Oil leak inside of the distributor????

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RayRay27

RayRay27

10 Year
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Threads
23
Messages
292
Location
Denver Colorado
I took my 94 cruiser into Toyota yesterday because I have a small oil leak that I can't track down. It looks like it is coming from behind the oil pan is what I told the service tech. Later in the afternoon the service tech called to tell me that the mechanic couldn't find a leak coming from behind the oil pan but he found a leak coming from inside my distributor. I asked for the service tech to try and explain to me how you would have a leak coming from inside the distributor. He couldn't tell me why. So I guess my question to you all is, is it possible to have an oil leak with in the distributor? And if so why does this happen? And how do you fix it?

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Did you originally see oil dripping off the front of the bellhousing? Often that's from the rear arch of the main oil pan.

Just thinking here, why would the mechanic pop the distributor cap off and look inside if you took your truck in for an oil leak at the rear of the main oil pan, was he replacing the dizzy cap at the same time? Are they saying you need a new distributor? More information is needed.

The O-ring is the most likely culprit, but FWIW there is also a bearing/seal at the inside base of the shaft (see photo).

Top photo shows how someone tried to seal off a leaky O-ring using silicone, the reddish brown O-ring sits in a groove in the housing, and if you look at the bottom of that photo you can just see the two open slots in the shaft housing, that's how engine oil splashes in to lubricate the shaft. Middle photo is a close-up of the inside base of the distributor below the reluctor, the brass and black colored curved thingy is the edge of the bearing/seal. There's no FSM method to replace that bearing/seal. Bottom photo indicates the location of the breather holes FWIW.
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Oil can leak from inside the distributor. It can seep past the shaft seal that seals the shaft to the housing and oil will drip from between the distributor base and the edge of the cap. The distributor would have to be replaced to repair the leak. Mine leaks, but I plan to rebuild it, somehow.
 
Yeah, service tech said that I need to replace the distributor. Said it would cost around 700 dollars to replace.
 
bsmart82: I've looked into rebuilding this distributor also but haven't found an answer yet after talking to a few people who rebuild distributors for a living. The design is different than most other distributors that have a pin or clip that hold the pinion gear on. The pinion gear best as I can tell is pressed on so I'm guessing that the shaft is pulled out from the narrow/pinion end but first the reluctor ring needs to be pulled off, then the bearing/seal pulled out.

RayRay: if the shaft bearing/seal is actually leaking (and not just the O-ring and/or the cap seal) you can pick up a used distributor for maybe $50 at a salvage yard and replace it yourself. Sent you a pm.
 
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Agree with CJF, get a second opinion for sure. Best if the OP could post up a few photos of the distributor and one looking down inside the base of the distributor with the dizzy cap off.
 
Kernal said:
bsmart82: I've looked into rebuilding this distributor also but haven't found an answer yet after talking to a few people who rebuild distributors for a living. The design is different than most other distributors that have a pin or clip that hold the pinion gear on. The pinion gear best as I can tell is pressed on so I'm guessing that the shaft is pulled out from the narrow/pinion end but first the reluctor ring needs to be pulled off, then the bearing/seal pulled out.

RayRay: if the shaft bearing/seal is actually leaking (and not just the O-ring and/or the cap seal) you can pick up a used distributor for maybe $50 at a salvage yard and replace it yourself. Sent you a pm.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same, all appears to be press fit. I suspect the bearing is pressed to the shaft and is what holds the shaft in place. If the drive gear can be pressed off, or the reluctor, then the shaft should press out from one end. I plan to pick up a spare and take it apart soon.
 
No hijack intended, but maybe a good time to discuss this while we're on the topic;

I also picked up a dizzy from a salvage yard to study but can't yet bring myself to possibly damaging it while trying to pull it apart. You can see in the middle photo above at the edge of the bearing there appears to be a small access hole, so wondering if that is where a tool might go to pull the bearing out, but then how to pull the reluctor off??

I'm thinking that bearing may be lubricated by engine oil. The shaft gets engine oil splashed into the housing via two slots which would provide lubrication to the shaft bushing on the pinion end, so if the bearing is open on the back side, i.e.: only one seal on the side facing the cap, engine oil would also lubricate the bearing.
 
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K-Box makes a kit for corollas. I'm sure that an 80 dizzy would be of similar design. If there is a pin holding on the drive gear you can drill/hammer out the pin then pull the shaft and bearing. Replace inner seal. Match it up from a seal supplier. Then sell the rest of the seals Jett on Mud
 
86 tuning; there is no pin to knock out on this distributor. With other Denso's it is very easy to replace the bearing and seal, not this one. I discussed this with K-Box last year, they didn't know how to pull this apart and did not have a kit.
 
If I bought a new distributor, would it be fairly easy to replace. I have seen new distributors on line for around 300 bucks?
 
So i finally found time to take the distributor out and this is what I came up with. Not sure what to do at this point?
 
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Inside of which component? The distributor or the manifold?

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