Distributor collar gasket

I am half way through the installation of the Cape Conversions HEI, and can wrap it up in an hour or so. However, the distributor collar gasket was trash and could not be reused. I must have gone to half a dozen parts stores looking for this simple item. I believe that it is a case, mentioned before on this forum, of these young kids working a parts counter, with no mechanical experience! They would take one look at the computer and conclude that they don't carry them. They did offer to sell me o-rings, caps, rotors and wires! Does anyone happen to have a part number for this gasket? It is the one that is installed between the engine and the distributor bottom flange.

 

http://www.pickproparts.com/PartsList.aspx?AAIASubCategoryID=5392
Is this it? If not backtrack.

 

if your referring to a dist. for a 225 v6 they do not use a gasket. they use a o-ring seal. here are two examples of 225 dist. the o-ring is approxomately 1/8" below flange

 

Sorry, didn't bring up the end site.

Product Description Part
[O-Ring SPVQ: 1]
Application: O Ring 1 1/16" I.D. x 1 5/16" O.D. (5 Pak) Fel-Pro fel 420 In Stock: Usually ships in one business day $1.16 $0.54

 

They actually do use a gasket between the distributor flange and the timing cover along with the o-ring seal but I do not know the part # as mine came with my Mallory dual point.
My factory one was destroyed when I changed my distributor years ago. Find an old mom & pop parts center and see if they can help you or call Mallory or Cape converions back and ask them. Mine was a simple hard paper gasket that was a donut about 1/32" thick!!

 

me thinks you could make one just as easy....

 

Thanks, jeepers! I consulted a friend this morning, who has a nasty habit of building race cars and engines. He specializes in small block Chevy's. He almost fell out of his chair when he heard of my troubles yesterday. He got online with one of the parts chains I visited yesterday and found the part (Felpro 70194) in less than a minute. It is shown in stock at the store I went to yesterday. To add to the madness, he said he had one and I should have called him yesterday. Apparently these go into all small block Chevy's and cost about $1.50 a throw. He' got a bunch of them. I knew he went out of town for the weekend and did not think he would come home early.

Lessons learned:
1. Use the internet to find the part numbers before you go shopping!
2. Follow installation directions carefully.

The Dauntless does indeed use the gasket Mcruff is refering to. The Cape Conversions instructions prompt you to either reuse the one that was there originally or get a new one. I tried to make the gasket out of material I had in the shop, but the new teeth on the distributor gear sliced them as I tried to slide them on. It will all be better this evening when I finish the assembly. The Cape Conversions instructions are excellent. However, you must read them carefully and make sure you do not second guess them. Some of the posts I've seen here before came to mind when I first lined up the timing mark on 0 deg. and pulled the cap and the rotor was pointing at No. 6, not No. 1. The instructions tell you if this occurs, go around one more time. I did and it lined up perfectly with No. 1. Four stroke engines require two rotations of the crankshaft to complete their work! If all works out on the first try this evening, I shall so inform the forum. If not, I'll be back for more advice. Thanks again.

JK

 

**********UPDATE**************
OK Jeepers. After lunch I strolled to the #$@*& parts store where yesterday's search began. After handing the counter attendant the aforementioned Felpro 70194 number, he returned with it in under two minutes. He then asked me if this was for a Jeep and if I was the guy who was looking for it yesterday. Of course the answer was yes. His excuse for yesterday? He couldn't find it. Funny, yesterday he never left the computer. If this guy was working for me he would be fired. No questions, no termination letters, just a No. 10 in the caboose.

Oh, Fred, the part you were looking at is an O-ring that is the primary seal with the timing chain housing. The one we are discussing here sits on top of the timing chain housing, under the bottom flange of the distributor. In DSG's picture, it goes just above the O-ring.

 

just out of curiosity what did you tell those poor fools at the parts counter you wanted? a gasket for a chev. dist. or one for a 225 v6?

 

I had the same problem with the same part for my 304. Went to many parts stores and finally got an old timer who said "OK, I found it, Felpro put the part in the listing where it wasn't supposed to be".
Lately I've been having troubles with some of those wet ears.
Do like me, Make a list of your Felpro part numbers.

 

DSG, I told them first the 225 V6. When they were completely befuddled by that, I told them that any Chevy small block V8 has the same part so look up a 1985 Chevy 350. I must have overloaded their brain cells. It was really interesting to go back today with the part number and have the same guy that said they did not have the part bring me one. I, and several of my friends, have about decided that many of the people that work in these chain parts stores are not motivated to serve the customer. I will try my best only to go to individually owned stores, or order over the internet.
JK

 

isn't that the truth! i very seldom ever tell them what i want the parts for as that just confuses them

 

How necessary is this gasket? I just installed an HEI and I don't think one was on when we removed the old one, or on the new one.

 

It appears to be a secondary seal against dirt and grime working down the shaft. The o-ring is obviously an oil seal. I'd say it is necessary in the long term.

Another gremlin has raised its ugly head. After carefully installing the distributor and cap and buttoning up, I found the proper switched power source and tried to fire it up. Surprise! No fire! stumped, I am. One question. There is a three wire pigtail with a brown, orange and black wire to the module in the base of the distributor. It has a plastic plug on the end. It is not called for in the instructions, but I think it should connect to something. The only connection called for in the instructions is the power wire from the distributor cap. Am I missing something?

JK

 

Mine has the power going to the cap, and the three wire plug going from the distributor base to the distributor cap, in the socket right next to the power.

 

Mike,
Thanks for the tip. All I lacked was connecting that plug to the underside of the cap. We now have plenty of fire! Thanks to all, and now on to the next disaster! Happy Jeeping to all.

John

 

Same problem with the gasket here

Thanks for the help as well, I was having the same problem, just havent gotten around to posting about it.

Doug

 

I keep a notebook - one of those quadrille ruled composition books they sell at Staples - for each car. Part numbers, repairs, non-stock changes, maintenance - all gets logged.