| High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248919] |
Wed, 30 April 2014 21:44  |
larry.whisler
Messages: 356
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 8
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Does anyone out here on the net know what the specifications
of the capacitor/condenser used on the HEI systems that are on
the GMC coaches?
I don't have the parts interchange manual handy but I did find the NAPA Echlin RR170 is used on the 76 Olds Toronado but no
specifications.
Just wondered if anyone had ever checked one of these condensers for capacitance, leakage or shorts.
larry whisler
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248921 is a reply to message #248919] |
Wed, 30 April 2014 22:10  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
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It has been a while but I do remember any capacitor inside an HEI ignition. The capacitor is normally used to retard arching across the points. There are no points in an HEI system.
Are you chasing a radio noise capacitor by chance?
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248924 is a reply to message #248921] |
Wed, 30 April 2014 22:43 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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| Ken Burton wrote on Wed, 30 April 2014 21:10 |
It has been a while but I do remember any capacitor inside an HEI ignition. The capacitor is normally used to retard arching across the points. There are no points in an HEI system.
Are you chasing a radio noise capacitor by chance?
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I don't think there is one either.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248927 is a reply to message #248924] |
Wed, 30 April 2014 23:55 |
appie
Messages: 902
Registered: April 2013
Location: denmark
Karma: 2
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There is one in mine,
Appie
eleganza 76 "Olga" now sadly sold
6 wheel discbrake
Quadrabags
Springfield stage 2 462 olds
Manny tranny
( pictures at http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6489-olga.html
Fulltiming in Europe july 2014 til july 2016
Denmark
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248936 is a reply to message #248934] |
Thu, 01 May 2014 09:59 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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| USAussie wrote on Thu, 01 May 2014 08:10 |
G'day,
For the hell of it I checked the Parts Book 78Z and found:
Points Distributor
Pg: 7-16 & 17 / Key 11 - Condenser
H.E.I. Distributor
Pg: 7-18 & 19 / Key 14 - Capacitor
Keeping in mind that I AM electrically challenged are they the same thing?
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I think they are the same but in a distributor with points they help reduce pitting while in the HEI they probably reduce EMI.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248937 is a reply to message #248919] |
Thu, 01 May 2014 10:12 |
appie
Messages: 902
Registered: April 2013
Location: denmark
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a broken condenser will stop the car Will a broken capacitor do that as well?
Appie
eleganza 76 "Olga" now sadly sold
6 wheel discbrake
Quadrabags
Springfield stage 2 462 olds
Manny tranny
( pictures at http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6489-olga.html
Fulltiming in Europe july 2014 til july 2016
Denmark
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248939 is a reply to message #248937] |
Thu, 01 May 2014 10:50 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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| appie wrote on Thu, 01 May 2014 09:12 |
a broken condenser will stop the car Will a broken capacitor do that as well?
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I think we'll need someone like Ken to comment. It looks to me that condensors and capacitors may be one and the same, but the application may be what's important.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248941 is a reply to message #248939] |
Thu, 01 May 2014 11:21 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
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| Bob de Kruyff wrote on Thu, 01 May 2014 08:50 |
| appie wrote on Thu, 01 May 2014 09:12 |
a broken condenser will stop the car Will a broken capacitor do that as well?
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I think we'll need someone like Ken to comment. It looks to me that condensors and capacitors may be one and the same, but the application may be what's important.
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You are correct condenser or capacitor is the same thing 50 years ago mostly they were Called condensers like frequency was called cycles now it's called hertz. If the HEI capacitor(condenser) is left off it will still work ok . Like it has been stated it is a noise filter of sorts. If I were to check it I would check it with an analog ohm meter on the high scale it would show the capacitor to be charging switch the leads the meter will go negative then charge again.i wouldn't worry about the microfarads. Unless you had a capacitor checker of course.the main concern would be it isn't shorted which is pretty rare. It's microfarads aren't critical like a points type unit may be.
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
[Updated on: Thu, 01 May 2014 11:22] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: High Energy Ignition Condenser Specs [message #248944 is a reply to message #248942] |
Thu, 01 May 2014 14:14 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Larry
Here is one write up on testing condenser..
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/ignition/ig129.htm
| larry.whisler wrote on Thu, 01 May 2014 13:31 |
Capacitors and condensers are the same, just different terms.
I am thinking that I read in the service manual or somewhere on line that the condenser is present to reduce some of the load on the coil's secondary winding but not sure.
Anyway, Jim K. made a statement at the Conroe convention about having a problem with a coach that would not start ( no spark ).
He swapped out the condenser and it worked just fine. Took that same 'defective' condenser and installed in another coach and it worked fine.
Now it would seem to me that this might have been maybe another issue other than the condenser ( maybe a ground was improved during the swap, who knows ).
So, this got me to thinking about how one could be checked and
the post to the forum.
larry
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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