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394 coil and condenser

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Old April 2nd, 2014, 04:42 AM
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Question 394 coil and condenser

Sorry to bug you for this stupid question.first i am a vw guy for many years.but this is my first olds since my first car ,it was 1964 holiday olds. My new project is 63 olds super88. Engine is rebuilt.the way i got it,never heard it run yet.trying yesterday and doesnt seam to have strong spark at plug.coil is hooked up but just sitting on block. Also see condenser not hooked up.thinking it needs to be or is this just noise surpessior for radio?????? Thanks for help.
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 05:24 AM
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Unhappy Coil

Ok found out yes radio,and condenser was changed at dist.back to point gap later
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 05:35 AM
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If its a condenser on the coil, is for radio filtering. Make sure your dwell is @30 for a points distributor, then set your timing.
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 05:41 AM
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Thanks
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 06:58 AM
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I got the same engine, although I sure wish mine was freshly rebuilt, but it runs just fine anyway. just put a new standard motor condenser in the distributor, and im running an accel super stock coil, seems to work just fine. I also keep it dwell at 30 degrees and timing at 5 degrees like the manual says and you should be fine if you got a strong set of points in there.

as for that external condenser, I do prefer having the radio condenser on the coil I like leaving things the way I find em unless I know its wrong or unoriginal. and my car also has one on the last plug on the voltage regulator which I could never figure out why, maybe they're both for the radio?
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 07:00 AM
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The one on the voltage regulator is also a filter for the radio.
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 08:30 AM
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oh ok thanks man, I figured as much. mine is in with the volt regulator clip, and not on the side like my Chevrolet was, although that had a different horn relay without the extra separate warning light relay for the gen light. Oldboys car should have the same relay set up, and therefore instead of gen light being hooked to regulator its hooked to a separate relay and the radio filter is hooked right into the volt reg clip where the normal gen light relay wire would go instead of the side terminal, I do believe but that may or may not be important to you Oldboy.

So my car has both filters and a separate warning light relay, and im pretty sure that's the way it originally was and is particular to like 62-64 full sized olds's if that's a helpful reference, maybe yours is set up the same or if you want to put it back the way it was if it was all taken out with the engine.

although im not sure how bad it would be with just one or none of the radio filters. I don't really listen to the AM, my guess is it just cuts in and out a lot without them, although mines still not very powerful overpasses make interference. my area just gets Spanish music and religious/political talk radio anyway, maybe the ballgame.
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Old April 2nd, 2014, 08:45 PM
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does your car have a resistor? porcelin thing. if it does itcould be either hooked up wrong. on wrong wire, or blown cutting juice to coil to nill. see if you are getting 12 volt to coil while cranking.condenser under cap also. if that one is bad points will arc causing poor plug voltage. hope im a help
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