oily ignition points

[Charlie M]

My IH Cub 184 wouldn't start and turns out no spark. I pulled the distributor cover, etc to get to the point and found them coated with oil. I saw that this spring and cleaned up everything but the oil has come back and I'm wondering how it got there. Can it be coming through the oil seal up by the crank case cover and getting all the way past the distributor shaft and back to the points? The whole area where the points are is oily. Looks like its a frequent occurrence until I find the source of the problem.

 

[farmalluver]

I am not familiar with a 184, but if it has a hydraulic pump ahead of the distributor driven off of the timing gear, then it is probably a leaking seal on the hydraulic pump. Probably the shaft is worn and you will need more than just a seal, like a rebuilt pump.

 

[Charlie M]

The pump on a Cub is on the other side of the tractor so that's not the problem.

 

[Duner Wi]

My 154 has an O ring and an oil seal that can be replaced with out too much trouble.
If you just replace just the O ring you probably will doing the oil seal in short order.

 

[riverbend]

Does your distributor have a 1/8 pipe plug in the housing, by the shaft ? If so, try giving it a shot of grease. When I get a lot of condensation in the distributor on the H, greasing it helps.

 

[wore out]

There's a seal pressed into the engine block that seals to the governor shaft/distributor driveshaft that should keep oil and crankcase vapors from ever reaching the distributor drive gear housing, much less the distributor.

If there's lots of blowby or the crankcase breather is restricted that gives oil and crankcase vapors more impetus to find their way all the way to the distributor.

 

[Ellis Kinney]

I had the same problem on an M and wound up using a speedy sleeve on the distributor shaft. Worked well so far, about 4 years. Ellis