How to find the right Automotive Replacement Ignition Points Set Cam Lubricants AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Automotive Replacement Ignition Points Set Cam Lubricants
- Dedicated cam grease
- Use a lubricant sold specifically as distributor cam or breaker-point grease, not general chassis or bearing grease. Cam grease is formulated to stay put on a hot, fast-spinning cam; ordinary grease thins and flings onto the contacts.
- Application amount
- Apply only a thin film to the cam lobes, roughly a match-head-sized dab spread around the cam, and wipe off any excess. Excess grease migrates onto the point contacts, causing pitting, misfires and premature point failure.
- Rubbing block wear
- Re-lube at every points replacement and recheck dwell or gap after the first few hundred miles. A dry cam wears the fibre rubbing block quickly, which closes the gap and retards timing.
- Felt wick is separate
- If the cam has a felt wick under the rotor, give it a few drops of light oil rather than cam grease. The wick feeds oil to the advance mechanism, and grease will not wick through the felt.
- Check what's in the box
- Many ignition points sets and tune-up kits include a small capsule of cam lube. A separate tube is only needed for repeated service, for several vehicles, or when the kit omits it.
Brands that matter
- Bosch: Supplies cam grease for its own distributors and is often recommended by vintage European car owners.
- Standard Motor Products: A long-running ignition points and condenser supplier; its tune-up parts are commonly found alongside cam lube.
What to avoid
- Petroleum jelly or general-purpose lithium grease used as cam lube
- Spray greases that overspray onto the points and cap
- Applying lube to the point contacts or rubbing block face rather than the cam lobes
- Over-greasing the cam to 'make it last longer'
Questions
Do I need to buy cam lube if my new points came with a capsule?
Usually not for a single job; the included capsule is enough. A tube is worth having if you service points regularly.
Can I use dielectric grease on the distributor cam?
It is not designed as a cam lubricant. Use a grease sold specifically for distributor cams.