Distributor Leaking Oil

HogeySpooner

HogeySpooner

Active Member
Joined
May 12, 2008
Location
Greensboro, NC
I am leaking oil where my distributor mounts to the engine on my 4.2. I replaced the gasket twice, replaced the hold down and cleaned the hell out of both surfaces before I put it together. I don't see any bad spots on either mating surfaces. Here's what I've done to it recently; had the head off for a valve job and cleaning, replaced piston rings and rod bearings, replaced oil pump, replaced rocker arms, and everything you would do in between these major repairs. I took the distributor off to clean it and prime the oil pump. I can't get this thing to quit leaking to save my life. Anyone ever experience this before? Any suggestions? :confused:
 
I don't know about that particular distributor but....

Some have O-Rings on the shaft (external) and some have a seal on the inside (internal). If you have oil inside the distributor it's the internal seal. To the best of my knowledge this is usually not replaceable, gotta get a new distributor. If it's clean inside could be a missing or damaged O-Ring.
 
HogeySpooner said:
I am leaking oil where my distributor mounts to the engine on my 4.2. I replaced the gasket twice, replaced the hold down and cleaned the hell out of both surfaces before I put it together. I don't see any bad spots on either mating surfaces. Here's what I've done to it recently; had the head off for a valve job and cleaning, replaced piston rings and rod bearings, replaced oil pump, replaced rocker arms, and everything you would do in between these major repairs. I took the distributor off to clean it and prime the oil pump. I can't get this thing to quit leaking to save my life. Anyone ever experience this before? Any suggestions? :confused:
Click to expand...

Sounds like blow-by & a stopped up PCV... but since you basically overhauled it (guessing to fix the blow-by?) that leaves the PCV. Insure that the PCV is hooked to manifold vacuum and sucking when the engine is running (should idle high when pulled = vac. leak and idle down when you put your thumb over the end). If you didn't mark ALL the vacuum junk/hoses, there could be a routing issue...
 
Caver Dave said:
Sounds like blow-by & a stopped up PCV... but since you basically overhauled it (guessing to fix the blow-by?) that leaves the PCV. Insure that the PCV is hooked to manifold vacuum and sucking when the engine is running (should idle high when pulled = vac. leak and idle down when you put your thumb over the end). If you didn't mark ALL the vacuum junk/hoses, there could be a routing issue...
Click to expand...
I put a new PCV valve on when I put it back together. Everything was marked. I only have the necessary junk/hoses left on that motor. I removed all of my emission junk years ago when I put my Weber on. I'm gonna go back over everything and make sure I didn't miss something. Thanks, I'll let ya know if I find anything. It's got me stumped.
 
Still sounds like crankcase pressure.....I think Jeep had a problem with the PCV system cloging up internally and not the valve. We have a 4.0 that had the same problem but blowing it out the air box....we swapped it out for a 97+ 4.0 with the redesigned PCV system and we have 100K on that engine with zero PCV problems.

Good luck with the oil leak fix
 
Here's the latest. It still leaks. I went over the PCV system thoroughly and everything is hooked up and working like it should. Nothing is clogged. I replaced the new PCV valve with another new one. The mounting gasket is a small "paper" ring. Replaced it twice. I even tried a rubber o-ring in it's place. No luck. Tried sealing it with "The Right Stuff" gasket maker. No luck. I am totally baffled. I always seem to have the "unique" problems that don't have a cut and dry solution. I've had this distributor off so many times, I don't need a timing light. I know exactly where it goes! Could it have something to do with the new oil pump I installed? There wasn't anything wrong with the one I took out. I just replaced it because I had the oil pan off. And no, I didn't put a high volume pump in. It will just have to leak a little oil for now. Below is a diagram of my PCV system. Pretty simple.
vaclines.jpg
 
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