I'm replacing my points and condenser, and the new points did not come with lube. The guy at the parts chain said 3 in 1 oil would do the trick, but I have no confidence in this particular guy. What should I be using?
No. DO NOT use 3in1 oil on the cam. It is too thin and will wind up insulating your points from conducting. The parts store sells an actual distributor cam lubricant in a small tube. I think it is marketed by Standard Motor. Try your NAPA dealer for Echlin ML-1.
I told him I wanted a tube of it using Realmongo's description. He said he didn't know what it was or where it would be. Since he was recalcitrant, I poked around the store a bit but couldn't find it. Then, I went home to use my ample supply of chassis grease.
On a whim, I stopped at another Autozone, from whom I had originally purchased the points, and asked to look at the points they had in stock. Sure enough, their box had a small capsule of grease that looked like a time release pill. I bought that one and then went back to the original store to return the points sans grease.
This is becoming the norm in parts stores today. That is why I research all of my parts myself. If it can't be identified by the computer, God forbid they should have to resort to a catalog.
most any grease will work nicely. in the past i have used wheel bearing grease in a thin layer. also a grease with a moly based lube will also work quite well. just remember you want a thin coat, very thin in fact.