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Condensors & Ignition problems, poor running


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Hello

 

This is a follow on to a recent topic 24852 - The TRials and TRibulations of my TR4 .

 

My intention is to collect some of the excellent advice offered there, and add a few thoughts of my own. If I'm referencing the old topic incorrectly, please let us know.

 

The general thrust of the piece was poor running/non starting, and suggestions given included:

 

  • Checking for bad petrol
  • Checking for fuel arriving at the carbs
  • Checking for crud in the carb needle valves
  • Ensuring face of new points are given a gentle file to remove film before fitting

 

 

And ...

 

 


  •  
  • Condensor (Capacitor) problems

 

 

 

My '4 just got progressively worse & worse, to the point of becoming undrivable - backfires, fouled plugs & misfires.

I reset & checked everything, then finally replaced the Condensor, then Cap & Leads.

The Condensor swap made it run considerably better, but the changing the cap & leads seems to be the magic bullet in my case. I did give the points a clean (as above) too.

 

I did note that my new cap centre terminal (on the outside of the cap) had the metal contact face towards the top of it - not buried at the bottom. Maybe the leads making on really firmly helped too ... ? However, I wasnt impressed by the huge latitude for the carbon brush to wobble (inside the cap). Still, it works.

 

 

However, can we discuss the sources of these bad condensors? I too had changed mine previously, it came from a car parts shop. My new one is a Lucas unit.

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Without going in to detail, I'm suffering similar issues on my 4A. No electronic ignition, just the normal dizzy setup and I replaced everything about 24 months ago. Just replaced points(again) and reset but still car coughs when I ask a bit more of her (up inclines etc).

Interested to know from where you sourced a Lucas condenser?

Anyone had a problem with replacement coils?

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Try Tim Hodgekiss http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/hodge?opendocument&part=2

 

I doubt a condenser would ever go these days, but rotor arms, distributor caps and plug leads do, especially plug leads and caps, so I'd buy a test meter and measure the resistance of the leads and caps.

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=94853&FromMenu=y&C=SO&U=Strat15

 

Having said that I've posted somewhere the best way to set the carburettors correctly every time, so you can be sure they are absolutely spot on.

 

Ash

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Did you check out this thread? It was referred to

in a recent thread on this Forum.

 

http://www.britishcarforum.com/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page_id=152

 

AlanR|

 

 

Alan

 

I didn't see that and should have done as I recently suffered from four brake failures because of shitty manufacturing of a Lockheed brake master cylinder on my Bristol. The Lucas TRW replica works fine. I've also had a load of coil failures thanks to Lucas and oil leaks.

 

We're electronics manufacturers and almost never in the last twenty years have we seen a capacitor failure except in my 1949 Radiomobile Model 100s, but car parts companies making pattern parts seem to be grossly incompetent.

 

Ash

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Without going in to detail, I'm suffering similar issues on my 4A. No electronic ignition, just the normal dizzy setup and I replaced everything about 24 months ago. Just replaced points(again) and reset but still car coughs when I ask a bit more of her (up inclines etc).

Interested to know from where you sourced a Lucas condenser?

Anyone had a problem with replacement coils?

 

 

Hello

 

I got my Condensor from:GSC111

 

A comment was made about Capacitors [ie: Condensors] being pretty good these days. No doubt - but I think the manufacturing quality of these particular parts is questionable? I lifted this from the earlier thread:Condensor Failures

 

Your problems sounds like its in the ignition? Like its isnt sparking well under compression? Or: Vacuum advance ok?

Edited by adriantr4
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Hi Guys

 

So right Badfrog, yes the Distributor Doctor is the man for good quality points and condenser. Just looking at the condenser, soldered wire, quality components. You do pay more, but then you get what you pay for.

 

back in the 70s/80s condensers were just as unreliable, new ones would be faulty, but once you fitted a good one it would last the life of the points.

 

Reading the thread I've noticed a pattern in changing either condenser or points, my advice would be to always replace both at the same time, this was always general practice and for the sake of a few bob it'll give you piece of mind.

 

There is a current fault with a batch of Lucas Coils particularly the 'gold' sports coil. I've had three fail on the primary winding within the last six months on customers cars. The coils had been fitted for less than 1 week in one case and 3 months on another. There is a smart alternative in the Blue Bosch Coil I get them through our local friendly Auto Electric factors and they are actually cheaper than the Lucas sports coils. Not oil filled either.

 

We used to prat about with condensers in the workshop. we'd borrow the sparkies 'Mega' and wind it up to 10,000+ volts or so and use it to 'charge' the condenser. being careful not to touch the business wire to the body we'd throw it to an unsuspecting victim across the workshop they'd instinctively catch it ... we found the resulting 'flash bang!' and general cursing very amusing. Ah the joys of life before health & safety.

 

Cheers

 

Dazzer

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Did you check out this thread? It was referred to

in a recent thread on this Forum.

 

http://www.britishcarforum.com/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page_id=152

 

AlanR|

 

Thanks Alan,

bit of food for thought there! Because it is in a nice little can, for some reason you expect it will work.

Edited by littlejim
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  • 10 years later...

I have been running a 4 for 25 years and is used a lot in the topless days. I consider I know the old girl pretty well since restoring it from the rust upwards. The most regular stoppage is to change condensers. More so since the orange wire items have been floated over here. The ones in the green boxes seem to last the longest. My longest lived one was three years and the shortest three miles. Needless to say that as soon as I get the polarity changed we are going electronic !!

Regards Colin Borley

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Borley said:

I have been running a 4 for 25 years and is used a lot in the topless days. I consider I know the old girl pretty well since restoring it from the rust upwards. The most regular stoppage is to change condensers. More so since the orange wire items have been floated over here. The ones in the green boxes seem to last the longest. My longest lived one was three years and the shortest three miles. Needless to say that as soon as I get the polarity changed we are going electronic !!

Regards Colin Borley

 

 

Hi Colin,

 welcome to the forum.

If you want to stay with the points and condensor then why not fit one of Martin Jay's (aka The Dizzy Doc) quality products.

His are really the bees knees.

http://www.distributordoctor.com/

 

 

Roger

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Removing the points and condenser is a good move I went to fully electronic with a csi distributor and carry the old distributor in the boot just as a spare 

condenser's are prone to failure even when new and were always a problem back in the day

Chris  

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12 hours ago, Borley said:

I have been running a 4 for 25 years and is used a lot in the topless days. I consider I know the old girl pretty well since restoring it from the rust upwards. The most regular stoppage is to change condensers. More so since the orange wire items have been floated over here. The ones in the green boxes seem to last the longest. My longest lived one was three years and the shortest three miles. Needless to say that as soon as I get the polarity changed we are going electronic !!

Regards Colin Borley

 

 

No need to change polarity, Powerspark do a positive earth conversion module for the existing dizzy, or a complete dizzy.

Ralph

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