Condenser Wire

[Frank K.]

I have a '71 LT1 with Transistorized ignition which I bought a couple of months ago. I noticed that I have a condenser mounted to the coil. The wire is not attached to anything. Where does this wire attach to assuming the car requires it. Thanks in advance
Frank

[Duke W.]

Re: Condenser Wire

It's part of the RFI package for radio equipped Corvettes,and the wire should be connected to the coil + terminal. Before you attach it suggest you check the capacitor with an meter to be sure it's not shorted.

Duke

[Warren F.]

Re: Condenser Wire

Frank:

That condenser wire attaches to the positive post of your TI coil, that post also has the thicker white fibrous wire attached to it from the TI harness. The negative post has a thinner black wire attached to it from the TI harness.

[Dave F.]

Re: Condenser Wire

Duke - is that a "special" condenser, or will a "standard points distributer" condenser do the job?

[Duke W.]

Re: Condenser Wire

I don't have a spec for capacitance, but I think most of the RFI capaciters have capacitance in the same ball park as the points condenser, which I recall is 0.19 to 0.23 microfarads. The other issue might be mounting. On my SWC I recall that capacitor as having an integral bracket to mount it to the plug wire loom retainer/shielding bracket with a sheet metal screw.

Duke

[Dave F.]

Re: Condenser Wire

Thanks Duke. On my '68, the condenser mounts to the coil bracket, right near the distributor. I still have the old one (that came with the car when I got it), so I'll try it and if there is no static while listening to Dinah Shore, we'll know it has the correct capacity!

[Chuck R.]

Re: Condenser Wire *NM*

[Dave F.]

Re: Condenser Wire

Thanks Chuck. You couldn't have written it any better! It's all very clear to me now

[Chuck R.]

Re: Just call me Mr. fat finger

Actually that was probably one of my most productive responses yet

What I WAS going to say was smart and not productive so I pulled a brain f_rt and hit post instead of preview.

You see preview to me is like the hand gun law, it gives me opportunity to cool off and see just how much I might make a fool of myself if I posted it. As if that would stop me anyway

Chuckster

[Dave F.]

Re: Just call me Mr. fat finger

It was a new level in clarity. And I thought you were being precise before.

[Jack H.]

Might want to be careful here....

The ignition coil cap used in this era was a Delco Remy 1947452 (same as used on straight axle cars from '58-62) with a rating of 0.3 uF. BUT, at least on early mid-year cars with the TI option, the coil cap was DELETED when the car was radio equipped. Apparently, it 'shaped' the output of the TI amplifier poorly....

[Dave F.]

Re: Might want to be careful here....

Thanks Jack. I need to research this issue to gain a much better understanding. Until then, I'll not connect it. Besides, I will be less interested in listening to the radio than everything else for quite some time.