[Nuke]

Based on what I have read here on the forum, it is a common problem for these engines to develop an oil leak where the distributor mounts to the head, apparently due to a seal going bad inside the distributor shaft.

Some people may be content with letting it leak and concentrating on other areas of the engine to repair or upgrade, thinking, “What’s it gonna hurt to have a little oil leak?” Well, I’m here to tell you if left unchecked, it will cause a lot of hurt - like replacing the distributor kind of hurt.

I don’t know how long mine has been leaking oil, but it was long enough for the oil to compromise the ICM’s wires’ insulation, causing it become brittle and fall away with the slightest handling.

I removed my distributor as part of a clutch replacement job, and the insulation crumbled and fell off in my hands as I unbolted the distributor and folded it back out of the way:

 

[Klasse]

Thank you for the warning. There was a post on fb something similar, but I believe it was the internal distributor seal so it would leak into the distributor itself. So two points to watch out for.

I best go check mine.

 

[Frohst]

Heh. That exact leak has been on my teg for the last 50k+ miles. And crispified the tw/ecu coolant and temp gauge wiring. Easy fix. Wish a previous owner had done it sooner...

+1 for replacing this seal if you get oil drips off the bottom of the dizzy where the plastic housing mates to the metal dizzy body.

 

[Nuke]

I have decided to attempt to repair the distributor and use it once the clutch ordeal is concluded. I have completely disassembled it to get the wiring harness out of the housing in an effort to repair the missing insulation on the wires.

Reassembly will be the most difficult part I think, especially figuring out how to replace (and what to replace it with) the rubber plug through which the internal wires exit the housing. I had to cut that away, so it is no longer available to reuse during reassembly.