How To Change Ignition Condenser

[skiviskaves]

Trying to change the condenser, not sure how to go about getting the wire off the distributer. See photo, the screw holding the wire is too far down (and horizontal) to get a screw driver on it. What's the easy way to raise the plate to allow removal of that screw? Thanks! I'm elbows deep right now waiting for the wisdom.

[Young Ed]

Are you trying to do this in the car? If so mark where the rotor is and remove the dist. You should be able to remove the plate with a couple screws.

[skiviskaves]

Got it! Sorry to waist your time. Just pulled it back with needle nose, the plate flexed a little, enough to get the screw driver in.

[skiviskaves]

Thanks for the reply, yup, doing it in the car.

[Don Coatney]

Much easier on the bench. As Ed said remove one bolt and one wire and the distributor comes right out.

[desoto1939]

When taking my Dizzy out of my 39 Desoto I also but some masking tape or painter tape on the block with a reference point so that I know the body is also aligned when insatlling the dizzy back in the block.

 

I also use tape to note the positiion of the rotor.  I do this because as you set the gap you are rotating the  shaft and you will losose the ref point if you did not mark it.

 

Also make sure that you have the shaft all the way down into the keyway or slot in the oilpump unit. Verify this by trying to sping the rotor by hand. The rotor should not spin if the end of the shaft is in the slot all the way. 

 

If you have it in the slot and then try to start the car and it willnot start would might be 180 dregrees out of timeing. Then pull up on the dissy and rotate the rotor 180 and then reinstall, you should be set to fire up the car.

 

As Don stated it is much easier to do the adjustment work when the dizzy is on your work bench and in a vise.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto19392aol.com

[randroid]

Skivi,

 

One more vote for pulling it to do the job.  If your condensor needs replacing then your points should be due also because they should both be replaced as a set, and the points will be easier to accurately set on the bench.  It isn't as though you're going to need to pull any other piece out to do it and the time difference is neglidgeable.  (Sure wish we had a spelling checker here again.)  The small amount of extra time it takes will be forgotten after the job and you won't need to ruin your knees with your head in the engine bay.

 

-Randy

[desoto1939]

another suggestion is to look for a couple of breaker plates for your model distributor.  I can provide the specifi autolite numbers for cars and trucks up into the early 50's.

 

A NOS UNIT HAS THE CORRECT CONDENSOR AND POINTS AND ALL THE LITTLE WIRES ALREADY ASSEMBLED. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS UNSCREW THE OLD UNIT AND THEN PLOP THE NEW UNIT IN PLACE AND THEN SET THE GAP.

 

THEN YOU GET YOUR NEW POINTS AND CONDENSOR AND REBUILD YOUR OLD BREAKER PLATE AS A SPARE.  i HAVE SEVERAL FOR MY 39 DESOTO AND IT SAVES A LOT OF TIME.

 

RICH HARTUNG

DESOTO1939@AOL.COM