Ask an expert

Dear advisor,

For a car that has done 130,000 kms, is it right to say that cleaning the contact points of the distributor cap and rotor can improve engine efficiency and restore performance (if they are not corroded)? What would be the best way to do so? Scraping off the deposits with a glass scraper or screwdriver, or using fine sandpaper? Using video tape head cleaning solution after doing this? Would cleaning off the carbon deposits with a damp cloth work?

Many thanks for your expert advice.

Best regards,
Leo

You are absolutely on the right track. Try to just scape the deposit away and not the metal conductive material (usually brass or alloy).
I dont think a damp cloth would be aggressive enough to scrape away any build-up, but if you do use a damp cloth, make sure the cap is well dried out before reassembly.

Dear ABayliss

Thanks very much for your valuable advice.

Leo