Distributor Gasket?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 5
From: Aptos, CA
Distributor Gasket?
It's been a while since I removed and replaced a distributor. I'm getting ready to re-install and my old distributor base gasket needs replacing. Is there any special thing to do with the replacement paper material gasket (e.g., gasket sealant), or just install it dry against cleaned up mating surfaces?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,333
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Also, could you change your profile to include the year of your car, sometimes helps to know what it is without having to guess at the avatar
Rough location doesn't hurt either
M
Last edited by Mooser; May 18, 2019 at 07:48 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
The machined finish at the round distributor mating surface on some of the old factory aluminum intakes was not great with lines and ridges around the pad so I use a very thin coat of sealer applied with my finger between the gasket and manifold and nothing between the gasket and distributor. If you tried to use sealer between both you would never be able to adjust the timing.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,333
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Also, if anything has changed, make sure the distributor isn't bottoming out on the oil pump for any reason. There needs to be a little up/down play on the rotor after it's clamped
M
M
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 5
From: Aptos, CA
Thanks for the tips! The sealer on just the intake manifold idea seems like a no brainer, but something that could easily be screwed up if not paying attention. Man would that be frustrating discovering that when it's time to adjust the distributor!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 276
Likes: 5
From: Aptos, CA
I assume that if it has not bottomed out, then the up and down movement you speak of is because of the distributor shaft end play and the value it was shimmed to, correct?
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,333
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Yup, the end play should be whatever the gear was shimmed to. Generally speaking if you drop it in without the gasket and there is still a little up/down movement you know for sure you're good when the gasket is installed (expansion and all that)
M
M
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Distributor gasket? Who uses a gasket there? It would be difficult to ever know if there was a gasket there or not let alone the wrong one or a broken one.
It would be difficult to ever know if there was a gasket there or not let alone the wrong one or a broken one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
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From: Oak Harbor WA
The gasket is to help with oil seepage, corrosion between dissimilar metals (iron intake, aluminum dizzy housing) as well as the shimming because of play due to tolerances in manufacturing.
Well, that's my opinion of it anyway......
Well, that's my opinion of it anyway......
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
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From: Cool Northern Michigan