Seized distributor

[dnudelman]

Use the oil Slinger off your old distributor and put it on the Marelli it works just fine

 

[Loren Field]

When I was having problems with an oil leak at the hold-down bracket on mine a while back, Jeff Stich provided this nice explanation (thanks Jeff!):

"If you have a Marelli distributor, check to see if the black plastic oil slinger is still intact on the upper shaft below the distributor body (this is what keeps oil from spiraling up the shaft towards the distributor base). They often crack, crumble or melt from age/fatigue. There is no seal or gasket on the 850 distributor base, but the 600 distributor does use a gasket there that you can try using."

 

[Arachnd]

Oh yeah! After plenty of measurement and calculation, I figured out that simply making the bottom of the Marelli look exactly like the bottom of the functioning Ducellier would provide all the right clearances. Did that, took it out for 11.5 miles, with a 65 mph blast in the middle, and everything seems perfect, and the car runs great. Whew.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and guidance,

 

[dnudelman]

told you so........

 

[Arachnd]

Had to make a high-precision metric roll pin driver out of a finishing nail, but we got through it.