Oil in Front Distributor Cap

The front-most distributor cap in my Mondial 3.2 has oil leaking into it. I have read many threads on cam seals that warrant changing, but noe I read mentions a leak into the cap. Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

Done plenty of them. The seal sits in the distributor base. Remove the base and replace and new gasket for the base. Pretty easy job.

 

Agreed. Remove distributor, then remove alum 'base" behind distributor to which it mounts. Replace gasket and put her back together.

 

Extremely fast responses from you folks and great news at that. Thanks a million!

 

Have a good close look at the seal when you re-install, if you are not careful the seal can get turned inside out, I had God's own trouble with the last one I did.

I'm not sure what the original fixings for the base to the head were but mine have studs & nuts so you can't twist the base+seal on to the end of the cam, it has to be pushed straight on over the studs and, as above, the last time I did one the bloody seal kept turning inside out! It went on eventually & hasn't leaked

 

Iain, I'm having trouble visualizing this from looking at parts diagrams. I don't suppose you have any photos, do you?
Thanks: David

 

I had the same problem with mine. As can be seen, I had a huge chunk missing out of my seal.
When I first tried to offer the seal and housing up to the shaft, it just bent the lip of the seal the wrong way. What i did, was to get a plastic cap from a spray paint can and cut the end off it. Then split the remaining band in half and made it so that the ends did not overlap when placed over the shaft. You then coat the plastic with some grease (on the outside) and place it over the shaft, you can then slide the seal in it's housing over the plastic (which you can make a slight cone shape so the seal fits easily) and then pull the plastic out when the seal and housing are in place.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Not my car, but ones I open one of those with leaking seal from camshaft and good news is ; they only get half full, as there are little holes side of cap that drain oil out. (car was driven to my plase) But it kind of surprises when you open that cap and no way one can be ready with bucket under the car.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Post 7 is the right 3.2 seal and a good installation procedure. Post 8 is not of the 3.2 variant, the rotor is way different.

 

Pictures really are worth a thousand words! Many thanks to you gentlemen.

 

So I used all this good advice & removed the front distributor cap, rotor & plate. As expected, there was oil in the cap (3rdt picture). Somewhat surprisingly, the seal appears to be fine. (See 1st & 2nd pictures, which show the front & back sides of the plate with the seal undisturbed.)
Should I be looking for another source of an oil leak? Obviously I will change ther seals & gaskets, but I was really hoping for a "smoking gun" such the damaged seal in the picture posted by a previous responder.
Thanks!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Does it have a rubber cam extension?

3.2 motors and TRs were famous for oil leaks in the distributors and were the subject of several TSB's.

That seal was damaged at installation but there are other reasons it can be leaking.

 

The only way for oil to get into the cap is past that seal I think. Its off now so replace it anyway but, as above, make sure it doesn't turn itself inside out when you install it.

 

I think not.

 

I had oil leaking into my distributor cap on early '86 328. Replaced the seals three times and oil still leaked into the cap.

Assumed the cam extension rubber was bad. Replaced with new style cam extension. When the old one was removed, it separated. On some previous repair before I owned the car, it snapped and there was an attempt to braise it back together. Installed on the cam the break was not visiable. When pressurized to test it, it held. However, when running and the oil was hot and pressurized, it leaked through.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks for the great & speedy replies! And now the question becomes how do I change the cam extension rubber? I think I'm not going to smile when I get the answer ...

 

If and only if it has one of the cam extensions with rubber replace it with a solid one. They are no longer supplied predrilled so they need to be properly indexed in the cam and through drilled then pinned and hydraulic locktited in place. A job for a very experienced person.

We did a crap load of them in 85 and 86 TRs and 86 3,2's. They were all supposed to be done but they were not.

 

Thanks. I wonder if Ferrari NA would pick up this tab if it was never done?

 

Are you kidding?

You now have to remove your cam shafts for this.... Good luck.

 

Yes, I was sorta kidding. Now I'm hearing banjos and learning how to squeal like a pig ...

 

I mentioned the year for a reason. If yours is not an 86 you need to look elsewhere.

 

Man I am happy to see Bryan posting again. If I ever make it to Austin, I like to say hi.

 

Rifledriver are you saying that a 1988 3.2 already has the revised cam extensions?
Thanks