Condenser for 1933 model B

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

The mounting bracket is an electrical conductor Suggest soldering it on to another condenser, if need be.

I'm not sure, I have used VW condensers without any attachment to the car other than the lead to the distributor.

[FrankWest]

Is this end of the condenser merely held in by the tension of the pull knob or should it be screwed into something? Show that pull knob actually screw into something. It turns but does not tighten.

[DavidG]

There's a threaded hole in the side of the cast distributor base for a screw and lock washer to hold the condenser in place. See Charlie's photo in #5 and #6 above.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by FrankWest

Is this end of the condenser merely held in by the tension of the pull knob or should it be screwed into something? Show that pull knob actually screw into something. It turns but does not tighten.

[FrankWest]

My original was always missing the screw. Maybe that caused my spark problems. Then condenser never had sound contact. I have to find a suitable screw.

[Bob C]

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Looks like the screw is 8-32x1/4"

[Terry,OH]

Some of your postings make me wonder if you read the responses and view the photographs that are posted to help you. If you look at photos posted in #6 above you can see the proper mounting location and the screw holding the condenser in place. A lock washer on the screw is also good, don't use old rusty hardware on any electrical connection.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

Some of your postings make me wonder if you read the responses and view the photographs that are posted to help you. If you look at photos posted in #6 above you can see the proper mounting location and the screw holding the condenser in place. A lock washer on the screw is also good, don't use old rusty hardware on any electrical connection.

I am reading every post, DON't nasty Terry.....I knew sooner of later someone on this thing would have a nasty comment.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Looks like the screw is 8-32x1/4"

thanks

[Terry,OH]

Not nasty, just a suggestion, since the photos posted, early in your posting, are worth a thousand words and appear to clearly answer your later questions!
Best of luck with your repair.

[FrankWest]

So your "helpful" suggestion was really , "we already answered that question"

[Manuel]

I have learnt a lot from your questions Frank.

Manuel in Oz

[FrankWest]

Thanks..
it has been 7 years since I messed around with my car and have forgotten a lot in that time. My car just began experiencing several problems and I have a hard time remembering. Unfortunately, there are several know it all gurus on this forum that are as nasty as they are knowledgeable. They make coming on here a painful experience. for a 75 year old man.

[47topless]

Have you tried "Tubman" on this forum? He is a frequent poster and seems to be the condenser guru.

[Manuel]

Originally Posted by FrankWest

Thanks..
it has been 7 years since I messed around with my car and have forgotten a lot in that time. My car just began experiencing several problems and I have a hard time remembering. Unfortunately, there are several know it all gurus on this forum that are as nasty as they are knowledgeable. They make coming on here a painful experience. for a 75 year old man.

Yes, my memory is not as good as it used to be....

[FrankWest]

1933 model B
Finally Got my car Started.
After 3 months fooling around.
Replaced Starter, battery, worn ignition switch. Then tried an assortment of Model B condensers with no luck.
Finally, I ordered a Model A condenser from Third Generation Auto and the day I was going to modify it to fit in my engine, a model B condenser miraculously arrived from All FORD PARTS, from a previous back order. I decided to put it in, and the engine finally started. I guess this time I finally got a good one. Praise the Lord. Must be the Lord's work here.
Thanks for all you help gentlemen. I nearly went insane with this problem.

[alexiskai]

In my experience there are very few working Model B condensers still out there.

A previous comment said that "NOS B condensers aren't very scarce." We should distinguish between NOS and NORS, i.e., B condensers made by Ford vs those made by third parties. NORS B condensers do show up at swaps and on eBay from time to time. I've never seen a true NOS B condenser for sale. If someone is saying "there's lots of NOS B condensers," it's probably because they're looking at their personal hoard.

To be functional, a condenser needs to have the correct capacitance for its application and it needs to not leak (current, not innards) when heated to engine bay temperatures. In my experience testing several dozen NORS B condensers, maybe 10% of them were still functional. The rest had decayed, most likely from improper storage. Of condensers I've tested that were pulled from B distributor cores, none have worked. I've also had the chance to test two true NOS B condensers, both of which worked.

My advice to anyone trying to stick with the B condenser design is to get a good multimeter and learn how to check them, and be prepared to buy a lot of cores before you find a good one. Alternately you can adapt a modern reproduction A condenser, which are quite reliable and should serve without issue.

[FrankWest]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

In my experience there are very few working Model B condensers still out there.

A previous comment said that "NOS B condensers aren't very scarce." We should distinguish between NOS and NORS, i.e., B condensers made by Ford vs those made by third parties. NORS B condensers do show up at swaps and on eBay from time to time. I've never seen a true NOS B condenser for sale. If someone is saying "there's lots of NOS B condensers," it's probably because they're looking at their personal hoard.

To be functional, a condenser needs to have the correct capacitance for its application and it needs to not leak (current, not innards) when heated to engine bay temperatures. In my experience testing several dozen NORS B condensers, maybe 10% of them were still functional. The rest had decayed, most likely from improper storage. Of condensers I've tested that were pulled from B distributor cores, none have worked. I've also had the chance to test two true NOS B condensers, both of which worked.

My advice to anyone trying to stick with the B condenser design is to get a good multimeter and learn how to check them, and be prepared to buy a lot of cores before you find a good one. Alternately you can adapt a modern reproduction A condenser, which are quite reliable and should serve without issue.

I electrically test the condensers I had and they were are intermittent, One even had the lead fall out of the condenser body as I handled it, what antique relics.
I PURCHASE 3 new Model A CONDENSERS, that can fit into the model B mount if you bend the welded tabs back If my working model B condenser craps out I will use one of those. I guess the large model A market has driven the production of Model A capacitor. I was told that heat can breakdown the condenser, so that if you drive lone enough your car might die. In 1933 when the condensers were new and coming of the factory it was a different story than today. I will leave it for now and see how it operates. The original condenser worked for 10 years although my car did stop running twice after driving 15 miles. Maybe the condenser was overheating and breaking down, temporarily. Maybe I will consider the electron ignition. I only hope that system is more reliable.

[FrankWest]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu-A8YfC4w0

[35fordtn]

The bracket can be unsoldered and with some flux you have to work quick as to not overheat it, but can be resoldered to a ih1109 condenser