condenser

[wesley 32]

Hi all think my condenser is playing up, now have a load of new car ones ,would l get away with fitting one of them for now 

[pacer 3,173]

Very likely, I'm like you and have a handful of mystery condensers and many times have grabbed one just to see if that was the problem, and turn out that it fixes it so I just leave it in.....

[wesley 32]

Thanks for that pacer ,old k series spares are not easy to find in the uk now,will give it a go

[ri702bill 8,327]

As long as it fits AND the Microfarad rating is the same (or really close) you should be just fine.....

Bill

[wesley 32]

Will have a play in the morning and let you no,how l get on,many thanks for the help

[Achto 27,594]

In a pinch I have gone to an automotive box store and gotten one for an older GM model. Think I have 2 tractors running on GM condensers. 

 

Note: When you get the person behind the counter that doesn't know the difference between a spark plug and an oil plug. Ask for an ignition condenser for a 1964 Chevrolet Impala with a 230 in line 6cyl. They should be able to find one on their computer.  

[Handy Don 12,233]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

Note: When you get the person behind the counter that doesn't know the difference between a spark plug and an oil plug. Ask for an ignition condenser for a 1964 Chevrolet Impala with a 230 in line 6cyl. They should be able to find one on their computer.  

Ya gotta meet ‘em where they are, right?

[WHX?? 48,823]

I dunno guys he may get the deer in the headlight look with a 64 Imp... he's on the other side of the pond...

[pacer 3,173]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

doesn't know the difference between a spark plug and an oil plug.

Unfortunately that is tooooo often the case - if you are looking for some kind of alternative fit they will just keep asking 'what model is that???'

 

But then again, sometimes you get lucky.... I've got a 40 yr old gray mkt Mitsubishi that the bottom radiator hose blew. Went to Oreillys with fingers crossed and got a youngish girl - covered in tats!, and told her what I was needing...... by golly, that little gal took me in back of the store to the HUGE selection of hoses and spent some 15-20 mins til we found one that would work, I thanked her profusely!

[ri702bill 8,327]

Yup @pacer, you can't always judge the book by the cover. Two examples of mine...

 

I was a returning adult in college, in with a mix of adults and "13th graders". I had only one 4 credit course in my degree program - Intro to Physics. Thirty of us in the class, paired off in groups of two.

I got paired with a 20 year old girl, with a shaved head, piercings and full of tattoos. Her boyfriend was in a heavy metal band - she had outstanding math and organizational skills. We sailed thru, each of us got an A in the course...

 

We had a young Engineering Intern one summer and he was hired full time afterward. Same deal - piercings, tattoos, He could easily be misjudged as a freak show character, but totally the opposite. He was polite, well spoken, and eager to learn. Always punctual, a pleasure to work with...

Bill

[WHX?? 48,823]

You sayin don't judge a book by its cover Bill?

Sorry @wesley we got a little here. 

I get the prime lines in the jungle 

Used to pay about 5 apiece for them but now they are quite proud of them. 

[953 nut 55,281]

Any condenser is better for your ignition points than no condenser at all. If you have a meter that will check capacitance you can use the information below to determine the one that will best match your engine's needs.

The Kohler 230722 Condenser fits all battery ignition single cylinder and twin cylinder from the K-90 to the K-582.  The 235786 condensers are for the magneto equipped Kohler engines only K-161 to K-301

The unit of measure for a condenser is the Farad. Many electronic components like radios and TVs use capacitors that are in the microfarad range (ten to the minus six power Farads) and our small engines use a condenser that is in the nano-farad range (ten to the minus ninth power Farads) which is based on the voltage range they work in. A magneto ignition system uses a 100 to 250 nF condenser and a battery ignition system uses a 200 to 500 nF condenser. A good multi-meter will have a capacitor testing function.

Armed with this information you can walk into your auto parts store and get a very confused look on the face of the person on the other side of the counter. The capacitance is not listed on the package and probably not in any of the on-line data they have for the condensers they stock. You just have to go by the application chart and be sure that the condenser you are buying is for the type ignition system your engine has, not just the horsepower or engine size.

If an engine idles well, but runs erratically when revved up, like it hits and misses, pops and backfires, then chances are, it needs a new condenser/capacitor. And always install a condenser/capacitor with the wire facing downward so rain water and/or when washing off engine, water will not enter inside condenser/capacitor, ruining it. With water inside the condenser, this will also allow it to idle well, but cause it to run erratically when revved up.

What is a farad (F)? A farad (F) is the standard unit of capacitance (C) in the International System of Units (SI). It indicates the ability of a substance to hold an electric charge. The value of most electrical capacitors is expressed in farads, microfarads (µF) or nanofarads (nF)

[squonk 41,137]

24 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

You sayin don't judge a book by its cover Bill?

Sorry @wesley we got a little here. 

I get the prime lines in the jungle 

Used to pay about 5 apiece for them but now they are quite proud of them. 

6 hours ago, Achto said:

In a pinch I have gone to an automotive box store and gotten one for an older GM model. Think I have 2 tractors running on GM condensers. 

 

Note: When you get the person behind the counter that doesn't know the difference between a spark plug and an oil plug. Ask for an ignition condenser for a 1964 Chevrolet Impala with a 230 in line 6cyl. They should be able to find one on their computer.  

 

Here you go sir. That will be $347 plus Tax!

 

[Achto 27,594]

59 minutes ago, squonk said:

That will be $347 plus Tax!

 

Would be a small price to pay for that small block. A little much for a condenser.

[squonk 41,137]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

 

Would be a small price to pay for that small block. A little much for a condenser.

Condensers for 64 Impala's don't grow on trees ya know! 

[wesley 32]

Well makes me wonder if 953 nut has popped over and run my old raider up ,yes it has been running just like his post has said,plus he was right the condenser has been fitted with the wire up ,so will change that when putting another one on ,plus will make a cover for it .Now my box of mixed condensers are the type fitted to our smaller 4 cylinder engine cars ,so should be ok ,the points are not that old but will clean them etc ,plus a new carb has been fitted ,so with luck the old lady will run ok.

On the carb note ,that got me going a new one shipped from the states worked out at £372 uk pounds ,but the same looking one that fitted ok  was £32 uk pounds all in from china, ?.

Anyway its 5am here and -5 out side so will have a few more cups of coffee then go and have a play and update you kind people later.

     wes

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

Unlike points Condensors/Capacitors don't "wear out" per se. Somewhere, on one of these forums, I read that the condensers included in may of the generic tune up kits are inferior and don't last well.

 

So the lesson is, if you replace one proactively, best to keep the old one as a spare. Or just leave the old one and keep the new one as a spare!

 

As the say, YMMV.

[953 nut 55,281]

6 minutes ago, WheelHorse_of_course said:

I read that the condensers included in may of the generic tune up kits are inferior

The biggest concern is that the cheap condensers may no be the proper capacitance.   See post # 12.

[wesley 32]

Well a big heap of thanks to you all ,the old lady is up an running just fine,l even had time to make a new exhaust or as you say muffler ,so can now start hauling fire wood for next winter,so again many thanks for the help.

       wes