condenser issue

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Robert Thiemrodt
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condenser issue

#1 Post by Robert Thiemrodt »

I have a super 90 with an aluminum distributor. I ordered the correct condenser for an aluminum distributor from Sierre Madre. The problem is when I took the old condenser off, the distributor has a round hole, and the replacement condenser has a square base. Classic square peg in a round hole problem. Any suggestions? Sierre sells one advertised for use in a 914 that looks like my set up, put they're not sure either. Pictured is the new one, and the one I have removed. Thanks
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Bruce Smith
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Re: condenser issue

#2 Post by Bruce Smith »

The round insulators haven't been available for a while. You'll simply need to trim the square one to fit. Some can be a bit brittle so go slowly with a sharp blade.
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Re: condenser issue

#3 Post by Robert Thiemrodt »

I tried that, but they're too brittle
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Bruce Smith
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Re: condenser issue

#4 Post by Bruce Smith »

That's becoming the issue with a lot of old Bosch parts. What's left in inventory is getting pretty old. I've had a bunch of these lately with brittle rubber that breaks easily when cut. Shaving it a bit at a time seems to be the best approach. I think it's going to be the best that we're going to find, if not right now then real soon. If the insulator is broken, it will probably be fine as long as there is enough left to hold it in place. It might be no better than the one you're replacing. Test the capacitance of the old one and hold onto it for a spare.
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Charles H Jacobus
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Re: condenser issue

#5 Post by Charles H Jacobus »

Can you grind the square ones round or would that not solve the problem? If you could you could then coat it with silicone rubber to help hold the rest together.


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Re: condenser issue

#6 Post by Robert Thiemrodt »

Yes, I put a little black hardening silicone where it chipped off a little too much. The condenser I'm using currently (top picture) only has one male end as you can see, it has a second wire attached to run to coil. Sierre sells one that looks identical, but it's supposed to be used in 914's. Any thoughts on that? Thanks
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Re: condenser issue

#7 Post by Bruce Smith »

Those aren't identical. The condenser itself will be the same, running about 0.20-0.22 mFd. You could make it work but the bracket hasn't got the terminal holder, it's simply inserted. You'd run the second wire to the coil rather than use the wire from the coil. I think you'll be happier with what you've got.
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Re: condenser issue

#8 Post by Mervyn Hyde »

The long running recent thread on condensers shows that many of these old parts are just not available or are made in an inferior manner by companies other than Bosch. Compounding this, the newer ones seem to fail at the internal contacts, with greater regularity. I have been keen to eliminate the condenser, or find one that does last. I am currently trailing Fred Winterburn's approach the use of a modern ceramic capacitor potted in a Bosch 'can'. So far so good.
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Re: condenser issue

#9 Post by Robert Thiemrodt »

Hi guys, what I've got currently is working just fine. I'm just wanting a back up in the toolbox for when/if I have a breakdown. The one from Sierre still has a screw hole to hold the condenser in place, even though it does not have what I would describe as the fork prongs to slip onto ceramic/plastic prior to tightening down screw. Thanks for all inputs and suggestions.
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Re: condenser issue

#10 Post by Robert Thiemrodt »

Quick Follow-up. The condenser came from Sierre Madre for the 914. It will NOT work. The hole in the distributor is to large for this condenser to fit properly. The only solution appears to be to buy the square one and carefully round it out as you all suggested. I assume Bosch from Sierre Madre is the way to go?
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Re: condenser issue

#11 Post by C J Murray »

Question for Bruce "Sparky" Smith.... I just bought a Velocette Thruxton with a dead Lucas magneto. Usually the problem is a bad condenser encased in the windings where replacement is very difficult. While researching a shop to do a rebuild I stumbled across a new-fangled way to make a repair with a modern multi-layer ceramic capacitor as described here...

http://www.brightsparkmagnetos.com/easycap/index.htm

Since so many "new" condensers are failing and causing frowny faces in the 356 community, couldn't the problem be solved this way?
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Re: condenser issue

#12 Post by Ronald Sieber »

CJ: Congrats on that discovery. Brightspark's solution is absolutely brilliant. The Prince of Darkness must be sulking over this one...

It would be great to find a similar product for the VW/616 communities. Maybe these groups of owner/enthusiasts are large enough to spark some manufacturer's interest in making such a product? Anyone out there with connections to such a company?

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Re: condenser issue

#13 Post by David Jones »

Seems to me that the obvious answer is to use one of the many aftermarket solutions that improve the ignition and do away with the capacitor altogether. Either a CDI box or an electronic trigger. The Pertronix is probably not a solution for 6 volts because of it's low voltage triggering problem and of course the non standard looking installation. Other solutions such as the Gammatronix take the load off the points and can be made to look like a stock installation. I have never experienced a capacitor failure but I also have not run a stock ignition system in many years. I like to play and experiment just for my own amusement and getting rid of the capacitor is always a positive. Other than the capacitor the other thing I always disliked about the stock system was the fact that if you left the ignition on and the points were closed you could overheat the coil and trash it or flatten the battery and I have done both on occasion. Going electronic reduces that possibility as some of them do not pass any current until the coil is actually triggered.
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Ronald Sieber
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Re: condenser issue

#14 Post by Ronald Sieber »

After reading all of this and prior posts on ignition problems, I decided to follow CJ's lead and contact the Brightspark company. They wrote me back that they should be able to provide an easy solution for us, and then their largest supplier in the U.S. who is based near Cleveland called me about it.
I will report more on it as I find out what they have in mind. If you go to their website you can read all about what they have engineered. Very elegant solution.

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Re: condenser issue

#15 Post by Mervyn Hyde »

Interested Roland. I have potted a suitable ceramic condenser already in a Bosch 'can' (as suggested in the other Condenser thread by Fred Winterburn) and in trialling it have had no problems on the car. Do Brightspark make a product for distributors?
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