Rob wrote -
My Bug is telling me that it needs a little TLC -- just a slight tendency to run rough at idle. I'll bet it's a "hill" growing on the points, a common problem with mine. I keep a "points file" (like a flat nail file) handy for just this purpose. If it goes off between oil changes (when it gets looked at each time), a few gentle rubs with the file by pushing them open when they are closed -- off the cam -- and letting the points spring hold the two sides of the points against the file. About two minutes and it's done. Emery paper works too -- but since the stuff is non metallic, anything left behind will act as an insulator, which occasionally causes it not to fire until you pull something else between the points and wipe them clean. The points file, being a metal file, doesn't have this problem.
The "hill" which grows between the points has the effect of reducing the advance -- sparking later -- and if left to get too bad it will cause it to "miss" the occasional spark altogether.
That is certainly one advantage of the electronic ignitions - no wear on the points, or eliminating the points altogether, so there is no wear on the rubbing block either.
Disclaimer stuff: Rob and Dave have prepared this information from their own experiences. We have not assumed any specialised mechanical knowledge, but we DO assume that anyone using this information has at least some basic mechanical ability.
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Last revised 6 May 2004.
