[AT] More Ford Jubilee Adventures

[Howard Weeks]

I don't claim to be any kind of "condenser" expert but here are a few 
comments on the subject:

1. Back in the early 50s, I worked weekends for an old car/tractor 
mechanic. He checked condensers by using a kick test. Basically, he put 
the subject condenser in series with a small amp meter and placed the 
combination across a 6 or 12 volt battery momentarily. If you got a good 
kick on the amp meter and then nothing, the cap was good. No kick meant 
it was bad. Any continuous current meant it was also bad. Be sure to 
discharge the cap by shorting it before connecting across the battery. 
This test always worked for him.  I have an old piece of test equipment 
here that also checks a cap in the same manner. Some people can do this 
test with one of the older design ohmmeters. The new digital meters will 
not do the test.

2. I have been restoring antique radios in some form for most of my life 
and I have a lot of both old and late model test equipment designed for 
evaluating capacitors. Most of the ignition caps that I have checked 
measured approximately .17 - .2 microfarads in capacity. The choice of 
this capacity is a function of the coil design and if properly selected 
by the designer, the system should run indefinitely and not pit the 
points. If they pit badly, it is a sign that the coil and cap are not 
properly matched or selected. Which side of the points gets pitted is a 
sign of whether the cap is high or low in value for a particular 
combination of cap and coil. I am not trying to say that they have to be 
a "matched set" - just that a gross change in cap or coil type could be 
a problem. Most of the old ignition reference books from back in the 20s 
and 30s do a pretty good job of explaining how they work and how to test 
them. I can't honestly say that I have ever found a truly bad condenser. 
But I have had hell with the point resistance (don't know where they 
were made)!

3. When point are closed, they should measure less than 1 ohm - 
preferably close to zero ohms ever time they close for the ignition to 
work properly. If they measure 2 - 5 ohms, the system will either not 
run or it will be very sick. Same for magneto or standard ignition 
system. Many of the cheaper ohm meters will not accurately measure 
resistances below a few ohms.

4. The resistors that are in series with some coils are designed to 
limit the current through the coils when the engine is running. The DC 
current through the coils should be in the range of 3 - 6 amps or so 
when the engine is running. RPM and dwell settings will affect the 
amount of current to some extent. If a coil designed for a resistor is 
run without one, it will run for awhile but the coil will overheat and 
usually quit fairly quickly. Putting a momentary short across that 
resistor when starting the engine would produce a hotter spark for 
starting purposes.

5. Pay some attention to the polarity of the coil connection to the 
distributor. If you have a negative ground battery system, the "-" end 
of the coil should be connected to the distributor. The "+" end of the 
coil goes to the distributor if a you have a positive ground system.

Don't know if any of this spiel is useful to anyone but it accurately 
describes my experience with Kettering ignition systems.

Howard in GA

On 8/9/2015 2:30 PM, Mogrits wrote:
> I don't disagree with you on anything you said, except the resistor has
> been bypassed on my tractor and it uses a coil that needs no resistor.
> Substituting for the new, correct condensor produces a spark. The new
> condensor does not. So there is definitely a need to replace that
> particular condensor.
>
> On Sun, Aug 9, 2015 at 2:13 PM, Ron Cook <ron at lakeport-1.com> wrote:
>
>> There is usually no reason to replace a condenser.  Starting problems
>> with Ford N tractors can usually be traced to the resistor.
>> And I certainly do agree on the crap that is sold these days being no
>> good right out of the box.  I quit going to TSC years ago for that very
>> reason.  So too, did many.  TSC closed their store in Sioux City.
>> It has actually helped my generator/starter repair business a little.
>> The do it yourself bunch have lost their cheap parts supplier, which
>> really were not cheap anyway considering you always have to buy two or
>> more to fix the problem.
>> Ron Cook
>> Salix, IA
>>
>> On 8/9/2015 5:52 AM, Cecil R Bearden wrote:
>>> I went through the same thing with a fence charger 2 weeks ago.  Worked
>>> all afternoon in 105 heat index to get wire up around yard to keep pet
>>> bull in.  Had a good charger in a tool box next to the other elect
>>> service at the South Barn.  It would barely spark.  Dug out the brand
>>> new Zareba charger from TSC that had never been used, it had no spark.
>>> Took the Harbor Freight solar one off the back fence and it was shot.
>>> Took the Parmak solar fencer off the divider fence for the horses and it
>>> worked!!!
>>>
>>> I certainly hope the pertronix system fixes your problem...Condensers
>>> are being made in China or some other 3rd world country, so quality is a
>>> problem...
>>>
>>> Cecil in OKla
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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