Tom:

No, the switch to Crane or Pertronix only eliminates the points. I'm having to clean mine almost every time I drive the car, a bit PITA from oil getting on them

May pull the distributor and clean it again.

Mechanical advance is usually stuck from corrosion between the top and bottom shafts from not being oiled properly (there is an oil pad under the rotor, supposed to get a couple drops of oil each oil change or so). Only way to proplerly fix it is get another one or take it apart and clean it proplery. This is somewhat difficult, you need a press to drive the retainer pin out of the drive gear!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!