Do I need a new distributor?

[hotroady]

Let me make sure we're on the same page with the exhaust issue - my leak is at the manifold/pipe junction, with the cusped surface for the donut gasket. I always thought of surfacing as being for flat areas - but I admit I'm no machinist, any more than I am a real mechanic. And I'm surprised high-temp silicone can be used on exhaust manifolds. What I've seen list 500-600 degrees as the max temp, and I had ruled that out as a solution since I figured manifold temps get 200-300 degrees hotter than that.

And weren't donut gaskets made from asbestos years ago? I know that's a dirty word these days, but they seemed to seal better when I was doing this type of stuff in my teens and early 20s (the 1980s).

They still make the donut gaskets, not hard to find. Make sure donut not cocked on flange, when replacing.

 

[AAlexander]

hotroady - Yeah, I've gotten 2 of 'em at one of the chain stores. The first I tried to progressively torque down to eliminate the exhaust leak, but ended up cracking the gasket and made an even worse exhaust leak. The second I just torqued to the upper limit listed in The Manual, 25 ft.lbs. if I remember right, but I still have a mild leak because of the pitting (I assume). Both have been the sintered metal-type, which just can't fill the pits like the older, softer ones did. I noticed when looking on the websites for the chains that they list two gaskets of the same size by FelPro, one the sintered metal and another with the word "Packing" in the notes (instead of "Sintered Metal"). Both are described as "composite" under the "gasket material" heading. Do you, or anyone else, happen to know if the "Packing" gasket might work better for this? I'll go to the FelPro website and see if I can find anything to clarify there, too. I'd call, but from past experience the people on the other end of the line usually don't know more than what comes up on the computer in front of them.

 

[bubba22349]

For sure use the the ones they call Packing (Composite) it will seal much better. Good luck

 

[AAlexander]

bubba 22349 - I just looked on the FelPro site and found some info on what "packing" meant, and it looked like that might be the better option. Good to have some back-up for what was just a hunch on my part. Thanks!