The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop A few gasket questions....

I am cleaning up a recently rebuilt 235 (58 casting number) and I have a few gasket questions.

Is there an o-ring or gasket under the distributor? Or do you just use a bit of silicone?

I can't find the thermostat HOUSING gasket where it attaches to the head. It's a retangular gasket. I might have to make one? I know they are included in a full set or a head gasket set. Any ideas?


One last question for this post. I have no problems getting top dead center and alighning the dizzy/rotor, however where should number one position be located as i am looking at the engine from the front? Right now it is at toward the number 2 cylinder. I hope I am asking this clear enough?

Thank you.

There is a groove for an O ring on the distributor housing, but since it's in constant motion from the action of the vacuum advance, it would probably wear out pretty quickly. Most of the distributors I've seen don't have the ring there, so I'm going to assume most of them wear and disentigrate.

It doesn't really matter which distributor cap tower is used for the #1 plug wire, as long as the firing order is correct as the other wires are inserted. The correct firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4 in a clockwise direction. My Motor Magazine service manual shows the #1 position at the cap tower just clockwise from the terminal where the wire to the points attaches.
Jerry

On my 248 (and any other engine I've worked on) nothing under the distributor, the gasket behind the thermo housing was nothing special, you should be able to make one easily, #1 on my dist. is at about 1:30 as you're looking at the dist. from that side of the engine, so if I'm understanding you, I think you're close. Hope this helps

Chevrolet never used an O ring on the shaft. A lot of rebuilt distributors come with one, but if installed that way will lock the twisting action needed for the vacuum advance.

Thanks folks. Appreciate the feedback.

I believe #1 should be at about the 5-6 o'clock position.
I could not find a better picture but in this cutaway picture you can see #5 wire. #1 is just before #5 in the firing order. 153624. SHOP MANUAL
Although any position will work if put in time.
HERE IS ANOTHER PIC. Fig #6

the thermostat gasket is in the truck shop cat. truckandcarshop.com

The thermostat gasket you can get at any FLAPS.


Pete

Thanks again folks. Just to clearify, I'm looking for the thermostat housing gasket, where it's bolts to the head. I think I can just make one.


Also, I think you are right on the rotor position for number one. Easy to turn and fix. I also have my coil up instead of down. I wonder what the reasoning of facing the top downward? Interesting.

I always like the coil mounted with the wires up. I have seen to many coil wires fall out the other way.

Dave PM sent

You can get the housing gasket at any FLAPS.


Pete