Extra condenser on the coil?

[Micmaynard]

Ok, folks, I have a question.
Last week my Fury just died at an intersection. no spark.
It had been getting harder and harder to start over the previous few weeks, would have to crank for 10 seconds or more and when it did start I had to hold the throttle and keep the idle up for a minute or so before it would stay running. once it was running it seemed to be fine.
Fuel is good, and will turn over strong. tried starter fluid and got absolutely nothing.
Pulled the coil wire, set it against the block, and cranked it. no spark.
I go to pull the coil off to test it and there is this extra condenser beside the coil that I don't find in any diagram, and mine is attached to what is clearly a poorly sawed-off part of some other bracket and held on by a tech screw. definitely not factory.
So, what is this extra condenser?

 

[Todd Peterson]

If I am not mistaken (and I just might be! LOL) I believe it is used for radio ignition noise suppression, I don't think it has any other purpose to the ignition system.

 

[3C's & a D?]

As mentioned, it's for the radio. It serves no other purpose. Looks like there's some corrosion on those nuts, I'd clean them up and check other connections and battery terminals, bulkhead connector...

 

[Micmaynard]

That makes complete sense now that you mention it because it had a complete botch job of an aftermarket radio put in... Which I ripped out the week I got the car and put the stock AM back in the dash.
Thank you!

 

[3C's & a D?]

That makes complete sense now that you mention it because it had a complete botch job of an aftermarket radio put in... Which I ripped out the week I got the car and put the stock AM back in the dash.
Thank you!

If you're actually listening to your stock AM radio, you'll want to keep that in place. If you can hear a whine through the speaker that increases with engine revolutions, it should be replaced.

 

[3C's & a D?]

 

[CBODY67]

In the middle 1980s or so, there was an initiative to get AM-Stereo radio on the air. GM had factory AM Stereo/FM Stereo/CD/Cassette Tape radios as options. On the few AM-Stereo stations, it sounded quite good. Probably better than FM Stereo. But after about two model years, it was history. Something about there being two standards. Vertical polarization of the signal (which needed a normal mast antenna) and horizontal polarization of the signal, which needed a horizontal antenna. Nobody agreed which was better, so it all died.

Neat movie clip.

CBODY67

 

[Micmaynard]

If you're actually listening to your stock AM radio, you'll want to keep that in place. If you can hear a whine through the speaker that increases with engine revolutions, it should be replaced.

I'm not using the stock AM, it's just there for looks. I'm installing a hidden amp with Bluetooth and replacing the speakers with dual coil units for stereo.
The AM radio just looks a lot better in the dash.

 

[my1966chrysler]

Ok, folks, I have a question.
Last week my Fury just died at an intersection. no spark.
It had been getting harder and harder to start over the previous few weeks, would have to crank for 10 seconds or more and when it did start I had to hold the throttle and keep the idle up for a minute or so before it would stay running. once it was running it seemed to be fine.
Fuel is good, and will turn over strong. tried starter fluid and got absolutely nothing.
Pulled the coil wire, set it against the block, and cranked it. no spark.
I go to pull the coil off to test it and there is this extra condenser beside the coil that I don't find in any diagram, and mine is attached to what is clearly a poorly sawed-off part of some other bracket and held on by a tech screw. definitely not factory.
So, what is this extra condenser?
View attachment 622453

that radio suppressor condenser goes to the positive side of the coil

 

[lemondana]

Put a new condenser in the distributor, I had one fail in my 71 Polara this summer that left me stranded.

 

[Rustyrodknocker]

Put a new condenser in the distributor, I had one fail in my 71 Polara this summer that left me stranded.

A guy from the Ukraine told me 25 years ago that if your condenser goes bad you can wire in a tree frog to get you home. But they don't last real long so grab a couple if you can..

 

[Micmaynard]

A guy from the Ukraine told me 25 years ago that if your condenser goes bad you can wire in a tree frog to get you home. But they don't last real long so grab a couple if you can..

Ugh, looks like I'm S.O.L. All the tree frogs in Massachusetts have flown south for the winter. ;)

 

[my1966chrysler]

its for the radio and goes on the positive side of the coil

 

[MoPar~Man]

Looking at the photo in the first post, it looks like a small block. When did they start mounting the coil vertical instead of horizontal? And the vacuum line coming off the manifold using a reducer fitting, isin't that supposed to go to the brake booster? Where's it going on that car?

 

[Micmaynard]

Looking at the photo in the first post, it looks like a small block. When did they start mounting the coil vertical instead of horizontal? And the vacuum line coming off the manifold using a reducer fitting, isin't that supposed to go to the brake booster? Where's it going on that car?

the coil isn't attached, i took the clamp off and stood it up so I could see it better