and ran the truck for 10-15 minutes........runs real nice!.......except it is drooling oil from around the base of the dist. My problem is, I can't remember if there was an o-ring on the shaft or not. Before I take it back out, I thought I'd ask you guys if the GM HEI dist. have an o-ring that I can replace? It is fully seated on the block, and I do have great oil pressure, by the way!

no o-ring just a gasket !

That must be why it's leaking, as I didn't see any gasket. Time to pull it back out! Thanks guys!

Stock dist and stock HEI dist have a lot of up and down play in the shaft. If someone tried to eliminate that play by adding shims between the gear and dist body, they may have gone too far. The shaft can be forced down against the oil pump, causing extra wear. This can hold the dist body up too high and even with a gasket, it will leak.

There might even be a problem on the oil pump end. If oil is being forced past a seal into the distributor shaft well you would get seepage at the top, but I'm not sure if that is possible.