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DQ450 condenser

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 6:25 pm
by JDB
Following a “failure to proceed” incident with my project DQ, I diagnosed a dodgy condenser. Having found a very new looking condenser in one of my boxes, I have fitted this and successfully restarted the car but as yet have not actually driven it anywhere since the replacement. The new condenser would almost certainly have been originally intended for either an MG or Land Rover, is its new home, with its dual points demands, likely to be too much for it?
Cheers, JB

Re: DQ450 condenser

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 9:21 pm
by qantasqf1
Well this is a case of suck it and see. If the engine starts misfiring after a few weeks’ use and it’s tracked down to burnt points it’s the wrong condenser. However, in all probability this won’t occur, proving the condenser is compatible with the ignition system.
Steve

Re: DQ450 condenser

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 10:52 pm
by JDB
Thanks for the reply Steve, nice to have some reassurance!

Re: DQ450 condenser

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:43 am
by Sydsmith
Although there are differences in the electronic value of condensers the main differences are the actual shape and the fitting brackets. As long as the condenser fits and works it will almost certainly be fine.

There are usually two faults that can befall a condenser. It can become short circuit, which will stop the engine completely or it can become open circuit, which will not stop the engine, but as the purpose of the condenser is to reduce damage to the points, if it is open circuit or not working at all, the points will, as has been said, burn very quickly.

So, a get you home, if the condenser becomes short circuit is to cut the wire that connects it to the points, removing the short circuit which would be across the points.

Ignition systems of the 50'and 60's used many common shape and sized components, which were fitted to different engines from different vehicle makers, as with lighting and dynamo parts I am reasonably sure a lot of Landrover ignition parts and British Leyland parts are common to one another. Syd

Re: DQ450 condenser

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 4:30 pm
by JDB
Thanks for the reply Syd. I think it was intermittently shorting - a new wire might give it a second lease of life as a spare -, although it could have been the HT lead to the coil having a bad contact; but the condenser's probably due a change anyway. There were one or two other issues at the same time, so it was hard to ignore the rising panic and concentrate on what was actually happening; it was a shakedown drive, I had been thinking a bit prior to that "Wow, this is much better than the other DQ", which obviously resulted in the car stopping!
Cheers, JB