Distributor lubrication with *PICS*

[Mr Bee]

Vintage distributors need lubrication.  As per the photo attached from a 39 Mopar, I've identified and labelled five potential lubrication points.  The bottom half is automatically lubricated as it is located inside the engine, so I didn't identify it in the photo.  If I'm missing something let me know.

 

For reasons of discussion, here they are:

 

*FELT PAD (on the points bracket arm)

*TOP FELT (inside the shaft, visible only when you remove the rotor)

*WEIGHTS (visible after removing the breaker plate)

*PLATE BEARINGS (the ball bearings that allow the breaker plate to rotate)

*SIDE PORT (there a chrome cap over it, and it's the only visible lubrication point on the exterior of the distributor. 

 

So all you experts out there, feel free to chime in on what type of lubricants you use (or what you don't lube). 

 

Please forgive me if my nomenclature doesn't match yours, but if you use the same naming convention as I used in my list above, it'll be easier to everyone to understand. 

 

Any tips appreciated!

 

[48ply1stcar]

Last year when I disasemmabled and cleaned my distributor I used white grease spray very sparingly.  I use motor oil in the oil cup.

[westaus29]

I have done up quite a few distributors over the years:

- a few drops of sewing machine oil on top felt pad, points plate bearings and weights. Engine oil attracts moisture and may lead to rust.

- wheel bearing grease in grease cup on side (every one I have stripped had grease in the cup)

- smear of vaseline on cam ( some points kits come with a small capsule). Havent ever seen a felt pad on the points arm?

 

This last time instead of oil I sprayed weights and points plate sparingly with marine grade Lanox, will see how it goes.

 

The only failure was my son's 1967 Datsun 1000. For some reason it kept losing spark. I found another that worked ok and still have the original, which I plan some day to try in my 1929 Plymouth. Believe it or not it is a simple mod to fit.

[Mr Bee]

A couple things I was most unsure of.  I had never seen a felt pad on the points bracket before.  Yes, I recall getting a small packet of a jelly to put on the cam for my 60's cars, but was unsure about that felt pad on my 39.  I ended up putting 3 in 1 oil on the felt and cam about a week ago as I didn't have any other feedback at thr time.  I do like the idea of sewing machine oil on felt pad though, especially if one is diligent to touch it up once or twice a year.  I'll check mine out later on in the year to see if it dries out.

 

The second thing is the side port.  Mine also had a bearing grease inside, but quite frankly, I can't see how it does any good as the small hole inside the port was just gummed up with old grease.  Also, based on my distributor cap orientation, my side port is at 8 o'clock (if one were to think of noon being straight up).  I would think the side port should be at least from 9 o'clock thru noon and into 3 o'clock for grease to melt in under high heat.  And I assume you would only get a high enough heat when there's too much friction.  Therefore one would need to know at what temperature your lubricant becomes viscous enough to dribble thru the small internal port, and at what temperature the friction gets high enough to warrant some liquid grease.  Unless someone out there has a high level of knowledge about this, I'm going to say that its going to be pretty much impossible to get the side port lubrication right.

 

Thanks for your responses so far!

 

 

[Jerry Roberts]

You can buy the correct cam grease from Mac's Auto Parts 1-877-220-8230  if you can't find it locally ( I couldn't ) . Macs sells parts for the old Fords . I wouldn't use anything else . 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Jerry Roberts

[Sniper]

RockAuto sells it as well, Standard SL2 is the part number, do a search on it.

[Mr Bee]

Ah...Standard SL2 is a silicon lubricant.   I actually have some! Thanks for mentioning it.

[Sharps40]

Grease cup.  Pack with grease.  Clear the hole.  Turn cup on to push in grease.   Turn in again from time to time when servicing.  Clean and repack when the cup bottoms out.  

[Mr Bee]

Ah...that makes sense.  Did you come up with that idea of screwing in the grease cap a bit at a time, or was that in a manual somewhere?

[westaus29]

Sharps40 is right. My 38 manual says fill cup with grease and turn one complete turn every 1000 miles! Add 2-3 drops of SAE 10 oil to wick in centre of cam every 6000 miles. (old SAE 10 did not have detergent like modern oils). My 29 manual says similar and care should be taken to keep grease off contact points and weights

[Mr Bee]

Very cool, folks.  Much appreciated.

 

Thanks for helping build a knowledge base on these old beauties.