Question: If I dented Condensor housing... is it bad? What's insi Options

[x98boardwell]

While I was putting the new condensor in my distributor I realized the green wire was just shorter than the stock unit I was taking out. I had to bend the flange on the condensor so that it would sit better on the distributor. When I did this I accidentally pushed in the metal a little bit on the condensor.

Will this ruin the condensor? Is anythign spinning inside? It may have been dented in 1mm or so at the most. I can take a picture if needed.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Bryan

[Gint]

An auto ignition condenser is essentially a capacitor. If it's dented it could change the properties of the capacitor. Depends on where the physical components (the plates more likely) of the cap are in relation to the case of the condenser. I kind of doubt though that what you've described is going to effect it enough to worry about. I'd use it anyway. If it works it works. If it doesn't, replace it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor

[Dr. Roger]

Cars can run with a damaged (partially grounding) condenser. If you hook up your car to a scope you will quickly see if it's working at 100% or not. When viewing the scope you see the voltage "spike" (spark plug firing), immediately after that is the quickly tapering "squiggles" which are the "back voltage" or CEMF (counter electromotive force) induced by the high voltage (secondary) field inducing voltage back to the primary, this would continue longer, save for the condenser.
It is the condenser which is lowering/absorbing the CEMF to the point of zero voltage before the points open and fire the next spark plug. If there is still high voltage at the time the points close, a higher voltage will be seen at the points and they will wear prematurely. The job of the condenser is to absorb and dissipate the CEMF to give longer life to the points. If a condenser begins to fail your points system will degrade much more quickly.
Condensers only work when grounded, BTW.
While a condenser does absorb CEMF, it purpose is not to store voltage per se, more to dissipate CEMF via grounding. Note any schematic.

When in doubt, bite the bullet. Good luck.

[x98boardwell]

I took pictures. Any thoughts?

Also, when I changed the condensor the green wire which sticks inside the distributor so the electrical wire can attach from the points had a "square" plastic black piece rather than my oem "round" black plastic piece. I had to shave the side down to fit into the hole. Is this normal? Are the original ones not made anymore? And lastly, the green wire was almost too short from that plastic clip to the condensor. It is tight around the distributor where the condensor needs to mount. It was 1/2" shorter than the stock wire.

Thanks for all the help,
Bryan

[Katmanken]

Buy a new one.... the capacitor depends on air as an insulator and you now have the metal plates pinched together without the airgap. My distributors have the square notch for the wire to slip into.

[zonedoubt]

Depends on where the physical components (the plates more likely) of the cap are in relation to the case of the condenser.

The "can" style of capacitors are usually a rolled up metal foil/dielectric sandwich. I don't think a dent is going to affect the operation. They're in a metal can so they can take some abuse.

But a replacement is cheap piece of mind.

[jmill]

But a replacement is cheap piece of mind.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I hate setting points. Why burn up a set prematurely.