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condenser ?'s 200 1981

posted by  someone claiming to be eric laidlaw on  Sun Feb 16 15:26 CST 2003 [RELATED]

Hi all-

PO left me a box of parts which included 3 new condensers. Now, I've never owned anything that required changing these- how do I tell when it needs to happen, and what do I actually need to do?

From looking at it, it's obviously an integral part of the distributer/ignition system. So, do I change it out every time I put in a new rotor/cap?

TIA, and a big thanks to all the regular BB'ers! I've learned a lot and saved a whole lotta cash because of you.

-E








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    I have to ask a question. 200 1981

    posted by  someone claiming to be Manolo on  Mon Feb 17 12:55 CST 2003 [RELATED]

    Trev is correct. A condenser is a capacitor that keeps the points from arcing when they open.

    My question is - Is the ignition in a 1981 Volvo controlled by points?

    I thought that points were eliminated from all cars sold in the US 1975 and later, due to the requirement that manufacturers guarantee emissions for 50,000 miles.

    I vaguely recall seeing points that controlled the timing on a fuel injection system once. Is that what your points are for?

    Sorry for the dumb question, but it's easier to ask you guys than to take the trouble to look it up somewhere.







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      I have to ask a question. 200 1981

      posted by  someone claiming to be trev29 on  Tue Feb 18 01:01 CST 2003 [RELATED]

      I believe ELaidlaw is a fellow Canadian with a B21A (carbureted) engine. Points, condensor and all.

      I thought the US manufacturers were still making carbureted systems for the US market well into the '80's.








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        I have to ask a question. 200 1981

        posted by  someone claiming to be eric laidlaw on  Tue Feb 18 17:33 CST 2003 [RELATED]

        You are absolutely correct! I am indeed the owner of a b21a w/carb, living in Vancouver BC. Love the car, like the city.
        Cheers
        -E








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          I have to ask a question. 200 1981

          posted by  someone claiming to be trev29 on  Wed Feb 19 00:53 CST 2003 [RELATED]

          Yeah, I know. Saw your note regarding paint on the "Canadian Volvo Exchange".








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        I have to ask a question. 200 1981

        posted by  someone claiming to be Manolo on  Tue Feb 18 07:12 CST 2003 [RELATED]

        The US manufacturers pretty much abandoned carburetors on passenger cars in the late 1970s. The need for closed-loop control on the air/fuel mixture made carburetors cost as much as fuel injection systems, and they were more troublesome and didn't perform as well, so there was no point in using carburetors any more. The Japanese used carbs in the low-end models into the 1980s. 3/4 ton pickups and heavier vehicles used carburetors much later (they may still be using them for all I know) In passenger cars, the last carbureted model that I am aware of (if memory serves) was the 1988 Toyota Corolla/Geo Prizm.

        If any other old-timer reads this, they will probably point out myriad exceptions to the above.







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          I have to ask a question. 200 1981

          posted by  someone claiming to be trev29 on  Wed Feb 19 00:57 CST 2003 [RELATED]

          Yeah. I did notice an increase in the number of hoses for recirculating gases to the carb as the newer models came out. But don't the FI's also have a charcoal canister?








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    condenser ?'s 200 1981

    posted by  jbowser on  Mon Feb 17 05:55 CST 2003
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    last visit: Fri Dec 24 08:36 CST 2010
    [RELATED]

    One of the condenser's main functions is to keep point set contacts arcing to a minimum to keep the contacts from burning up. I've known old-timers that could look at your points and tell you if your condenser was either over or under in capacitance by looking at the points wear and whether metal was being deposited to the stationary or moving contact!

    Usual recommendation is to replace when points are changed but I often left it alone if point contact wear was even with no metal "migration" from one contact to the other...

    As the condenser is in parallel with the points I suppose that symptoms would be a no-start/spark condition if shorted or a weak spark and hard start/rapid points wear condition if open.

    Justin B.








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    condenser ?'s 200 1981

    posted by  someone claiming to be trev29 on  Mon Feb 17 00:35 CST 2003 [RELATED]

    Condensors seldom give trouble. However it is suggested that you replace it with the points. Me, I don't, but I keep a spare one handy. I think basically a condensor is a capacitor.







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