You can also connect capacitor to ignition coil lead & crank engine & capacitor should charge up with voltage from coil discharge. To discharge capacitor just hold with both hands & say arghh , that hurt as the voltage zaps you. Also if capacitor is faulty will cause weak spark output from coil .
I was a car mechanic many years ago. We would hold a capacitor with insulated pliers and pull of a spark plug lead while the engine was running and make a spark to the capacitor wire. We would then put it down on a wooden bench. Wait for a young appy to come along and ask him to pass it to me. WACK a nice little shock. Always brought a laugh to the shop.
In this case, the capacitor is open circuit (non existent) and the car cannot start as the spark is too weak. If it starts, the high sparking of the contact points finally destroys them very quickly and the electrodes of the spark plugs alike...
Points and condenser have been absolute for the past 30 years. I donate my timing light to a museum.
You can also connect capacitor to ignition coil lead & crank engine & capacitor should charge up with voltage from coil discharge. To discharge capacitor just hold with both hands & say arghh , that hurt as the voltage zaps you. Also if capacitor is faulty will cause weak spark output from coil .
I was a car mechanic many years ago. We would hold a capacitor with insulated pliers and pull of a spark plug lead while the engine was running and make a spark to the capacitor wire. We would then put it down on a wooden bench. Wait for a young appy to come along and ask him to pass it to me. WACK a nice little shock. Always brought a laugh to the shop.
What if the capacitor doesn't show any value, what are symptoms we have in car.
In this case, the capacitor is open circuit (non existent) and the car cannot start as the spark is too weak. If it starts, the high sparking of the contact points finally destroys them very quickly and the electrodes of the spark plugs alike...
I suspect it would actually work on the other settings but the scale is so compressed that you can't detect the needle movement.
What’s the extra red lead connected to?
Nothing. I had an extra black and an extra red jumpers handy in case I needed. They didn't get used.
Thanks Bob. Simple and to the point 👍