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MG MGB Technical - OIL LEAK

I was just under the car and noticed what looks like oil leaking from the distributer where it mounts to the block. I know there is a gasket but any other things to look for as to my problem. I was planning on checking my timing before I removed it . The car runs great and does not over heat. The distributer does not move I have an 18v engine.
JEFF BECKER

Jeff. The only thing I know of to prevent oil leaks from that area is on 'O' ring on the distributor body. To get at it you need to pull the distributor. I can't think of anything else to look fro except the vaque possibility it is the valve cover gasket leaking in that area.

Tony
Tony Oliver

I do not see a "O" ring in the parts list. I am using a DM2 distributer. This engine is in a MGA. Tony, are you saying get an O ring to put on the bottom of the dist and then mount it in the car
JEFF BECKER

Sorry Jeff. I was referring to the standard distributor as used on the MGB and various other UK cars I have worked on that use the Lucas distributors. I'm not familiar with the MGA.

Bearing that in mind I can't say that should be an O ring, but it seems likely that it would have one. All the distributors listed in the MOSS USA catalogue show an O ring. There is a groove machined into the housing to take the O ring. I can't think of any other way to seal the distributor, but thats not to say a gasket isn't used in your application. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Tony
Tony Oliver

Jeff

The o ring is often missing and simple to replace and does cause the oil leak you have noticed.
The o ring does not have to be that exact just find one the is a snug fit to the shaft.
Record where each plug lead goes and remove the distributor cap, the low tension lead and the vacuum tube. Make sure the clamp bolt is tight and record the position of the distributor compared to the heater valve above it. Remove the oil dip stick to give better access and then undo the two securing bolts and withdraw the distributor. Slide on an o ring and then refit everything in reverse order and back to the positions previously recorded.
The two securing bolts can be difficult to get a spanner onto so I used and old spanner and bent it to fit.

John
J White

Today I put dye in the engine and used a black light to see the leaks. The good news is it is not the rear main. I do see an excess amout of oil driping and with the black lite I can see it is coming from the distributer area. There are no signs of oil from the valve cover or the oil line behind the distributer. I can not see any oil leaking above the distributer. The first thing I will try is a o ring to the bottom of the distributer. Is there any oil plugs..ect that I can not see and am missing near the dist. that may be leaking and not coming from the dist?. This was the best $6.00 I spent to see all the leaks. I see some others, but they are very minor and not leaking like this one.
JEFF BECKER

This is a copy of the post in put in the MGA BBS

My main oil leak was from under the distributer. As Les stated there are two oil galley plugs there.
They are put in place with a hammer and a punch as they are made of brass. The fun part is trying to use a hammer and a punch on them when they are in the car. I used a 3/8 ratchet extension and a socket to hold the punch and very carefully lined up the punch on the brass plug. I used the hammer to hit the end of the extension which held the punch and re- smached the plugs. (The extension is a Craftsman with a lifetime warrantee) I just took the car out for a drive and when I parked it back in the garage and waited for 5 minutes to see if the car spotted the ground from the distributer area. It is DRY. I did spot a few other areas that showed some leakage but the car is ready for me to take it to the car show this week-end and not worry about it dumping a lot of oil. When I get back I will try to fix the other leaks. My problem was fixed because of the answer I received from Les about the two oil galley plugs that I could not see with the distributer in
JEFF BECKER

Jeff,

The two "oil galley plugs" that are referred to in your last post may have been mistaken for what are in actual fact known as 'core plugs' or sometimes known in USA as 'freeze plugs'. These plugs retain engine cooling water and not oil as suggested. There are 3 of these along the side of the engine block and 1 at the rear. Generally these are coated steel plugs that eventualy rust and leak. There are on the market replacent plugs made in brass but these would not be as original.
So can you confirm, do you have an oil leak or a water leak as your last post seems to refer to an engine coolant leak.

John
J White

This thread was discussed between 13/05/2007 and 21/05/2007

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