IXLR8

For over 35 years of wrenching, I've always wondered what that circular felt pad is for that sits in the distributor shaft above the advance hold-down screw and covered by the ignition rotor.

Any ideas?

Ish993

I believe it is for wiping the distributer cam to collect any debris in order to help keep the contacts clean

IXLR8

Wrong location. This felt pad is under the ignition rotor.

The felt pad making contact with the cam I do remember as well. Its been a while since any of my vehicles have had points. That pad was for lubrication, I think.

NC TRACKRAT

The felt pad is there to receive a drop of oil to inhibit corrosion. Easy to just use a drop from the dipstick. That pad has been there on everything from early VW's, 356, early 911's etc. The cam lobes should be given a Very light coat of LUBRIPLATE or BOSCH cam grease. When rotated, the point set rubbing block will pick up the excess and offer cam lubrication for an extended period 'til next service.

IXLR8

I remember reading in my days of the VW Beetle that a drop of oil was to be soaked into the pad, but I could never understand what the purpose was.

Does it really inhibit corrosion?

NC TRACKRAT

I don't really know...Kinda like "May this house be safe from tigers" I've never seen any.

Gunter

AFAIK, the small felt prevents oil from getting past the rotor and by centrifugal force into the inner area of the cap.
The lower half of the shaft around the gear gets lubed by the engine oil.
The upper half of the distributor shaft on the earlier distributors and the mechanical advance needs lube, so, correct way is to remove the felt, insert 2-3 drops of engine oil, replace the felt.
Most people are not aware of this and consequently, a lot of early distributors without actual bearings show radial wear on the housing around the upper half of the shaft.

The dual-distributors in our 993 have the mechanical advance and the small felt but since they're hard to reach, I suspect a lot of them are very dry.
If the felt-plug is missing, one can get felt and make them with the right size hole-punch.

IXLR8

Günter, the shaft on my 993 distributor has two ground surfaces separated by a valley which I believe was meant to hold grease. Plus each ground area even has a groove in it for the same purpose. I used Bosch grease.



My 993 will finally fire up today with all new ignition wires and a fully rebuilt distributor.

MarkD

it keeps the negative ions from disrupting the chi energy in the shaft

Gunter

The dual distributors on the 993 have sealed greased bearings but the upper half of the shafts are part of the mechanical advance and need a little oil now and then under the felt to function.

Grab the rotor and try to rotate. The play you feel is the upper half of the shaft turning a little against the springs on the weights. Trust me and put a few drops of engine oil under the felt and never open the screw visible under the felt.

DanL993

Only from California!!