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Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:31 pm

The Van has had a strange problem over the last few weeks. Sputtering and acting like a bitch. I chased down vacuum leaks, cleaned or replaced filters, set points and timing, but still this strange and inconsistent lack of ignition problem persisted. As it turns out, it was a condenser I replaced a year ago. The condenser is fine, but the wire going to the tab for the points was (and I remember thinking at the time of install) was too tight. A little wiggling of the right wire while under the hood made it all clear to me. Guess what I'm doing this weekend...

Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:43 pm

Well, at least you've cleaned all manner of minor things up, so when you put in a new condenser you''ll have smoother everything.

Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:37 pm

Some of the newer condensers have to be installed at an angle for the wire not to have excess tension in it.

Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:52 pm

Crap. I thought that may be the case. Couldn't they put just a cm or 2 more wire on it? I mean, really. I'm just putting it out there so we all remember to check the obvious. That little condenser does a lot!

Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:06 pm

I'm not at all familiar with the early set ups, since you have a condenser, do you also have points? If so, why not switch to a Compufire or some other brand that eliminates the points and condenser? My '71 bays loved the compufire set up.

Hans

Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:02 pm

I can't say that I've ever looked into Compufire or any other such mods. I guess I like original set ups so I can follow manuals and instinct. Besides bucks, what are the drawbacks? I go threw a set of points about every three or four years or so. At $11 a pop, BFG. So sell me on this Compufire thingy.

Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:24 pm

Points wear and change the dwell angle. As you know, it seems a condenser with the right wire is getting harder to find. On my families old air cooled engines points got changed every 6k. By then, starts where getting harder and the contacts where pitted. With the compufire, that all goes away. Timing and dwell stay the same, no need to pull dist or adjust timing. I got 10s of 1000s of miles without a single ignition failure. There is a reason later vans had hall sensors.

Hans

Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:52 pm

With copper core plugs, I usually get about 20,000 out of a set of points before I have to change them out or file them flat. I have never had a problem with points getting out of time. The problem these days is finding a good set of points, sadly Bosch is just not an acceptable brand any more.

Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:59 pm

Ok, Ok. Sold. So what's the best bang or the buck? Any system better than the other? Is it distributor specific? Timing still set the same?

Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:48 pm

Compufire and pertronix where the two most common brands 10-12 years ago, not sure what's popular or available now. Ask around in one of the aircooled forums and I'm sure someone will steer you in the right direction.

Hans