Q: Oil leak around distributor

asked by on February 03, 2016

I have an oil leak near or below the distributor cap.

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This is common in these vehicles. There are two possibilities that come to mind. You could simply have a valve cover that is leaking. The repair is rather simple and requires the gasket to be replaced. The other possibility is the distributor is worn and leaking oil. Distributors don’t normally leak oil, but the distributor on your vehicle is mounted on the cylinder head. The seal on the distributor shaft that keeps the oil out of the the electronic part of the distributor wears over time. When this happens, oil seeps into the distributor and out through the cap. A mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, can disassemble the top of the distributor to identify where the leak is coming from and advise you on the appropriate repair.

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