My 96 Sentra GXE is leaking oil. I inspected it closely and noticed that there is quite a bit of oil on the underside of the distributor and the surrounding area. I took off the distributor cap today, and, it was not wet on the inside of the distributor. I would appreciate some thoughts about where this leak may be coming from. Thanks
The distributor is connected to the exhaust cam. There's a seal that prevents the oil from the overhead cam area from leaking to the distributor area. Over time that seal breaks down. You should replace the entire distributor because the cam position senor is part of the unit. If you haven't done so already, you will start to experience drivability problems from that leak.
You can find distirbutors on Ebay for about 150 to 200 or get one from the parts store for 300-400. It's a bit pricey, but it will last for the entire remaining life of the car. Not the cap and rotor, of course. That still wears out regularly.
CD
If no oil is getting into/inside the distributor there is no need to replace it.
You may want to look and the valve cover gasket for leaks and you may want to replace the o-ring on the shaft of the distributor, they tend to get hard over the years and will leak.
You're right. My apologies. I incorrectly read that there was oil inside the distributor. The OP was describing the leak as all around but not inside.
I was unaware that just the o-ring of the distributor could be replaced. Which part is that which I can get separate from the distributor?
CD
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