What symptoms point to a failing condensor?

[seakaye12]

Hello all….

Bad condensors can cause a no-start condition….and they can cause pitting of the points over time…..but what symptoms in a running engine would you typically tend to attribute to a failing condensor?

[fisherman6]

A high speed miss would seem to me to be the most likely indicator of a failing condenser. I’m sure others will chime in with more input on this topic.
-Ben

OldJohnnyRude on YouTube

[PugetSoundBoater]

Doesn’t a transfer of point contact metal from one contact to the other contact indicate a failing condenser. Normal use would have a minuscule amount of contact transfer, if the condenser was very bad more transfer would happen .

"Some people want to know how a watch works, others just want to know what time it is"
Robbie Robertson

[PM T2]

obvious yellowish tint to the spark when it jumps the plug gap is a sign of a condenser on its last legs.

It may still run the engine….. but not for long.

Hope this helps.

Best,
PM T2

He's livin' in his own private Idaho..... I hope to go out quietly in my sleep, like my grand-dad did..... and not screaming, like the passengers in his car...

[dave-bernard]

point deposit would also indicate the wrong condensor

[Mumbles]

A motor with a bad condenser can start missing occasionally before it fails completely and can also be hard to start. The condensers (capacitor) capacitance must be matched to the coil it’s working with and this rating is expressed in microfarads, or uF for short. A weak condenser or one with the wrong uF rating will cause arcing and metal transfer across the points surfaces and ultimately a weak spark at the plug. This is one reason a new condenser with a known rating should be considered part of a regular tune up.

The points contact surfaces are slightly convex so with properly aligned points and a good condenser, there should be minimal signs of arcing or metal transfer. These OMC points which were used with a good condenser show a good contact area with minimal arcing or pitting and can be cleaned up and used again.

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