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472 Ignition - Two Condensers

Started by impalamansgarage, August 01, 2020, 07:01:51 PM

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impalamansgarage

1971 Coupe Deville
Folks I'm confused. Inside my distributor there are points and a condenser.
On my coil there is what also appears to be a condenser.

That's pretty much my question. What gives? There are two ?

I by no means consider myself a points ignition expert clearly and I have made no changes
to the ignition system on this car since I've owned it.

Confused.




impalamansgarage
https://www.youtube.com/c/impalamansgarage
1971 CDV (http://bit.ly/1QylevA)
1981 CDV (Sold)
1992 SDV (Sold)
1963 Fleetwood (Teenage Junker Project - Sold)

Cadillac Fleetwood

The part inside the distributor is the condenser, which is essential to the operation of a points-and-condenser ignition system.  Right around this time, GM was marketing a points and condenser assembly referred to as a "uniset" which combined both parts into a single assembly.

The part mounted to your ignition coil is  noise suppressor, which is designed to prevent ignition noise from causing interference with the radio. It functions in conjunction with suppressor spark plug wires, to keep pops, whines, and static caused by the elctromagnetics of the ignition from being reproduced in the radio output.


Charles Fares
Forty-Five Years of Continuous Cadillac Ownership
1970 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 DeVille Convertible
1989 Fleetwood

"The splendor of the most special occasion is rivaled only by the pleasure of journeying there in a Cadillac"

impalamansgarage

Quote from: Cadillac Fleetwood on August 01, 2020, 07:26:11 PM
The part inside the distributor is the condenser, which is essential to the operation of a points-and-condenser ignition system.  Right around this time, GM was marketing a points and condenser assembly referred to as a "uniset" which combined both parts into a single assembly.

The part mounted to your ignition coil is  noise suppressor, which is designed to prevent ignition noise from causing interference with the radio. It functions in conjunction with suppressor spark plug wires, to keep pops, whines, and static caused by the elctromagnetics of the ignition from being reproduced in the radio output.


Charles Fares

Outstanding. Thank you. Makes sense !

I assume they are the same part number?
impalamansgarage
https://www.youtube.com/c/impalamansgarage
1971 CDV (http://bit.ly/1QylevA)
1981 CDV (Sold)
1992 SDV (Sold)
1963 Fleetwood (Teenage Junker Project - Sold)

impalamansgarage

I found these references in the parts manual. Wondering what the microfarad
rating difference is between the two.
impalamansgarage
https://www.youtube.com/c/impalamansgarage
1971 CDV (http://bit.ly/1QylevA)
1981 CDV (Sold)
1992 SDV (Sold)
1963 Fleetwood (Teenage Junker Project - Sold)

DeVille68

According to my research the capacitor inside the distributor has usually 0.3mf, the one on the coil for the radio noise mostly 0.5mf. Same as the one at the voltage regulator and inside the generator (if its  a single wire one), its 0.5mf

Best regards,
Nicolas
1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible (silver pine green)

bcroe

Quote from: DeVille68
According to my research the capacitor inside the distributor has usually 0.3mf, the one on the coil for the radio noise mostly 0.5mf. Same as the one at the voltage regulator and inside the generator (if its  a single wire one), its 0.5mf. Best regards, Nicolas

The value of the points cap is specific to the operation of the ignition,
use the correct one.  Noise suppression caps are similar, but their
value is not at all critical to that function.  Bruce Roe