S85A Distributor Oil Seal | FerrariChat

S85A Distributor Oil Seal

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by sportcoupe, Mar 14, 2021.

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  1. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    I have scoured the internet and I am coming up empty. Does anybody out there happen to know the part number for the oil seal on an S85A Marelli distributor? Better yet, where can I get one? Thanks!
     
  2. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    Mar 29, 2007
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    Timo
    I don’t recall seeing any oil seals in S85A’s, but there are some in angle drives below them and those I’d imagine should be readily available from any number of experienced Ferrari parts suppliers.
     
  3. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
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    #3 John Vardanian, Mar 14, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2021
    My records show SKF#10628; dimensions: 27x41x10. This is the lip seal that chokes around the driveshaft. I think I got mine from a local bearing retailer. Hope this helps.

    john
     
  4. daytonaman

    daytonaman Formula Junior

    May 1, 2007
    959
    Australia
    Full Name:
    howard pigdon
    27 41 10 GT car parts phoenix
     
  5. daytonaman

    daytonaman Formula Junior

    May 1, 2007
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    Australia
    Full Name:
    howard pigdon
  6. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Great! Thank you for all the help. I am getting oil inside the distributor. I assume this will put a stop to that. Cheers!
     
  7. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Got the part ordered. Turns out to be a pretty difficult item to find. I would still be looking if it hadn’t been for the suggestion to try GT Parts is Phoenix. Thanks!
     
  8. Motob

    Motob Formula 3
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 11, 2003
    2,238
    Frederick, Maryland
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    Brian Brown
    When you replace the seal in the distributor angle drive, be careful not to damage the seal lip when you install the gear/drive for the distributor, as the teeth on the gear are sharp.

    The other thing to check is there is a small O-ring on the input shaft of the distributor angle drive, which seals the oil connection between the hollow camshaft (that supplies oil under pressure to the angle drive input gear) and the input shaft. This O-ring forces the oil pressure to go inside the input gear, which has small holes in it to lubricate the gear teeth and bearings. If the O-ring is missing, more oil flows into the angle drive than normally should, which can overwhelm the upper seal, causing it to leak.

    Brian Brown
    San Francisco Motorsports
     
  9. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Thank you for the advice. Should I remove the entire assembly, or just the distributor to replace the seal? Might you have the part number for the O ring available? I should probably replace that too. Thanks!
     
  10. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

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  11. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Thank you for the response. I am assuming the the oil seal is #25 in the diagram. And possibly also, #15? I am sure it will become obvious once it is apart.
     
  12. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
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    Correct, the oil seal is #15 in the blowup and it's straightforward to replace. You lift the distributor and pull out the gear shaft (#14). As Brian mentioned, be mindful of the teeth not damaging the lip of your new seal.

    john
     
  13. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    #13 TTR, Mar 17, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2021
    I believe #39 is also a lip seal, but only present in RH angle drive base to prevent oil exiting through tachometer drive assembly.
    Worth to replace along with all O-rings (2 x #35, 2x #37 and 1 x #43) while replacing other two (#15) lip seals.
     
  14. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    I replaced the seal and the oil leak is fixed! Now I am having a hell of a time getting the timing set. I put everything back exactly the way it was and I can’t seem to massage it back to running correctly. Am I missing something? Maybe the cap and rotor are fouled with oil?
     
  15. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    I assume you removed the cap and noted the exact direction to which the rotor was pointing before lifting the distributor off ?
    I also assume you noted the exact position in which the yoke on the driven gear (#14) of the angle drive was prior to lifting it off ?
    And both of these ^^ ended up in exactly same direction/position during reassembly ?
     
  16. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Yes. The yoke went back in the same position resulting in the rotor pointing to the exact same place. I even took photos with my phone and marked the three bolts with a dab of paint to make sure I was in the same general vicinity when I fired the engine to time it.
     
  17. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

    Apr 6, 2008
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    romano schwabel
    turn the carnkshaft to 1st cylinder TDC and have a look if the distributor-rotor shows to the right direction. same you may do with the 7th cylinder
     
  18. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

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    you are sure? normaly the metal at the rotor shows to the red marking, not 180 ° to this, except you have the crankshaft turned that cylinder 6 and 12 is firing
     
  19. John Vardanian

    John Vardanian F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
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    Does the motor run at all? Have you timed it with a light? Here is the relative positions of the rotors when #1 at TDC.
     

    Attached Files:

  20. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Thank you for the pictures. The orientation looks backwards to me but I will double check tomorrow. Yes, it runs and after filing the contacts on the cap and rotor it sounds perfect, but I have no power :(
     
  21. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

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    #1TDC? so ignition or overlap TDC?

    but when the engines runs in idle than it is only a question of the timing. when no power I think too much back ignition. turn the distributor against turning direction to increase the idle and check with timing light ! ! !
     
  22. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
    70
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Update. It appears that the engine stated running smoothly because the left side distributor (the one I removed) stopped getting power. I have tested the coil and it’s fine, but there is no juice coming out of it into the distributor. I tried another coil and it didn’t help. The right side is getting normal power ant spark. Any ideas?
     
  23. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
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    Robert Phillips
    Is the distributor case grounded?

    Best regards,

    Robert
     
  24. sportcoupe

    sportcoupe Karting
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    Dec 27, 2016
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    Santa Cruz, CA
    It does not appear to be grounded. Both distributors have the plug wire hanger attached, but no ground. Both were working fine before, but maybe something happened when I reinstalled the distributor.
     
  25. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
    687
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Robert Phillips
    Sixty years ago I proudly cleaned and clear coated all of the motor and accessories. Put everything together and discovered no spark. After literally days of experimenting with different coils and condensors I discovered that the clear coat had effectively electrically isolated the distributors. Scraped a little clear coat off at the mounting nut area and they worked great. That is the only reason I suggested you check to see if the distributor was grounded. Different motor though the concept still applies.

    Best regards,

    Robert


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