1-237-330-055 condensor wire color

[empi3]

What's the difference between the yellow and black (besides the color)?
Thought I saw it here once but can't find it now.

Thanks
Steven

[Glenn]

The color... if the condenser was different it would have a different part number.
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Glenn
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[tasb]

Around about 1962 the lead wire color changed from yellow to green. After market condenser leads can be any color.
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1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[Glenn]

[empi3]

Thanks for the info.
It appears the ones I have are from Sept '79

Thanks
Steven

[tasb]

Yes, that is correct and back to black colored lead wires.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[Frederik]

Wondering if not the change in wire color accually was a little later for the 055 and 045 condenser or if they stayed yellow after the rest of the condensers changed? Checked some of my NOS 045 and 055 Condensers (yellow wire) and the ones I grabbed was date stamped in the range 504-512 (504, 507, 511, 512) witch would indicate that Bosch manufactured yellow wire Condenser the whole of 1965.

When I’ve got time I will check all of my 045/055 condensers dates. Does anyone have a 60’s dated black (or green) 045/055 condenser?

[Glenn]

July 1955

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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

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[Frederik]

So the ”big” 50’s condensers (old part #) could have both yellow or black wire, interesting. Do you know if this was a ”they used what they had that day” or if they were black for some specific period? I’ve guess you have seen some to know. I’ve only got one oct1956 and feb1952 to know they could be yellow before/after.

The late 70’s were black (like the one in your picture), but I’ve never looked at a 60’s dated black wire 045 or 055 condenser. I’m not saying they weren't I’m just curious if they (Bosch) changed at a specific date in the 60’s or if they (like the 50’s?) might have run black/yellow wire in some production before they changed to black.

[Frederik]

Took the time to look through the whole lot. The latest yellow wire 055 Condenser I found was dated 635 (juli-sept 1976). The earliest black wire was dated 830 (okt 1978) but I only got one so I can’t say nothing about it.

For the 045 (only got about 15 of them) the latest yellow wire was dec 1965, the black ones I have are dated 043 or 543, making them post 1979? 1980, 1985?

[Frederik]

Also found a big diameter Condenser I didn’t know I had in the lot. Pretty nice NOS with ”germany” stamped in ink on the side.

[Glenn]

Honestly, unless you have a museum vehicle that's never driven, date coded items like ignition parts are crazy. They do fail and need to be replaced.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

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[wcfvw69]

[Frederik]

I do think you miss my point. The dating is only to try to estimate when bosch changed color on the wiring on the 055 and 045 condensers. I just don't believe they changed from yellow-black until the 70's (until proven wrong) and green being a "modern" replacement part. It's mostly out of my curiosity, I just like to collect ignition parts and know as much as possible.

On the other hand I agree that date code correctness for ignition parts isn't that important. Even most nos yellow wire condensers you find would be of later date than the distributor/car. But I do think the yellow color Bosch looks the best and when it comes to the modern green wire condenser it's just looks to wrong for my taste to ever put it on a cast iron distributor.

[Glenn]

7L = July 1955

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Glenn
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"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

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[tasb]

I have been saving the condensers from the core distributors that I have been restoring for perhaps the last ten of 16 years. I also have a fair number of NOS and have done some tabulating to help answer this question. I excluded the large diameter condensers from the 1950's which were all yellow wire except for the very early condensers that were cloth covered. I also have over 200 cast iron cores many of which have condensers still mounted on them.

I looked at 65 loose NOS and used Bosch 055 and 045 condensers. Only ten of them were black lead wire. The latest black wire is July 1990.

The earliest black wire Bosch condenser, which may be an anomaly is date coded the first quarter of 1967. I have other Bosch first quarter of 1967 condensers that are yellow wire.

The next black wire condenser is dated July 1978

The 55 yellow wire condensers in the sample besides the 1st quarter of 1967 run from the third quarter of 1968 through June of 1983. Before 1967 the yellow wire date codes run from September 1964. The earliest small diameter Bosch condenser is date coded September of 1959.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[Frederik]

Thats the kind of report a nerd likes to hear, thanks.

[tasb]

So small diameter yellow wire condensers began sometime around the second quarter of 1959.

The yellow wire continued until some time in 1965 when a black lead wire was substituted. The use of both wire colors may have occurred as late as 1967.

As of 1968 either color lead wire can be found. There's plenty of room to narrow things down a bit more
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse