I have an oil leak in the 90 si hatchback. Found a pool of oil on top of the transmission on the distributor side of the motor. Someone told me it could be the distributor gasket. So my question is this, being the noob I am at working on cars. Why does the distributor have anything to do with the motor oil? I thought it just sets the spark plugs off.

 

it does but the cam shaft turns the dizzy and there is an o ring not a gasket replace the o ring and call it a day.

 

The distributor is drive by the end of your camshaft and your cam is inside the valve cover so the distributor need a o ring type seal to keep the oil inside the valve cover. hope it help

 

I gotcha....thanks! Now I just have to figure out how to do it....does it involve removing the valve cover?

 

No, there are 3 bolts on the distributor. Just mark where the distributor is at before removal. Once the bolts are off you just pull it out and you will see the o-ring.