Tom Skinner Posted March 29, 2015 Report Share Posted March 29, 2015 Gents, I had to reset my timing a few times in the last month. Seems the Timing mark on the damper was shifting (not Blurring) around a few degrees. Finally in my Schauer Timing Light Box - I read the directions. It stated that if the timing shifted around it might be a bad Condenser, Rotor, or Points. The Distributor Breaker Plate I put in there some time back had the old Condenser in it IGS3004K (1948 Chrysler Royal 6). The Points looked fine and gapped .020. The Rotor was tight and newish (I had replaced it a few thousand miles back when I put in a new Vacumn Advance from AB's. The car was running better and was holding a steady Vacumm of 20", but getting crappy gas mileage. I changed the plugs and gapped them properly. Finally today I put in a new condenser. It runs a whole lot better. I couldn't believe how much better. What a difference a new condenser makes. Now for my question: How do you test a condenser? That is without just stumbling upon replacing it after screwing with this "problem" poor pick-up, and crappy gas mileage. Then slowly going through and replacing Rotor, Cap, Vacumn Advance etc. (The Vacumn Advance was obviously on its way out) anyway. But once again is there a simple way to test a condeser? Tom Skinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 29, 2015 Report Share Posted March 29, 2015 were your points burnt blue across the contact...if not condenser is doing its job...charge it up if you wish using the coil high tension..sit it aside a minute then short to its own case..if you get a whopping crack and blue flame discharge..again doing its job..else..get a capacitance meter and test for the prescribed rating in micro farads..if you got folks that just can't leave you stuff alone....set a few of these charged up around the shop and watch the fun.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 My Points were not burnt. I tried loading it up and got a tiny spark (Red) from it but no crack or blue flame discharge. I have the old condenser sitting on the bench, wondering whether to just throw it out. They are rather cheap to replace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 many years ago from Tune-Up 101 the points and condenser were replaced as sets as the points wore and gained resistance so would the charge rate of the condenser start a decline...and as they do decay...they are now limited....thus why you should never use an old condenser with a new set of point.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 I remember my shop teacher using a volt meter set on ohms. Ohm testing puts a small current thru the circuit so this will charge the condenser. As I remember first contact should show 0 then the needle will move to total resistance. Then you have to reverse the leads, should do the same thing but this discharges the condenser... Something like that, I remember he said the main thing is to show movement on the needle and complete resistance as the condenser receives a charge. Been a long while since I did it, course until now I was always able to just go buy a new one. Anyway it can be done using an ohm meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 reversing the leads will discharge the condenser but depending on the scale selected how fast and then it will start charging in the new polarity connection.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 So reversing the terminals it will drop to 0 then start moving up again? Seems it is suppose to move all the way up but you have to leave it connected for a few minutes. If its a bad condenser then what? The needle will not move at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 open..no conductivity...shorted zero (or other steady reading) and stays there.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 OK, I went to Youtube and watched them load one up with voltage using an Ohm setting, then switch to a DC setting and unload it. When it doesn't do this it is no longer working. I will try it tomorrow using my Simpson Tube Ohm/Volt Meter, and then try it again using a cheapo digitial one. I'll post my results tomorrow night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Switch to a DC setting? Guess that would work to unload it. Hadn't heard of that. I got a couple NOS tune up kits and one NOS breaker plate. Already put the breaker plate on. Guess I ought to figure it out myself. Yeah if you would Tom get back with us on it. Id be interested to see what happens. Or I guess I could go watch the Utube thing myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T120 Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Add these two pieces of equipment to stuff I have accumulated over the years. The one on the right is the more sophisticated of the two.I bought these at a junk sales.It appears the one on the right was once used in a high school tech shop.Yes,I am familiar with their use.While an ohmmeter can be used as a quick check,I would go along with Tim's suggestion...If in doubt - toss it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 CAPAC-OH-METER (?) OK.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Ok, Results in. The Ohm Meter/Voltmeter confirmed that not only was my condenser bad, but dead as a door nail. With the new one in the timing mark holds steady with the timing light, and I have much better pick-up/acceleration. I am sort of an idiot for changing the cap and rotor then the plugs, then the condenser. Back in the 70's when I was a poorer youngster I would have automatically replaced the condenser first - it being the cheapest part to try first. Oh well one good thing about getting old is you relearn everything you forgot. L.O.L. I pitched the old one into the round file from my work bench. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Ralph, I am not sure I would know what to do with all them thar Lectrical tools. We don't even know how to read here in North Carolina. They are sure nice though. Copacohmeter huh? That's a big word like mayonaise We can't even spell W down here. Lets see dubbayou? Thank you for everyone's help. This is sure a Great Forum. I learn something just about everyday on here. Tom Skinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T120 Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 Ok, Results in. The Ohm Meter/Voltmeter confirmed that not only was my condenser bad, but dead as a door nail. With the new one in the timing mark holds steady with the timing light, and I have much better pick-up/acceleration. I am sort of an idiot for changing the cap and rotor then the plugs, then the condenser. Back in the 70's when I was a poorer youngster I would have automatically replaced the condenser first - it being the cheapest part to try first. Oh well one good thing about getting old is you relearn everything you forgot. L.O.L. I pitched the old one into the round file from my work bench. Tom Tom, Glad you found your problem. It's rewarding to troubleshoot and pinpoint a problem to a specific part rather than using the shotgun approach.I'm sure I've discarded a lot of condensers over the years that were probably quite serviceable,but as you mentioned when replacing points,plugs,etc. It's easy to go ahead and replace the condenser as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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