59AB ignition question

gkgeiger

gkgeiger

Senior Member
As you may know my car quit running on me yesterday morning and since all the NAPA stores were closed (Advance and Autozone had nothing) I can't get her running. The question is, are these components compatible with each other? I have what looks like the original style condenser but using a tube style coil. The coil say 6V no external resistor required. I've been reading everything I can about coils and condensers, but most post are about the original style coil. I want my car to be dependable since I will be driving it daily. What about mounting the condenser (Echlin FA54) on the coil for ease of replacement on the road? This picture is what I have not the FA54.

1GA-12300_pJPG.JPG
A12000_pJPG.JPG
 
When I had my coil reworked by Skip he recommended IH-200 from NAPA. I've never had a problem at all. Do you have the original coil you could have reworked ? It's $ 87 and well worth the hassle.

Mike
 
No reason I can think of that you couldn't use the stock condenser with the tube coil. But, you will want to test that stock condenser with a meter that tests capacitance. I was plagued with a rash of bad ones of those that were brand new. Finally went to the NAPA one you referred to but even with those I take my meter to the store to get one as close to .25 mF as possible. (.2 -.3 mF is spec.)

As for mounting the condenser on the coil for easy replacement, I've read of several doing that but some ignition experts say it changes the path of the electronics to not work as well. That makes sense to me because part of the function of the condenser is to give the current that's being cut off when the points open a place to go instead of arcing into the air that burns the points. For that purpose, having the condenser right there at the end of the circuit as an immediate alternative to the current trying to find a place to go when the points open makes more sense to me. Maybe someone like Bubba will weigh in on this one.
 
Last edited:
Will more than likely work ok mounted on the coil.
However the condensor should always be mounted as close to the contact points as possible. Its a time issue , you want the condensot to function very quickly when the contacts start to brake the circuit...
 
A while back on a thread about coils/condensers I posted a pic of my condenser mounted on Skip's coil. Boy did the ignition experts jump on me with a lot of electronic info I could not understand. Now I never told my condenser about this and after 12,000 miles (same condenser/coil) it starts first turn.

100_1677.jpg


I learned this from 42GUY who has been building/racing flatheads forever.
John
 
I've gone to the later pigtail type condenser on my 59 AB. I made a small bracket from thin sheet metal and used the original condenser mounting screw to hold it on the distributor and use a screw and wing nut to hold the condenser to the sheet metal bracket. The pigtail is fastened to the proper place on the distributor. The bracket holds the condenser up away from the distributor so it is easier for me to reach. Maybe it's just a coincedence, but since doing this I haven't had to change a condenser where before they would only last 50 to 150 miles.
 
D. Jones said:
I've gone to the later pigtail type condenser on my 59 AB. I made a small bracket from thin sheet metal and used the original condenser mounting screw to hold it on the distributor and use a screw and wing nut to hold the condenser to the sheet metal bracket. The pigtail is fastened to the proper place on the distributor. The bracket holds the condenser up away from the distributor so it is easier for me to reach. Maybe it's just a coincedence, but since doing this I haven't had to change a condenser where before they would only last 50 to 150 miles.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good idea. I also like hearing OF2 say he has 12000 miles on the same coil/condenser.
 
Regarding the location of the condensor: Some of the 'Barners will recall the other flathead site, the "Ford V8 techno site," and posts by "Rumble Seat," a well-respected voice, in the archives. One of his posts in the ignition section advocated relocating the condensor to the coil site, improving its accessibility without reducing performance. Richard
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top