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Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:49 pm

This is my nos distributor and its vacuum thing.

It always gets this oil at this seam. I wipe it off and it comes back. It's
not coming from the hole that the distributor goes in, the pulley, or from inside where the arm goes into the distributor. It's also not running down the
pipe that goes to the nipple on the carb. It smells like sewing machine oil.

Did these ever have oil inside them?

Sun Mar 11, 2012 2:50 pm

How fast does it come back after wiped off? Assuming the diaphragm is rubber I wouldnt think a mix of oil and rubber is a good thing. What was it stored in? Im wondering if somebody stored it and oil leaked on top of it or somewhere on it and its filled up. If its not coming from the dizzy, then eventually its gotta run out some time. What happens if you tape a wad of paper towels at that spot? Either that or take it off and use something that isnt petroleum based and clean it all out.
Your dizzys dry inside it right, no oil fountains? How long have you had to wipe it off? Did it have this oil on it when removed from the box?

Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:08 pm

Take a picture of the vacuum line between distributor and carb. Line should be shaped in such a way as to keep fuel from the carb from going down to the distributor.

Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:43 pm

Eric&Barb wrote: Take a picture of the vacuum line between distributor and carb. Line should be shaped in such a way as to keep fuel from the carb from going down to the distributor.
I was thinking about the loop too, but this seems more like oil than fuel...

Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:05 pm

Could somebody have put machine oil in it to free it up?

Mon Mar 12, 2012 1:42 am

Almost looks like automatic trans fluid

Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:57 pm

Culito wrote: Eric&Barb wrote: Take a picture of the vacuum line between distributor and carb. Line should be shaped in such a way as to keep fuel from the carb from going down to the distributor.
I was thinking about the loop too, but this seems more like oil than fuel...

The pipe is oil free and clean like new.

The inside of the distributor is clean and like new, no oil anywhere.

Oil comes back within a few days running or parked.

E & B : It's oil, not fuel but I will take a pic of the vacuum line for you. And it smells like sewing machine oil, not SAE 30 Pennzoil. My mom is a sewing instructor and the scent of that oil is forever burned in my olfactory memory.

I have had to wipe it off since I put the whole distributor in. The
distributor is basically an unused original. Don't remember seeing it when
I got it but it was totally cleaned and adjusted before it was put in the
block.

The engine compartment is spotless and never gets a drip of oil.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:45 am

Go tell your mom to quit squirting oil on your can and F'ing with youir bus :lol:
Question: Does the oil reappear AFTER you drive it or can it sit endlessly and you can keep wiping the oil off?

Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:10 am

it is sweating horse power.
tasb says diaphram is card board.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:32 pm

Maybe you have a rare self lubing distributor? Heres your free drop of oil :lol: 100% out of ideas now...your turn. Im thinking somehow oil got in there when stored, and when the vacuum advance is operated, its pushing this......oil out the back of it.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:19 pm

If the distributor is not coated with oil inside, then it has to be getting in from the vacuum line. Oil from the stock oil bath air cleaner could be getting sucked in, especially if you are over filling the air cleaner.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:52 pm

the diagphram inside the can is indeed cardboard. There shoudn't be anythiing inside but air. My vote is for leakage from the air filter.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/459255.jpg

Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:15 pm

Super clean engine

Orientation of line

Spotless distributor and canister with hint of oil at seam

Closeup

And my oil bath air cleaner is not overfilled.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:57 pm

How about this idea. Wrap smoothly a paper towel, tape it so that if any oil hits it.....it will soak up in the towl and remain dry on the can. That should eliminate oil splashing on it theory.
Am I hearing this correctly that the diaphragm is cardboard???

Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:54 am

Yes, it's cardboard see my link above.

There are several air vents on the bottom of the distributor housing that could be venting small amounts of oil but that does not explain how its getting onto the vacuum can.

If there were oil in the distributor or vacuum can it would not be passing through the vacuum can unless the diagphram is ruptured. Oil pressure sender?

It is a very clean engine . There is water in air (hunmidity) it stands to reason that inside an engine compartment that there would be oil in the air too? Any oil on the roof of your engine bay?

Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:23 am

tasb wrote: Yes, it's cardboard see my link above.

There are several air vents on the bottom of the distributor housing that could be venting small amounts of oil but that does not explain how its getting onto the vacuum can.

If there were oil in the distributor or vacuum can it would not be passing through the vacuum can unless the diagphram is ruptured. Oil pressure sender?

It is a very clean engine . There is water in air (hunmidity) it stands to reason that inside an engine compartment that there would be oil in the air too? Any oil on the roof of your engine bay?

Not even a hint.

Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:36 am

Oil "mist" slinging out off the pulley, enough to "collect" right at the canister which is pretty much in the direct path of such. If the engine is indeed "so clean", then the back of the pulley should be totally dry. Touch the back of it and if you get the least bit of oil film on your finger, then there's the source of the oil on the canister. You're welcomed! 8)

Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:17 am

I know it's unexpected, but the oil must be coming from inside the distributor vacuum canister.

If it were motor oil being slung then it would appear in other places. Also it would smell like motor oil, not sewing machine oil.

My guess is they put a small amount of oil in the outer chamber of the canister to keep the diaphram moist. The reason we don't normally see this is the canister normally doesn't leak. Rarely does anyone ever open one of these canisters and when they do they open an old one where the oil has already soaked through the diaphram and disappeared.[/guess]

Put a plastic bag over the canister and drive it for a while. That will prove the source is internal. Eventually the drips will go away.

Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:02 pm

If by "they" you mean the Bosch factory then you are wrong. If by "they" you mean some mechanic you could be right. The oil would/will deteriorate the cardboard diagphram eventually.

Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:47 pm

pyrOman wrote: Touch the back of it and if you get the least bit of oil film on your finger, then there's the source of the oil on the canister. You're welcomed! 8)

Actually that is the front of the pulley, right next to the rear of the engine! :wink: