Distributor o ring procedure - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

pixelpadre · 01-30-2005, 02:27 PM

Can a rookie replace this o ring without too much trouble? I have a significant oil leak at base of distributor.

thanks

Pineapple · 01-30-2005, 10:22 PM

Mark the location of the disy before you take it off, unless you have a timing light to check timing afterward.

BrightTundra04 · 02-11-2005, 08:08 PM

make sure of crank is at TDC and mark it

speedyts49 · 02-12-2005, 12:47 PM

So does it just unbolt and pull right out?
How does one get it to tdc?

BrightTundra04 · 02-14-2005, 09:29 PM

i used a wrench on the power steering bolt to turn it from the top if the belt slips turn it from the bolt in the crank pully. line up the notch in the crank pully w/ the 0 degree notch in the timing plate(above the crank pully). or you can take the valve cover off and use the bolt in the front of the cam to turn it then you will also be able to tell if it is on the #1 compression stroke(both #1 valves are closaed) or on an intake/exhaust stroke. This will make line up easier as well when you pull the dis. out. Take notice of where the dis. gear is the should be some kind of marking on it a dimple or something remember where it ends up after you pull it as well as before you pull the dis. after you replace the o-ring put the dis. back in w/ the mark back in the same spot you pulled it out. this will line up the dis gear w/ the valves. then line the rotor up with the number one cylinder. or mark where the bolt holding the dis in place was when you pull it.

Hope this instruction manual helps.

Joseph

speedyts49 · 02-14-2005, 09:57 PM

yes, thanks it does help.
I'm not sure it is a rookie doable thing mostly because if there is a chance of getting it back on wrong then the results would be pretty expensive.

pixelpadre · 02-23-2005, 12:02 PM

Why do i have to insure its at tdc? Cant i just carfully mark dist and rotor positions with nail polish or something and just remove it?

pixelpadre · 03-13-2005, 09:42 AM

OK, here is what I eventually did. I etched a mark on the dist base and block. I did the same for the shaft inside the cover. Then I unscrewed the two base bolts to the block and carefully pulled it out. I found the oring was brittle and flat. I cleaned up all the mess on the distributor after years of leaking oil. I found the transformer inside the distributor to be damaged, swollen and melted. I replaced the oring but in all honesty, it didnt look much bigger than the one that I removed.

The end of the dist was a simple u bolt shaped object which really minimized chances of misalignment. Everything was reassembled, including the damaged unit in the dist.

Started right up, no problems. HOWEVER... I seem to be leaking more oil than ever. so what gives? Is there supposed to be a gasket between block and dist base? Right now its just machined metal to metal with only an oring holding back any oil.

Where can the oil be coming from?

fredk · 03-13-2005, 02:36 PM

the dist can only go onto the cam 1 way, but watch where the rotor is for good measure, and just put the hold down bolts in the same place

speedyts49 · 04-16-2005, 02:40 PM

I tried to remove my distributor today but it did not want to pull out. I left the rotor on. Could this be the reason it would not come off. I did not want to force it off and break something.
Also I did not put it on tdc. I marked everything I could and made a diagram of the direction of the rotor thanks to pixelpadre's advice. Funny even after putting the cap back on etc the timing was off 5'. Its a good thing I have a timing light I suppose.
I will have to try again but wanted to ask about the snugness of the distributor first.

fredk · 04-16-2005, 02:45 PM

theres some goop on the inside of the head where the distributor comes through, you might have to pop the valve cover to help it out, the valve cover is probably leaking anyways, they all do

pixelpadre · 04-16-2005, 04:16 PM

valve cover has absolutely nothing to do with distributor. bad advice

fredk · 04-16-2005, 05:03 PM

excuse me, you can drive the distributor out of the head if you take the valve cover off, ya gotta read the entire reply

speedyts49 · 04-16-2005, 05:41 PM

I'll give the removal another shot tomorrow.

pixelpadre · 04-16-2005, 06:14 PM

Say what you mean. Yes once the cover is off, you certainly can beat it our from the inside. But the easiest way is to tap a wedge between dist and block.