condenser fiber washer

slatgrille

slatgrille

Senior Member
I'm in the process of figuring out why my '29 RPU decided to stop producing a spark after running fine last fall and starting right up last month. Used to get a nice crisp blue spark when arcing the points with a screwdriver. Now......nothing! New points, condenser, ignition switch, dist. cap, rotor, wiring....as I said, was fine until last month.

I took off the distributor upper/lower plates and condenser that has a fiber washer attached with the screw that connects it into the circuit. Of course it fell out when I 'gutted' the dist. housing. Before putting it back I started thinking...did I have it in the correct spot?

I searched in books and online for pics of this washer and its placement in exploded view drawings, but nothing shows up. Drawings only show the screw connecting the front of the condenser to the circuit....no washer shown.

Do I really need this washer? I have those 'shock proof' condensers and I don't really see the purpose of this insulating washer anyway. It was there before and the car ran, but am becoming confused now...

Guess it's time to get back to my comfort zone with the old jeeps...

Craig
 
I don't install it and not really sure you need it. I do install the condenser hole plug not only to insulate the screw but to mostly keep moisture and dust out of the the distrributor.
 
Thanks for the responses. So the washer should be first (against the cast dist. housing), then the bottom plate, then condenser.....
 
Got it...thanks again!

Also measured the Ohms of the coil. Between terminals was okay...1.9, but terminal to secondary (center) hole was only 3.86K. Put on another coil that measures 7.54K, so we'll see what happens....
 
Old jeeps and model As make great stable mates. I have one of each 😀
 

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Will do once I get a new ignition switch also. Didn't like the 'cheapy' that came with the partial armored cable, so while tracing the problem I have, decided to remove it.

ndnchf: I saw your jeep in pics you posted previously! You have one of the nicest 2A's I've seen in awhile. If I may ask, what happened to the forward 'top bow bracket' where your circled triangle is painted? My first jeep as a 15yo kid was a CJ2A. Being young and dumb, I began chiseling those brackets off!!!!!! Thank God I wasn't successful, since they were only produced for the 2A.
 
Thanks. It looks good at a distance, just dont look too close. Some previous owner some 25 years ago chiseled that front bow mount off. Maybe it was you? LOL!
 
LOL....nah, I ended up restoring that body when I wised up in my 20's. Did the 'slatgrille' MB in my avatar 22 years ago! Time to do it again....but not until my Model A is done!

I've got more Ford products now than I do jeeps! Model A, GP prototype jeep, Mazda 3 and F250....that's 4. My MB, '51 CJ3A plow jeep, and '79 CJ5...that's 3 jeeps.
 
Yes, back to the A.

About a month ago I completely rebuilt a distributor for my '31 CCPU. The one that was in it had the troublesome wireless lower plate, modern points and condenser. The new one I rebuilt with original upper and lower plates, new soldered high temp, 120 strand flex wire, new, but highly polished cam, new upper shaft. original Ford points and a new burnout proof condenser. It runs like a top! I did use the fiber washer, but I didn't really know its purpose until now - LOL
 
I was thinking of a dab of grease to the dist. housing, but was able to 'wedge' it into the hole long enough to put the bottom plate in with no type of 'adhesive'.
 
When rebuilding distributors I usually set the washer in the inside hole while holding it upside down and then put the plate in to keep it there a little. I then put the condenser and screw in all while it is on its side.
 
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