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Oil leak thru distibutor 900

getting a oil leak that seems to be coming from the distributor output. It is visible behind the cap as a trickle, coming down from the shaft. There is lots of good info here, but wanted to ask:

is the most likely problem the center housing seal or perhaps the little O-ring inside the cam shaft?

I had the head off earlier this year, so it is a darn shame to have to do this now. Really don't want to get involved with the center seal but can imagine doing the O-rings.

Thanks
--
89 240 wagon, 94 940, 300K, 94 940, 141K








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    Oil leak thru distibutor 900

    Once again, gratified by the thoughtful discussion. I guess I'll plan on doing the seal and rings. It seems FCP has a fiber washer available https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-distributor-housing-fiber-washer-oeq-969333
    I guess I need two, along with the two O-rings and the seal

    --
    89 240 wagon, 94 940, 300K, 94 940, 141K








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      Oil leak thru distibutor 900

      Just a heads up on those fiber washers. They may or may not be the thickness of the originals.

      The first seal replacement I did I didn't clean the shaft enough before disassembly. The thin fiber washer broke as I was removing it. The replacements I found locally were much thicker than the original.

      When I posted here about the problem I was lucky enough to have a kind Brickboarder mail me a replacement of the correct thickness. After that I was careful to clean the shaft and remove the washers without breaking them.
      --
      Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal








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        Oil leak thru distibutor 900

        Out of mild desperation not wanting to wait, I filed/sanded a thicker fibre washer I had on hand down a bit, putting the polished surface inward.
        --
        Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now








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    Oil leak thru distibutor 900

    Yes, I think it is safe to assume that the seal is the problem.

    I last did one a couple of years ago. The difficult part for me is driving the pin out so you can remove the shaft.

    Having the correct sized pin punch and a solid vise to support the shaft goes a long way to easing the frustration sometimes involved with this task. This link will take you to my post from my last replacement.

    https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1671900/resealed_leaking_distributor_seal_oil.html
    --
    Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal








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      Oil leak thru distibutor 900

      That pin is well known to occasionally be difficult to drive out. I tried driving it out one way with a suitably sized pin punch and it didn't want to move. I went oops, looks like mine is going to be one of those difficult or impossible ones. Researching how to deal with it, I read it's a slightly tapered fit and sure enough mine was. It's almost impossible to tell by looking. I then tried driving it the out the other way and it was much more cooperative and soon was out. I drove it out vertically supported under the shaft with the jaws of my vise slightly open to accept the pin. As I vaguely recall, I decided that when the pin was driven in at the factory, whatever tool or press they used slightly mushroomed the end of the pin. Either that or the head of the pin was slightly mushroomed on purpose.

      One additional thought for the OP, the distributor screws are in slots that allow a few degrees of rotation. The ignition system is normally able to compensate the timing to the alignment, so I'm not too sure how important the adjustment is, but I figure it's a good idea to preserve factory adjustment by scribing a mark across the edge before loosening the distributor. I didn't know to do this so simply set it in the middle of the slot.
      --
      Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now








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        Oil leak thru distibutor 900

        The temptation might be to move that pin initially by striking it with a hammer. That would be a bad idea as the hammer could peen the end of the pin. As tight as it fits any miniscule peening would probably put progress at a full stop once the end reached the shaft.
        --
        Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal








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          Oil leak thru distibutor 900

          Even using a pointed centre punch may tend to spread the end if the pin is stuck. If you don't have a suitable pin punch then a nail set to get it started followed by a suitably large nail cut flat to finish the job should work. The pin can be pressed back in a vise after deciding which end fits better.
          --
          Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now







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