[David Jones]

I've recently been into my distributor, new cap, rotor and wires. While I was in there I cleaned the advance weights and put a little CRC white lithium spray grease on the weights rub points. It occurred to me that that might not be what I need to use. It seems to harden.

I did a search using every combination of terms associated with this topic. Most references to lubing the advance weights simply say to "lube the advance weights", not saying what with. I found reference to something called "Ignitionlube", which is I think rubbing block lube for a points distributor and one guy that mentioned dielectric grease.

Fess up, what do you guys use? Nothing? 10W40? Wheel bearing grease? Whatever you can reach?

OK, then somebody tell me what I should use and how much? How often?

[Cliff R]

David, moly type wheel bearing grease is what I use here, we get it at our local Tractory Supply Store in full size tubes for about $4. This is enough for about 200 engine rebuilds as cam lubricant, and 2000 distributors, give or take about 1000!.....Cliff

[77 TRASHCAN]

Yeah, that white stuff gets real hard in cold temps. There is a brand of motor oil called Mystic, may not be available in your area, they make a low viscosity grease that comes in a spray can, works great!!! I also have this very old squeeze tube of light grease, has some mil spec on it, got at a garage sale in a box of junk......
Then there is the thought of using too much and having it sling off inside the cap, doesn't take much
I'm sure most folks don't pay much attention to this maintenance issue, it becomes an issue when the post gets wore out, ruinat'n the distributor.
I pray you missed out on the recent tornados.....

[David Jones]

No issues with the tornadoes! Our busy season with those is from March to late May.

First 2 replies lean toward the whatever you have close side of the question.....

You other guys that looked and didn't reply don't lube your advance weights?

[Half-Inch Stud]

HEI Advance weights & center boss:

I wire-wheel these parts, sometimes spray satin-clear paint on them real thin, I just rub Vaseline Pet-Jelly into them and they do well for years.

[Schurkey]

I still have a ~20-year-old tube of IgnitionLube; as best I can tell it's just white grease but with a heavy (high-viscosity) formulation. Someday I'll have to unwind the tube and see if there's contact information for the manufacturer. I can't find anyone who sells it anymore.

The issue is centrifugal force more than lubricating ability. I suspect most any grease will work fine--IF (big IF) you can keep in ON THE WEIGHTS instead of flinging off and contaminating the underside of the rotor and the inside of the distributor cap.

Therefore, a VERY LIGHT COAT of grease is going to be better than blorting a glob in place and dropping the weights into position.

Lubing the pivot pins is at least if not more important than lubing the underside of the weights where they rub on the nylon pad; or on the stamped-steel of the newer weight plates. I've seen a ****load of worn pivot pins; I've never seen significant wear on the underside of the weights. Usually nothing more than evidence of movement more than "wear".

Pretty much EVERY grease gets stiff in cold weather; or hard with age. I'd have said that "most" white grease is less-stiff in cold weather than "most" chassis greases. Anyway, I don't see that as a particular issue if you use a thin film; and clean and re-lube every couple of years.

[68WarDog]

Di-electric grease here