'88 735i (M30): oil in distributor cap/rotor

[yellowbullet]

My beater car has been sitting outside in the driveway for a good year and today I tried to fire it up for the first time. It cranked and all, but would not start after a few tries. I then started taking stuff off, intake, maf, spark plugs, and the distributor cap and rotor. When I took the cap off, I found oil inside!! I also found some yellowish powder (could be the brass or bronze parts of the rotor and the cap grinding each other?) in the cup as well. I cleaned it up, put everything back together, and cranked her again but it still wouldn't start. Opened up the cap again and found oil and that yellow powder inside AGAIN. Is there a seal or something that could be worn out, allowing oil entering the cap or is it something else? A better question would be how do I fix this?

Any help will be appreciated!

[thejlevie]

I believe there is a seal in the shaft housings. The "yellowish powder" is worrisome, since the distributor wouldn't have turned that mant times when you attempted to crank the car. I think you probably need a new or rebuilt distributor.

[yellowbullet]

I believe there is a seal in the shaft housings. The "yellowish powder" is worrisome, since the distributor wouldn't have turned that mant times when you attempted to crank the car. I think you probably need a new or rebuilt distributor.

From what I can tell, there is a seal in the upper timing chain cover, where the rotor slides in. Can I buy that piece individually or do I need the whole cover?

So you think the yellowish powder is from the brass parts grinding each other? I also forgot to mention that my rotor just slips in and out of the timing chain housing/seal...is that normal? It takes no force to pull it out or put in.

Thanks for your help!