2.3L Engine Oil Leak

[IDMooseMan]

Degreased the engine most of Sat and Sun. Have a bit more to do Mon.

Removed and cleaned the oil pressure sensor (OPS) and the post that screws into the block. Cleaned them (one of the PO's used teflon tape to seal the post and oil pressure sensor ) and reinstalled them with Oatley's plumbers paste in the tube as previously suggested. Hopefully, that takes care of the oil leak.

Installed a new coolant temp sensor (CTS), too, since I was already in the area.

Removed the smog pump and check valve. Found several cracks in the belt, so it wasn't gonna last much longer. Now I don't hafta worry about it breaking while driving. Removed the vacuum hoses from the pump back to the air cleaner housing. Installed a 1/2" plug into the exhaust manifold where the smog pump check valve used to be.

It was getting dark, so I need to double-check things during the daylight. I need to finish degreasing the engine and rinse it good before heading out to work Monday night.

Need to reattach the throttle cable bracket, (I removed it to give more access to the CTS and OPS).

Readjusted the carb choke. Evidently, I forgot to tighten the holddown screws on one of my previous attempts. The choke had backed itself off completly...so, the carb adjustment battle resumes.

[4EYED85]

Sounds like your making progress. Stay on it and you will have her running good in no time.

[mustangxtreme]

If you pressure wash your engine, make sure you have some WD-40 with you. That way if you do get water into your ignition system you can spray it down and should be good to go.

[IDMooseMan]

Thank guys. WD-40 and I have had a long-standing relationship. I keep a small spray can in my tool bag, plus one or two larger cans are always in the garage. Right next to my duct tape stash. I should probably buy some more, just to be sure I have enough on hand.

[IDMooseMan]

Another oil leak fixed...still at least one more to track down.

The oil pressure sensor and post are no longer leaking, as evidenced by the clean area still around them.

However, I still have another oil leak...so, it looks like I need to look closer at the oil filter, dipstick, and distributor. Does the distributor have an o-ring, like the dipstick, or something else to seal where it enters the block?

On the plus side, my coolant temp sensor was so corroded, I think it is (was) the original sensor. Replaced the CTS with a new one and my temperature gauge is actually reading in "NORMAL" range like I would expect it to be.

One step forward, two steps back. Time for a shower, food, and off to work.

[webestang]

Another oil leak fixed...still at least one more to track down.

The oil pressure sensor and post are no longer leaking, as evidenced by the clean area still around them.

However, I still have another oil leak...so, it looks like I need to look closer at the oil filter, dipstick, and distributor. Does the distributor have an o-ring, like the dipstick, or something else to seal where it enters the block?

On the plus side, my coolant temp sensor was so corroded, I think it is (was) the original sensor. Replaced the CTS with a new one and my temperature gauge is actually reading in "NORMAL" range like I would expect it to be.

One step forward, two steps back. Time for a shower, food, and off to work.

Yep......the dizzy has an o-ring.

[IDMooseMan]

Thanks, Scott. So is it a "special" o-ring? Or will any o-ring of the correct size work? What is the correct size? I'm looking through my service manuals, but haven't found any info yet.

[webestang]

Thanks, Scott. So is it a "special" o-ring? Or will any o-ring of the correct size work? What is the correct size? I'm looking through my service manuals, but haven't found any info yet.

Not sure what size but it looks like a standard o-ring......
I bought a new dizzy and it had one on there ....here is a photo from A Zone's site...

[IDMooseMan]

Yep. I think that's what I need. I have the Ford part number; just can't find any dimensions for it anywhere. Even my Ford parts guy couldn't find any dimensions. He said it wasn't anything special, just an o-ring that fits in that groove.

Looks like I'll hafta pull the dizzy and take it with me to the parts store, Lowes, or maybe Radio Shack.

[KevinK]

Oring sizes are pretty generic, just measure them as best you can. Then just look them up to see what size matches. I use this site for exact sizes http://www.uccomponents.com/group.asp. Basically, the CSD (cross sectional diameter) is where you start. It will be .078", .103", .139", .210" or .275". It's the material that is critical to withstand the gas and oil exposure.

[4EYED85]

Any bearing shop will have a large assortment of o rings.

[IDMooseMan]

I guess I wasn't being clear. This is for my daily driver. If I pull the distributor to get the o-ring size, I no longer have a vehicle available to drive to anyplace to purchase the needed o-ring.

I was hoping someone would know what diameter I need so I could buy the o-ring without having to remove the dizzy from the vehicle first.

I got the Ford part number from my parts guy, so maybe AutoZone or NAPA can cross-reference it for me and tell me what size I need.

What I'd really like to find is an o-ring kit. My fellow truck club member has one that contains numerous o-rings of multiple sizes used on his business vehicles. He moves houses and other big stuff for a living. The o-rings are in a yellow or red carrying case.

[4EYED85]

Well its just not the dia., its also the thickness of the ring. Mark your rotor location on the dizzy base, pull dizzy, and measure yours. Then just re stab it and go buy one. Leave the wires on the cap and just move it aside.

[webestang]

Go to AZ, have them get the dizzy, measure it, hand it back to them and tell them you just wanted to look at it,,,,,,,,,,,,

[4EYED85]

Go to AZ, have them get the dizzy, measure it, hand it back to them and tell them you just wanted to look at it,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thats a plan also.

[IDMooseMan]

Both are good ideas. I even tried the, "Terry, you gotta replacement distributor for my 2.3 Ghia in stock?" with my NAPA guy. The answer was, "No", but since I was killing time before work, we tried a bunch of different routes to find the dimensions of the o-ring.

He even took me into the back racks to look for o-ring kits like my truck-club buddy had. I wound up buying a little 50-piece o-ring kit. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, but for $5, I'm not complaining and I now have some spare o-rings in the garage. Even if one o-ring fits the dipstick tube, I'll consider it a good deal.

I gotta make a run to the library and AZ is on the way, so another mini-roadtrip before heading in to work.

I'll hafta see what chain restaurants are along the way, too. If you guys aren't playing the "Game" you're missing out on some fun.

[IDMooseMan]

Contacted a somewhat local AutoZone. They had a 2.3L distributor in stock. I asked them to measure the o-ring groove for me, and they did; 1.7" is what they came up with. They didn't have any o-rings that size in stock, but NAPA did. I bought one the correct size, one the next size up, and one the next size down, just in case. A little bit over $3, but now I "should" have the correct size o-ring I need.

Now I need to stop being afraid of pulling the dizzy on my DD. I don't have timing marks on my car, so I can't properly time it after reinstalling. I'm hoping MC-Machine will make another run soon. I'd like to install timing marks before I pull the dizzy.

[tripice351]

Now I need to stop being afraid of pulling the dizzy on my DD. I don't have timing marks on my car, so I can't properly time it after reinstalling. I'm hoping MC-Machine will make another run soon. I'd like to install timing marks before I pull the dizzy.

If you want to pull the distributor without a timing cover, you can do this: Remove the crank pulley. Reinstall the crank pulley bolt and turn the engine to TDC - you will know you're at TDC when the keyway for the crank pulley is at the 12 o'clock position, and the timing mark (a little triangle) on the crank timing gear is aligned with the notch in the aluminum piece that houses the front crank seal. (That notch will also align with the notch on the crank pulley if you reinstall it) Next remove the distributor cap. You will see that the distributor rotor is pointing at approx the 4 o'clock position (when viewing from the drivers fender). Now use a black sharpie to make a dot on top of the distributor (where the mating surface for the cap is) that aligns with the post on the cap for the #1 spark plug wire. If timed correctly it should be just before the beginning edge of the distributor rotor. Take a picture for reference on reassembly if desired. Finally, use a string, straightedge, dipstick etc to see exactly where the rotor is pointing. If memory serves on my car it is a bolt on the intake, but your 79's intake may be different. Make a reference mark with a sharpie.

Now pull your distributor. The o-ring will likely be flattened and even with the body of the distributor, hence oil leaking past it. The new o-ring should be thick enough to stick out past the body, and seal the oil. Reinstall the distributor, making sure the rotor aligns with your reference mark (you will need to drop it in with the rotor a bit offset from the alignment mark, as the gear is helical and the rotor will turn into alignment as it is lowered). Being off a tooth will make a relatively considerable amount of difference. Now turn the distributor body so the reference mark on top is right at the beginning of the rotor as it was before removal. You just timed your engine without a timing light or timing marks.

[4EYED85]

I would just mark the exact location that its at and yank it. If you would like to bring #1 up to TDC on the compression stroke you can, but I don't see the need in this case. Pull the cap, mark the base of dizzy where the rotor location is, unplug TFI, unbolt it, and pull it out. As long as you put it back where it was, its all good. Like I said earlier just leave all your wires on the cap and push it off too the side.

[IDMooseMan]

Thanks for the procedure, Marc. Reps sent.

4EYED85, your way sounds good as well. Unfortunately, due to the lack of TLC given this car by one or both POs, the current timing setting is in question. I want to avoid making the situation worse than it is at present. I'm just gonna have to take a weekend and dive in to make this right. I need to hit the JY to see if I can find a timing cover that still has the timing marks attached, unless MC-Machine does another run of their timing marks soon.

[4EYED85]

You can get your timing pretty close if you have a vac. gauge. Are you keeping this car a 2.3 or doing a V8 conversion?

[IDMooseMan]

Staying a 2.3L for the moment. Setting timing with a vacuum gauge? That's a new trick for this old dog. How does that work?

[Gemini1999]

Craig -

I've got my fingers crossed for you on this. I hope you get it sorted out properly, especially because you need to drive the car every day. I'm looking forward to your post saying that you've got no more leaks.

Keep up on the good work and let us know how it goes.

[4EYED85]

Adjust it so you have the highest reading on your gauge, going off manifold vac. If it pings on accel. just back it off a little. This way you don't have to replace the timing cover if the pointer is broken.

[webestang]

I would just mark the exact location that its at and yank it. If you would like to bring #1 up to TDC on the compression stroke you can, but I don't see the need in this case. Pull the cap, mark the base of dizzy where the rotor location is, unplug TFI, unbolt it, and pull it out. As long as you put it back where it was, its all good. Like I said earlier just leave all your wires on the cap and push it off too the side.

+1..............