condensor woes

[NepentheSea]

I bought a 109 6cyl thats been sitting in storage for a while, and Im getting it back on the road. It runs great until it warms up, then it sputters and dies. It did this a few times until it wouldnt crank at all and gave me no spark. I replaced the coil, and nothing. Then I replaced the condenser, and it started right up. Ran great until warm. Only to do it all over again. Now no spark. Seems like the condenser went out again.

recently replaced-
all the fuel line and the inline filter
plugs
coil & condenser
Ive checked out the distributor ground wire and its good

Main questions are-
-Why is this thing eating condensers?
-Any ideas on where to go next?
-Should the lower body (below the cap) of the distributor be too hot to leave your hand on?

Maybe I got a bad condenser..Im waiting on a few new ones in the mail so I'll try it out again this week..

PS
Ive really been enjoying the forum. Ive already spent hours reading old threads- this has been the best source of series info that Ive found yet, THANKS!
-Will

[superstator]

Wild guess, have you checked the voltage regulator? As the battery recharges after starting, it could mask a bad regulator for while, then an overvoltage fries the condensor.

[NepentheSea]

heh, any idea on how I could check the regulator?
thanks for mentioning it- I havent thought of that

[superstator]

Put a voltmeter on the battery. Should be 12.6v before you start, then climb after starting to around 14v. If it goes much beyond 14-14.5v, your regulator isn't regulating anymore...

[NepentheSea]

thanks! i should have some new condensers in today or tomorrow- ill check out the regulator as soon as im sparking again

[NepentheSea]

forgot to post my results- just incase anyone happens across the thread with the same prob-
the problem was the ground wire in the distributor. i had cut a new wire and crimped it in, but the new wire somehow had a short in it that would break the circut when it heated up. i replaced that wire and checked all the connections with the meter, and it fired right up. also, my first condenser was bad too. right now im using a condenser from a chev. 350 wired in outside the 25d distributor. it works fine, but ive got some originals ordered to clean things up and get rid of the one hanging on the outside. i really appreciate all the help, thanks guys!

[Nium]

I've always had a 25D dizzy and just about every problem I've ever had was related to the low tension lead being broken. One time the 3 rd cylinder exhaust valve got burned so that issue wasn't with the low tension lead. A good idea is to always carry a spare. That damn wire loves to break.

I just found a copy of an idea for "Bullet Proof Points" that I had printed off some-one's website from this forum, years ago. Basically you eliminate the little 2" piece of wire on the inside of the dizzy. Remove the metal bits from the plastic block that the coil "-" connects to and drill a hole thru the center of that block. Run the wire from the "-" side of the coil thru the hole you drilled and connect directly to the points. I haven't tried it yet. Wish I could remember who the heck's website it was.

I would have suggested that the issue was with the low tension lead but you had written...


Ive checked out the distributor ground wire and its good

So I figured you knew about the low tension lead issue.

Cheers!

[NepentheSea]

Yeah well when I checked it, it tested good! And I had even replaced the low tension lead- I was surprised to find out that the wire I was using to replace it with already had a break in it! Also, I was testing a cold distributor. I didnt find the problem until I started testing for continuity while jiggling bits around. The problem had gotten to where it would only act up when it was warm. I thought it was a bad condenser again because when I replaced the condenser again, it started right up. But that was only because I had moved the low tension lead enough to get a connection.
Oh well. No problems now, and now I know all about ignition.

Id be intereted in that "Bullet Proof Points" article- give it a post here on the forums if you get a chance.

[Nium]

Alright, I did my best to make this article as forum friendly as I could figure out how to make it with my limited document converting knowledge. I hope it is legible and well hopefully useful too. To the original author I really did try and figure out who you were but I copied this in 2002 and I can't for the life of me remember who you were. So that said, my apologies for not being able to remember who to give credit to.

The article is an attached pdf file scroll to the bottom to open and read it.

These were the pictures in the article...

Original plastic parts that come with points
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/3918817436_25b6014efd.jpg

Teflon parts to replace plastic parts
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2534/3918817406_98f40aa93b_m.jpg

Low tension lead removed and points wired directly to coil
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/3918817388_8f1cf3ffb5_m.jpg

Cheers!

[NepentheSea]

Thanks!! This is some good reading, I cant wait to try it out.