Distributor oil seal - NOT WORN ENGINE!
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 19:00
Recently noticed that my oil pressure was about half a bar lower than it has been and also it was taking several seconds for the oil pressure needle to come up first thing in the morning. Spoke to a few people about this and they all seemed to think it was engine wear.
There is definitely no money left in the kitty for an engine rebuild and wont be for a long time. I was just about to call the Samaritans when I remembered a post by Yroll re the distributor oil seal. I already had a new seal in case I ever had to remove the distributor so I thought it was worth a go!
I was encouraged when I found the old seal was flat as a pancake and stiff as a board. GUESS WHAT. A new seal sorted it - oil pressure back up to 2 bar at hot idle and half the time for the needle to come up in the morning. If I ever meet you Yroll I owe you a drink!!
Did you know that you can remove and replace the the distributor without disturbing the timing?
- remove the air box both parts - remove the distributor cap and lift it up out of the way - disconnect the wires and vacuum hose - note the approximate position of the rotor arm ( mine was pointing about north west ) the shaft will only engage in two places, one with the rotor correct and one with it 180 degrees out. - DO NOT SLACKEN THE ADJUSTER CLAMP as this comes off with the distributor - tuck the cap clips in - there is only one nut securing the distributor at the top, slacken this off and remove it - withdraw the distributor back along the engine and out - once out examine the slotted hole where the securing nut was and you will see it has left an impression - draw a circle with typex/marker/paint around the impression. When you want to replace the distributor get the rotor roughly in line ( it wont engage untill you are about 5mm from home), then replace the nut, lining it up with the circle you put on the distributor. I checked the timing a few days later and spot on! Hardest part is undoing and doing up the bottom cap clip!
Mark
PS - to get the new seal ( O-ring) into position without damaging it - put in on the end of the shaft where it is slightly narrower then hook part of it with a small screwdriver and pull it out - then with circular movements going round and round the shaft gradually move the seal up into position.
There is definitely no money left in the kitty for an engine rebuild and wont be for a long time. I was just about to call the Samaritans when I remembered a post by Yroll re the distributor oil seal. I already had a new seal in case I ever had to remove the distributor so I thought it was worth a go!
I was encouraged when I found the old seal was flat as a pancake and stiff as a board. GUESS WHAT. A new seal sorted it - oil pressure back up to 2 bar at hot idle and half the time for the needle to come up in the morning. If I ever meet you Yroll I owe you a drink!!
Did you know that you can remove and replace the the distributor without disturbing the timing?
- remove the air box both parts - remove the distributor cap and lift it up out of the way - disconnect the wires and vacuum hose - note the approximate position of the rotor arm ( mine was pointing about north west ) the shaft will only engage in two places, one with the rotor correct and one with it 180 degrees out. - DO NOT SLACKEN THE ADJUSTER CLAMP as this comes off with the distributor - tuck the cap clips in - there is only one nut securing the distributor at the top, slacken this off and remove it - withdraw the distributor back along the engine and out - once out examine the slotted hole where the securing nut was and you will see it has left an impression - draw a circle with typex/marker/paint around the impression. When you want to replace the distributor get the rotor roughly in line ( it wont engage untill you are about 5mm from home), then replace the nut, lining it up with the circle you put on the distributor. I checked the timing a few days later and spot on! Hardest part is undoing and doing up the bottom cap clip!
Mark
PS - to get the new seal ( O-ring) into position without damaging it - put in on the end of the shaft where it is slightly narrower then hook part of it with a small screwdriver and pull it out - then with circular movements going round and round the shaft gradually move the seal up into position.