Condenser broken after a few kilometers

Jorgenson

Member
my condenser is always broken after a few kilometers. then the engine starts to jerk. With a new condenser, he drives again 20-30 kilometers.
what can be the cause?

:-(
Jorgen
 
"Are you buying new condensers? If so find a used one in an old distributor and fit that."

i do not understand that.
why should I take an old one ?
 
I've only ever taken them from used Lucas distributors, but they perform the same function on a Bosch distributor, so if the mounting is the same, and the wire is long enough, with a terminal that fits, I don't see any reason why you couldn't use one.
 
is it possible to take one from bosch here in germany?
I have fitted a spare Bosch one to the outside of the Lucas distributer as temporary measure and it has worked very well. It only needs the body of the condenser to be earthed and the lead connected to the Low Tension terminal
 
Nothing changes, eh! I used to have an old late 60s 848cc Mini that went through condensers like there was no tomorrow back in the mid 70s!
 
condenser quality can vary and not unknown same supplier ( batch manufacturing) can often not be what we need for reliability. ergo most of us now switching to electronic distributors or at least. electronic point switching kits ! thus no more condenser issues . the. propose and function of a condenser is as I understand it two fold. first when points opens to absorb the excess energy and store it thus reducing or eliminating spark erosion of points. secondly to apply the energy ( electrical) via points closing to add to volts/ power when recharging the coil. thus assisting a higher energy spark at plugs.
not an auto electrician here ..so if I am miles out please don't flame me ..
 
I had a Bedford CF back in the day, that ate condensors for breakfast. I remember fitting three in a week. Eventually I took it to a local garage who wired the coil up the correct way round and that sorted it :oops:

I was young at the time :)

Richard
 
Get a decent one like pertronix. Thousand times more reliable than modern points and condensers. Never had a problem
 
condenser quality can vary and not unknown same supplier ( batch manufacturing) can often not be what we need for reliability. ergo most of us now switching to electronic distributors or at least. electronic point switching kits ! thus no more condenser issues . the. propose and function of a condenser is as I understand it two fold. first when points opens to absorb the excess energy and store it thus reducing or eliminating spark erosion of points. secondly to apply the energy ( electrical) via points closing to add to volts/ power when recharging the coil. thus assisting a higher energy spark at plugs.
not an auto electrician here ..so if I am miles out please don't flame me ..

You're on the right track, just need a bit more to flesh out the second part. As I understand it, while the points are open the condenser and the primary circuit of the coil make a tank circuit that resonates (or rings) at a high frequency. The circuit become AC for a moment, and the current flows back and forth across the coil for perhaps 5 or 6 oscillations before dying out. Each oscillation creates a new, smaller spark at the spark plug, increasing both the energy and the duration of the spark, hence better ignition.

Yours
Vern
 
I have only had condensers fail right out of the box within the first 50km. I used to change them when I changed the points. Now I do not bother. I still carry some spare ones though.
 
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