guys and gals,
can anyone help me identify the part pictured below so i can order a replacement? it is located right next to the ignition coil, wired between the + (plus) side of the coil and the side of the distributor. why would power be running onto the housing of the distributor? am i missing something here? as you can probably tell, the wire has apparently broken off on one side of the cylinder. i'm starting to worry that i may have trouble getting a replacement? could i replace it with a stock (yet similarly rated) component?
In the automotive world it's called a condenser, for the rest of us in electronics, we call them capacitors. It stores charge from the coil when the points open and then delivers a nice big spark to the plug.
Fun things to do with electrolytic type capacitors, charge a big one up and then short it out across a small piece of copper and blow it to bits or reverse charge it (small ones are best) and wait for it to start smoking and then explode. Big ones are less fun because they have a safety plug that just goes "ppfft" whereas the small ones done and they blow the canister apart.
Because big capacitors store significant charge, you don't go opening up TV's and sticking your hands around because they can be charged to several hundred volts even though the TV is off and likewise other electronics can use them as a back up type device for when you change the main batteries. Remote controls for example where you've got a few minutes to change batteries.
For your ignition theory see the "Ignition theory" (oddly enough) here
Yup, it's a condenser. Most car parts stores should be able to help you out there. It's a common item to replace on older cars that have dizzy's and rotor arms. They are usually part and parcel. Should only be a few dollars.
as the 9000 has electronic ignition its not going to be a condenser, it is more likely to be what aero_ady suggested and its a suppressor to interference
It is a contactless ignition. You're all right. It's a capacitor/condenser/noise suppressor. That said, the one on my '87 was disconnected for years. I never noticed any problems, either in the engine or in the radio signal reception. I did have whine in the stereo. But, that was remedied by moving my amplifiers to the back (instead of under the seats) and keeping power and signal wires on opposite sides of the car.
great - i thought it (the broken wire) was keeping me from experiencing another 100 horsepower or so .
FANTASTIC INPUT all, thanks again!
greg
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