Tim305

Ok so when did points stop including a dab of cam lube? I got this miss at idle driving me crazy. Decided to replace everything, Plugs, plug wires, Dist.cap points, condenser, vacuum advance, and rotor. Waited three days for all my stuff to come in and damn no cam lube came with the points. No auto parts store I can find carries it on the shelf. I did find some permatex white lithium grease, does anyone know if that will work?

2Olds4U

I use just a dab of regular grease (non stranded and definitely not CV joint grease) in front of the rubbing block. Haven't bothered seeking dielectric grease in decades and haven't had any problem.
Did you find out what was causing the misfire or are you just cleaning out the kitchen and hoping for the best?

TripDeuces

The key word here is 'sparingly'. Get that grease splashing around and on the points contacts and you'll be changing them soon. Place a dab behind the rubbing block so that the cam is turning 'into' the grease and not on the front side where it will carry it toward the contacts. I hope that makes sense. (It's perfectly clear in my mind!)

MDchanic

NOT dielectric grease. That's an insulating grease for spark plug boots.

You want points cam grease.

I'll just paste my post from here:

I don't know about Delco, but the higher-quality points used to come with a tiny dab of cam grease in the package.

If you need more, Summit has Mallory cam lube grease, and Bosch cam lube grease (#5 700 002 005) can be obtained easily from various German-car aftermarket suppliers.







- Eric

2Olds4U

Absolutely correct, Trip and Eric. I know the grease has to be in front of the block. My bad in not explaining that the front would be the direction the cam hits first.

How's that for a save?

costpenn

Do all Olds points distributors have the rubbing block?

TripDeuces

"Do all Olds points distributors have the rubbing block?"

The rubbing block is on the points themselves. No rubbing block in the distributor. The distributor has a eight sided cam that rubs on the rubbing block. Six sides if you have a six cylinder.

MDchanic

Or, to put it another way, ALL distributors have a rubbing block.

- Eric

costpenn

Sorry, I must be misidentifying what I'm talking about. On the 1111979 W30 distributor I am restoring, it did not have this little gizmo on the breaker plate right next to where the points mount. The spare 1111233 I took apart as a test before doing mine had this piece in it. What is it, and do all distributors have this thing? (It looked like some kind of rubbing block to me)

rustyroger

Some European model points had a similar gizmo, with a little ring of sponge like material round it. Its job was to catch grease (regular all purpose grease) and help keep the cam lubricated.


Roger.

MDchanic

That little gizmo is not familiar to me. Usually there is a "lubricating felt," which runs against the cam and leaves a tiny film of grease on it.

- Eric

m371961

I don't know if they are still available, but Standard ignition had a line called Blue Streak that had points with the wiper. I always thought they were the best aftermarket ignition products. I think Accel also had the wiper.

Tim305

Ok let's see now well lubricated but just a dab. I front of the rubbing block but behind it. Got it.

2Olds4U

Yes, Tim, you've got it. Because Olds distributors turn CCW.
Or is mine just dieseling?

Tim305

Ok I'm ready to put this all together and now I read in the notes that the petronix flamethrower coil is for induction systems. Will this work with points?

Railguy

While we're talking grease.I bought some wheel bearing grease.Later I just happen to notice that it said it was for drum brakes only not disc brakes.can anybody explain that?
railguy

TripDeuces

I think it's because of the heat. Disc brakes make more heat so require a different grease. Otherwise it would just liquify and **** away.

I good synthetic grease would work.

oldcutlass

The old drum brake grease cannot be used with disc brakes due to temp rating. However you can use the disc brake grease on drums. Get the right grease.

Railguy

Yeah that makes sense.
railguy

Professur

With drum brakes, the heat is applied well away from the centre of the hub. With disks, it's applied almost right at the hub. Also, warm grease has a much longer walk to get to the friction surface of a drum than it does with a disk.