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Posted by Todd Wilson [71.158.209.135] on Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at 01:54:58 :
In Reply to: Not quite... posted by Chriscase [76.224.243.231] on Monday, June 07, 2010 at 18:49:50 :
I dont think the condenser really gives a big jolt to the coil helping it out. Its there to prevent the electricity from arcing across the points when they are in the open position. I see no way the capacity of the condenser would effect the way an engine runs at certain speeds or usaged. Now if the cap starts to fail I could see points maybe getting used up and possible poor running to the point it wont run. Which would cause the points to spark across the gap and or a dead short killing the ignition
The points have to be set and then the timing. Thats where its adjusted.
Now with that being said....and thinking of clints problem...I suspect he is just getting cheap ass condensors. Poorly made like everything else out there.
What I would like to know is what is the capacitance and voltage rating of the condenser as its nothing more then a capacitor.
In my other hobby of old antique vacuum tube radios the caps in the old radios routinely go out or dry out as we say. When you replace you try and replace with the same capacitance and can sometimes up the voltage rating to help it last longer. Say a cap has a 30mf 200volt rating. The electricity in this circuit on the radio may be 190volts you are right on the edge of its max 200 volt rating. Guys will often buy a 400 or 600volt cap with the same capacitance rating and now the cap is suddenly idling along in the circuit doing its job with little effort.
I would be interesting in knowing those #'s on the ignition systems of these old Dodges, Something the manual doesnt talk about.
Problem with buying old capacitors in the antique radio world is a brand new cap can go bad just sitting on the shelf the last 60 years. I would suspect the condensors could do the same thing.
Todd
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