Ya shur better lubricate that distributor before it leaves ya high and dry. I found out the hard way as it left me half-way up the 5 South on-ramp at the south end of Morena Boulevard near I-8. The one that goes straight up-hill and is just wide enough for a Chevy pick-up and maybe a Morris Minor side-by-side. The 'ol trusty ES just stopped! No hiccups, no sputter, no blue smoke, nothin'.

     After eliminating the fuel pump fuse, I checked the steering column joint for twisted and torn wiring wrapped all around (experience speaking!). Clean as a whistle. Next step is to remove the distributor cap. A sinking feeling hit me as I found a small bearing ball laying on the points plate. My name's not Bosch, but I just knew the design did not call for any nonpareils rolling about in the distributor .

     "What's this little piece of spring steel laying here? Think I found the problem! Here comes another car. Quick, run around to the front of the car. What to do?"

     Pulled out the trusty Swiss Army Knife (something to depend on) and found the combination screwdriver end. Bumped the starter until the point cam was on the lobe and took a look. Yup, closed up tight. A quick eyeball adjustment and it's off to the races.

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   How could this real life story have been avoided? Just lubricating the little barrel on the outside of the distributor housing that says "oel" is not enough. You have to go into the distributor and keep the little ball bearing/point spring steel holder lubricated. The bearing ball is used to take the play out of the point plate. The point plate is rotated by the vacuum diaphragm attached to the side of the distributor. The timing is advanced as RPMs are increased and manifold vacuum increases. Apart of the point plate is cut out and bent upward with a definite radius. The bearing ball lies in this radius and is held in place by the spring steel, which is bent at 90 degrees and is screwed to the inside of the distributor housing. The thru hole is slotted so that the holder is adjustable, and the plate can be adjusted to give zero x-y axis play, but will allow the ball to rotate as the plate is rotated by the diaphragm. Not an elegant design, but it would help if the top of the spring steel was stamped "oel" or something!

     My distributor was very dry inside, without so much as a hint of lubrication in a long time. In fact, the ball had dug a little groove in the points plate, probably keeping the plate form rotating properly, resulting in the sluggish performance I had been blaming on the automatic transmission, All this from a lack of lubrication every 5000 miles.

     A little dab of petroleum jelly applied with a toothpick will do ya! Also, oil the felt pad in the top of the center shaft with 10 drops of light oil. This will seep down and lubricate the point plate itself, so that it turns freely and you don't blame the transmission or some other innocent victim!

     Don't you get caught on this on-ramp, or anywhere else. If you have a vacuum advance distributor, lube Robert Bosch.'s bearing ball today. Ya Shur, You betcha!