BlackIRON

I have a leaky distributor and went to change the outer sea( The O Ring) l so while i was there i deiced to change the cap and rotor. Sure enough after a quick inspection the inside of my distributor was filthy with oil and looks as if there is an inner seal, is there? as well as the outer seal is weak my main question is if this inner distributor seal is replaceable or do i have to buy a whole new one? also i have a header problem where i am burning way too rich despite the fact i have 2 of 3 new O2's and no catalytics now. the latter is less important.

edit: jesus that spelling was terrible sorry

Studiogeek

iTrader: (6)

What did you wind up doing?

BobbyB

What did you do about your leaky distributor, I have a similar problem.
I changed O ring, but still leaks on alternator. Any suggestions.

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

I had the same problem. After replacing o-rings it still leaked. Had to get an entirely new distributor. As far as I know there is no inner seal, and the actual cause of the inner leak is a crack in the distributor assembly itself.

ALLWiTE2JZ

I've been dealing with this issue for years. Can't tell you guys how many alternators this crap has ruined due to the poor placement of the alternator on the 2JZ. Just get something that catches the oil. Think I need to replace my alternator again now anyway cause the car keeps running off the battery and won't charge efficiently anymore.

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

Dude... replace the distributor. It bolts in just like the alternator. You really can't blame the car for it since all you have to do is replace it.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

yeah never heard of someone recommending you just watch your dizzy leak onto your alternator, but I would say change it out. the dizzy is not rebuild-able or adjustable for that sort of leak, has to be replaced.

ALLWiTE2JZ

Well, I have replaced my distributor assembly at least twice, not with brand new ones, but with other used ones, along with new o-rings. One way or another, they all inevitably start leaking again. I don't feel like paying that much for a brand new one, especially for a car this old with little to no real value and high mileage, so I've tried a few used ones. I have also heard you need to be careful not to mess up timing when you pull out the distributor assembly and might need a timing light to ensure the timing is correct after it is put back together? Not sure but this is what I have heard and researched. Either way, yes, in my opinion, this is poor placement of a vital piece of electronic generating equipment on the 2JZ motor and there is no excuse for this to potentially happen as these cars age. This is a design flaw from Toyota engineers who should have known better, because obviously they get paid enough to begin with. There are tons of cars I have worked on where the alternator is near the top of a motor out of harms way, where it should be to begin with. This is also obviously an issue with the SC400 too, with the power steering pumps leaking into the alternators on the 1UZ motor. I'm not negating the fact that the SC300/SC400 and engines contained within them are some of the best motors and cars ever built. I'm just saying that there could have been just a little more thought process involved with Toyota engineers placing vital pieces of equipment that are essential to the car's operation and efficiency to continue running in general and especially as it ages, out of potential harm's way.

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

Dude, you don't need to buy an OEM distributor. Mine is a Duralast, and even though thats a brand I hate it's still new with a lifetime warranty, only cost me ~$150 after the core charge, and it hasn't sprung a leak on me yet. Maybe you should consider just buying a new one? You don't have to drop $450-$500 for an OEM one from Lexus, but it's definitely not something I would buy used or feel comfortable taking from a pick n pull unless I was just really desperate.

You don't need a timing light unless you mess up. Sine you've already done it twice you probably don't need to be told how to do it, but it's best to make a mark of the distributor rotor position and take a few pictures of it to refer back to before removing the old distributor. When placing in the new distributor the helical teeth cause it to turn slightly as it goes in so it needs to be started slightly clockwise of where you want it to end up. If its not perfectly matched with the mark from the old distributor, then take it out and try it again. It took me 3 re-tries before I got it exact and my car ran fine, even better than before.

Leaking oil isn't the only problem with the distributor. On older models the crank position sensor is measured from the distributor, so if they crack that sensor can stop working and it'll enter limp mode, and randomly die/stall out on you, so it's important to replace these with a new unit if it breaks.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

I have never had one break so I am not sure how you are breaking so many of them, maybe there is too much play in the bearing if they are old or have been sitting for a while, I have read online about them breaking here or there but its not the norm to have so many break. maybe something up with the exhaust cam but never heard of that.

toyota did give the alternator placement alot of thought. it used to be on the top of everything on the M series engines, you know the inline 6 motors they built for 25 years before building the JZ series, but they purposely moved it down on the JZ, well I think cause its ugly and no one wanted to look at it anymore.

do you still have the factory metal oil shield under the distributor? that helps a little bit but not much for a larger leak.

ALLWiTE2JZ

Yes, the shiny metal piece is still there, but doesn't do too much when it leaks over time and builds up and falls onto the alternator.

Mrdan4548

iTrader: (1)

The housing tends to have a small crack and that's where it leaks through. Just buy an autozone part with lifetime warranty

Jaspergh

Hey all I am in the process of replacing the distributor in my 1993 2jz ge and I removed the whole unit without marking the point at which the rotor is at (I put a new rotor, cap and o rings in the existing dizzy). I noticed 2 points, one on the skew gear and one on the end of the dizzy housing and when these align the rotor points to cyl 1. Motor is at TDC on compression on cylinder 1.

LexIS007

iTrader: (1)

You can always go the CPS route? Find a CPS from a 7M-GTE, an igniter & coils from an IS300, and follow Ali's instructions on CL on how to get it all wired up.

If it still leaks after that, then....you might have bigger problems, like the bore hole for the distributor has been gouged badly or out of round some how.

Good luck.