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We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:30 pm
by Fernando Mendes
When my Jeep is bad to start, the first aid to me is to change the condenser.To me it is the first step.Of course,when the battery is ok.
***Remember:the CONDENSER is the principle cause of the "NO or BAD SPARK".
We can forget the old condenser inside the distributor and
put another new condenser attached to the coil bracket ,its wire may be fixed in negative(-) coil nut.

Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:40 pm
by Fernando Mendes
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:47 pm
by dr deuce
I have been putting mine outside for a while now.
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:49 pm
by John V Cliche
dr deuce wrote:I have been putting mine outside for a while now.
Hey Doc were you tired of having to fish that little screw out of the dist. body ?
Cheers
506

Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:36 pm
by Fernando Mendes
Yes,this is my problem.Tired to fish that little screw with my 56 years old.I think can't this procedure cause some damage.(?)
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:47 pm
by dr deuce
Hey Doc were you tired of having to fish that little screw out of the dist. body ?
As a matter of fact.... The older small diameter distributers are worse then the 50's ones which are larger.
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:07 am
by Fernando Mendes
I ask to the doctor:If I put a new one out of the distributor,I have to withdraw the old inside the distributor?
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:04 pm
by John V Cliche
One little trick I use from my "hotrodding days" is.... just loosen the screw and slip the condensor out of the clamp , the simply slide the new one in and tighten ....no fishing needed
Hope this helps
John
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:58 pm
by Fernando Mendes
John,when we do not use glasses(before 40 years old) is very easy to do this work.But ,I have a great solution:When/If I need I use the
magnifying glass.There are four kind of lenses.We have to get a big lamp too.

Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:23 pm
by dr deuce
Only one (1) condenser either inside or out
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:22 am
by Fernando Mendes
Thanks doctor.

Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:56 am
by Fernando Mendes
Re: We can put the condenser out of the distributor.
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:35 pm
by Fernando Mendes
An answer to a Pilothouse(1948-1953) Dodge forum member:
Guys
The condenser doesn't care whether it's inside or out of the distributor case. What does matter though is that for it to do it's job it MUST be mounted close to the points. It has two functions, one- to absorb the electricity when the points just open thereby protecting points and, two- to send that electricity back to the coil the very instant the magnetic field collapses and generate more spark.
In 40+ years of wrenching I've only had about a dozen condensers go bad, those were due to heat and vibration, a manufacturing error on the equipment. If you're popping so many condensers that you need to mount them out of the dist body you've got issues elsewhere, such as coil wired backwards, wrong coil, wrong MFD or capacity condenser for the system, bad grounds at the distributor and block to chassis, plug wire leakage and arcing back into the cap and internals etc.
Bryan