[ihc] RE: Pointedly condensed

["Jim Grammer" <jgrammer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 15:47:08 -0700
>From: Tom Harais <THarais@domain.elided>
>Subject: RE: [ihc] ignition coil condenser

>Uh guys:

>I'm no electronics expert, but I've always understood the capacitor inside
>of the distributor's function to be that of a "choke" or "shock absorber"
>which prevents the points from arcing when they first get close together as
>the distributor cam allows and then again when they break contact as the
cam
>continues to rotate.  That was why you no longer saw them on electronic
>ignitions.

Tom -

As an excercise I challenge you to find a running points ignition vehicle
and disconnect the condensor ;)

Here's chapter and verse in the most concise form I've ever seen, courtesy
or our own Professor Ericson:

http://www.binderbulletin.org/photopost/data/500/23SPARK1.jpg

Jim