Tow truck ride last weekend, Beware the fake parts! Options

[mark04usa]

Had a breakdown on the highway last weekend. Engine lost power..popping and sputtering and revving barely past 2k. Was able to take an exit and pull into a parking lot, where I tried to sort out the problem with no luck. So, it was a wrecker ride back home.

I had just done a maintenance tune on my stock '70 1.7 with D-Jet. Started with ignition troubleshooting (always check ignition first) and found that the condenser had failed. Replaced it with the old one I had kept as a spare, and now back on the road.

The failed condenser came in a Bosch box, and was stamped "Made in Germany", but had no Bosch part number and was yellow cad plated...which I hadn't seen on Bosch condenser before. Chinese counterfeit?

[Mikey914]

2 possibilities

1- It's a counterfeit - May be a matter of how you bought it. In that case Ebay and Amazon may not be your friend.

2- The scarier option is that it's not counterfeit. The internals are sourced from a country that produces a cheap product and they are assembled in Germany, so it can be stamped made in Germany. Then it's a matter of the company standing behind the product.

Where did you buy it? Can it be returned to the manufacturer? They should be able to determine if it's a fake, and I think they would want to know either way.

[roblav1]

Bsck in the 70's and 80's, we all kept spare points and condensers in the glove box, along with basic tools in the trunk. A small file for the points was always included too. But bummer on the tow.

['73-914kid]

A lot of Formula Fords including myself used bosch distributors up until a few years ago because of the convenience of parts (same cap, rotor, points and condensor as aircooled VWs) and a Bosch blue coil (the most basic setup ever).

The quality of condensers on the market, particularly Bosch made in Turkey has tanked in the last few years. Some of them last the warmup of the engine; Others make it half a session. Engine builders like Ivey hoard the old school made in Germany condensers and sell them to people that insist on using Bosch distributors. All of the points on the market are trash as well.. the contacts dont line up very well.

The lack of quality has become such an issue that we have started scrounging up ancient Autolite distributors to replace the Bosch distributors due to an availability of good points and condensors from Napa Echlin and Accel.

I'm not sure if the advent of electronic points replacements have driven the need for quality points and condensors away, but it definitely has become a major problem.

[nickg]

2 possibilities

1- It's a counterfeit - May be a matter of how you bought it. In that case Ebay and Amazon may not be your friend.

2- The scarier option is that it's not counterfeit. The internals are sourced from a country that produces a cheap product and they are assembled in Germany, so it can be stamped made in Germany. Then it's a matter of the company standing behind the product.

Where did you buy it? Can it be returned to the manufacturer? They should be able to determine if it's a fake, and I think they would want to know either way.

that is older bosch stock..and it sucked. they blew out all their old ignition and pre 90's FI a few years ago...look for OLD boxes at old air cooled VW shops and be willing to pay what they ask...and stock up on caps and rotors...they are gone and what is out there is it
its even out of bosch cataloging

[mark04usa]

I had the condenser in my parts stock for several years, probably an eBay purchase. It was in the later style grey Bosch box. Will have to do some searching to replenish my supply of tune up parts...maybe try to find some in the old yellow boxes.

I do carry spares, but was glad to get the car back home by using my towing ins. to cover the cost, and didn't want to pull distributer and reinstall on the side of the road without a timing light to reset. Also, it was a hot and humid day. So much easier at home with better tools and a fan to cool my shop. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[porschetub]

I had the condenser in my parts stock for several years, probably an eBay purchase. It was in the later style grey Bosch box. Will have to do some searching to replenish my supply of tune up parts...maybe try to find some in the old yellow boxes.

I do carry spares, but was glad to get the car back home by using my towing ins. to cover the cost, and didn't want to pull distributer and reinstall on the side of the road without a timing light to reset. Also, it was a hot and humid day. So much easier at home with better tools and a fan to cool my shop. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Most don't run points any more,never had an issue with electronic stuff but some have due to IMO to wrong wiring or wrong coil....I never have but did wire a hotspark module wrong a while back and within seconds toast ,a bad move on my part...we all make mistakes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) .
Pertronix Ignitor II have proven its self for many on here....never had an issue with my unit in my Marelli on my six ,just works,early Ignitor 1 units had issues but not that I had,ease of starting is the best and and they work with a worn out dizzy.

[914Sixer]

It's a mine field out there. I try to only use NOS stuff. The down side is it can be more expensive and hard to find.

[Mikey914]

Well, may be looking into what it would take to make a few new parts soon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)