Distributor Seal ( I Mean Leak !!!)

Jeff Frigo · #1 (**permalink**) 06-29-2011, 10:48 PM

I have had the intake off the car twice to try to get the distributor to seal. When I drop the distributor in w/o the seal, it is almost perfectly concentric, I couldn't hope for much better.

Not a terrible leak, but enough to get all over the headers. Any suggestions? It is driving me nuts. Im read to smear RTV all over it, then time while it is still wet.

427 with Edelbrock heads and intake, MSD distributor.

Hotfingrs · #2 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 01:52 AM

A couple of ideas...double gasket, or different hold down. They have some hold downs that go around the distributor farther, or if you have an intake with dual mounting holes for the hold down, try the other one.

RICK LAKE · #3 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 03:17 AM

Jeff Frigo Jeff 2 gaskets glue together and not over tighten your hold down plta for the distributor. Unless you have a good clean area,RTV will not seal to the manifold and housing. You need gray or silver RTV. 24 hour cure time. For oil to be coming out of here, you may have a problem with the motor, too much back pressure?? Miss a shift or over rev the thing?? This a funny place to leak oil. Check the corner of the valve covers too and bolt hole under the distributor. Have seen the intake gasket walk up the manifold and cause this leak. looks like distributor but is other place. They sell a dye check kit for about $45.00. You get dye, glasses and light. Makes finding leaks real easy. Rick L.

Barry_R · #4 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 05:47 AM

How far down does the distributor drop through the intake. I have - rarely - seen them where the seal goes down completely below the intake, the seal ends up touching nothing. In those cases we end up making a sleeve, installed by oversizing the distributor hole.

Mark IV · #5 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 06:18 AM

Are you using an "O" ring or the trapazoidal shaped gasket?

Jeff Frigo · #6 (**permalink**) 06-30-2011, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Are you using an "O" ring or the trapazoidal shaped gasket?

The trapizoid. I cut a strip of 1/16 inch thick cork today and placed it in the dist. grove behind the seal. Fixed.

PANAVIA · #7 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 10:35 AM

Are you running a PCV system to create negative air pressure in the crank case >?



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