Mechanical advance troubles...

[Tomguy]

I cleaned my entire distributor out recently, and freed up my mechanical advance. It was moving smoothly, and I put a little oil on it as well.

Now, it seems to be difficult to move again. What should I use to keep it lubed? Grease? Graphite? Anthing?

[psfred]

The usual reason they get stiff is crud between the botttom and top shaft parts. This can only be cleaned out, usually, by disassembly.

This requires driving the pin out of the gear on the bottom and removing the three screws on the top that hold the top plate. The shaft and advance assembly will then com out the top.

I never managed to get the pin out, you will probably have to heat it, it's not a roll pin as the usually American practice, but an interference fit pin. Very tight.

In the mean time, some PB Blaster followed by some auto trans fluid may work better than oil to free it up.

You will probably have to clean the points with carb cleaner once in a while after all the oily stuff down the center shaft, ti sprays all over for a while.

Peter