What causes an ignition condenser to fail?
If your car has standard ignition system wiring and a ballast coil, current flow through the circuit will be excessive and the points, condenser, and coil all may fail prematurely.
What is an ignition condenser?
Basically the function of a condenser in a coil ignition circuit is to reduce the spark at the contact points as they open in the distributor and thus minimise burning and pitting of the points. so only sufficient voltage is produced to produce a spark at the plug.
Why are there so many ignition condenser failures?
Steve Maas Long Beach, California The Problem Because of repeated reports of failures of ignition condensers (I’ll use the more modern term, capacitorfrom now on), I decided to investigate the cause by dissecting some failed units. I examined three capacitors, two failed ones and a third, unused one, as a control.
How is a condenser connected to a spark plug?
The condenser is attached to the system by breaker points. The condenser and distributor rotate so that the points open and close continuously. The current from the ignition flows through the contacts and sends the voltage to the spark plugs, which ignite the fuel.
What are the symptoms of bad points and condenser system?
A failing points and condenser system can cause rough running, misfires, lean and rich conditions. If the engine is difficult to start, and runs rough once it does start, then it is time to contact a mechanic to have a look at the system and find out exactly what the problem is.
How does a condenser work in an ignition system?
It had no corrugated washer, so the can-end electrical contact was simply to the body of the can, and the other contact was a brass piece that was crimped to the wire instead of being soldered. Again, the whole thing was simply squashed together with no spring of any kind to keep the pressure on the capsule.
Steve Maas Long Beach, California The Problem Because of repeated reports of failures of ignition condensers (I’ll use the more modern term, capacitorfrom now on), I decided to investigate the cause by dissecting some failed units. I examined three capacitors, two failed ones and a third, unused one, as a control.
Is the ignition capacitor still called a condenser?
Automotive ignition capacitors are still commonly called condensers. Many people will replace a condenser with regular periodic maintenance, just because they have no way to tell how much longer it might last. But some new condensers might be bad right out of the box, or might fail very shortly after installation.
What happens if a condenser has a bad coil?
A bad condenser will usually result in weak/no spark. The backfire at increased rpm or load. A bad condenser can and usually does result in short point life. In the days of condenser as a set. A condenser is like many electrical items that perform properly until their moment of death. I miles on it with a new one that was bad. A bad coil can
Can a bad condenser cause a bad spark?
A bad coil can gets worse as the engine warms. Low voltage because of a can also result in similar symptoms. The condenser and the other components can be tested. An oscilliscope can easily shop. orange spark instead of a blue one.