Intake removal & install

[Jambo1]

Question #1 I took off the intake manifold because I was getting a pool of oil in the valley right behind the distributor. I'm thinking it is a old rubber seal at the front of the intake manifold. So Im replaceing the valley pan. As I was tearing things down and apart, I noticed a small square opening in the bottom of the distributor (stock). There was a small amount of oil in the distributor, and this hole happens to be directly over this valley that keeps pooling up with oil. Why would I be getting oil into my distributor? :eek:

Question #2
After I removed the intake and valley pan, I was checking out the rods. Most of them were spinning freely, but a few of them didnt spin at all! Is this o.k. or should they be spinning freely? In addition, one rod is bent a little. :eek: Should I replace it or just leave it?

Thanks

[Bob Barry]

Well, the distributor shaft does need oil, but it shouldn't be making its way into the housing and dripping out! Maybe a rebuilt distributor is in the cards for you (about $50). How is your PCV system? Maybe excessive crankcase pressure is forcing the oil up there?

As for those pushrods, no, they normally don't spin very easily. A few of the lifters will be raised up by the cam lobes, so they won't want to spin at all. Replace the bent one; new pushrods are only $.99/each at Advance Auto (I think AutoZone charges $1.19/each). They're regular Chevy small-block parts (handy coincidence there), so everybody has them in stock for cheap.

Replace that pushrod before you reinstall the intake, however. I replaced a pushrod, and the retaining snap-ring on the lifter came apart, so the lifter shot its guts all over the lifter-valley when I pulled up the pushrod.

[Brown Bear]

however. I replaced a pushrod, and the retaining snap-ring on the lifter came apart, so the lifter shot its guts all over the lifter-valley when I pulled up the pushrod.
You're just full of good news Bob!

[Bob Barry]

I tell ya; I've broken just about everything on my truck, sometimes twice. That's where all the good advice comes from... ;)

[Jambo1]

Thanks for the help guys. I tell ya, I had a $40 valley pan my friend gave me sitting in my garage. I was nieve enough to think I could go buy some black RTV and replace it in one afternoon. Well what I thought would be a cheap project turned out to be expensive. In the process, I decided to remove my air pump and air air conditioner(both busted). So needed to run down get new belts. Ended up busting the bolt on the timing cover, you know the one you cant back out until you take the fan pulley off! Had to go to ACE pick up that bolt. Decided to but some paint for the intake, (Spruce it up a bit!) Then, I broke one of the CTO's $36!!! Back down to the parts store. Got the intake off and discovered the bent rod. Back to the parts store for the last rod for my motor in stock. Got some paint to freshin up the covers. Took the carb off to paint intake. Now needed new carb gaskets, went to 2 different parts store for that! Got back to the house and after a few hours of painting and putting things back together I discovered the belts were a 1 1/2 to long with out the air conditioner pulley. Oh....and had to get a Makita angle grinder ($45) to grind off the bolt head that holds the air pump on. (Back to ACE)It bent in place and would'nt turn. Then my neighbor was gone so I couldnt borrow his Torque wrench. Back to Car Quest ($36) made in Taiwan. Worked on it Sat, Sunday and I ended up taking Monday off so I could do it right and not rush it. (Daily driver) One less vacation day!!

Meanwhile I have a wife inside thats doing the check book telling me we should'nt buy anything except for "neccessities"!!!!! :eek: Plus we have another kid on the way!!!

Between the tools and parts and paint, I blew $200 bucks to replace a free part I had in the garage. :mad: Anyone else suffered like this???

Buy the way, I still have the oil leak!!!! :mad: :mad: Doesnt appear to be coming from the distributor! I think from were the timing chain housing means the block!!?