Willie Wurke

The condenser's function is grossly misunderstood as proven by the many posts here. Condensers are not 6 or 12 volt parts. They are rated by their capacity in microfarads and working voltage . The working voltage is a measure of the insulation inside the condenser. Most of them are rated at about 250 working volts. Here is what they do: The ignition coil has 2 windings ,a primary and a secondary. When the points close DC battery voltage flows through the primary winding. This creates a magnetic field across BOTH` windings When the points open the magnetic field collapses on both windings which causes a high voltage being created in the secondary that is routed to the spark plug. ( It might surprise you to know that the spark has negative polarity, and all spark plugs are positive ground regardless of which battery terminal is grounded,) While all this was happening the primary got charged up also but he made AC current which has to be cleaned out before he can take the next charge of DC. This is where the condenser comes into action. IT PASSES THAT AC CURRENT TO GROUND (THAT'S ALL !!) A LITTLE ASIDE: If the condenser shorts the car wont hit a lick! If it goes open the car will fire 1 time each time you crank it. (Just enough to make you keep cranking!!) AND NOW I WANT TO THANK MR.GRUMPY for starting this thread I've had a ball reading all the replies plus the ones sent to me I am looking forward to what I just stirred up! I don't have an official AACA fun meter--If I did it would stay on "MAX"

My dad had one in his service station. It was used to pump the condensate out of the underground gasoline tanks. He had a green cream he wiped onto the stick he used to measure the contents. Water would turn the green to purple. The pickup line was 3" off the bottom so we pumped at 2 inches of "purple" ( THE GOOD OLE DAYS OF 28 CENTS/GAL)

Bernie: They can write. They did it years ago; before AACA existed! Go to your local library if you are old like me. If young use the internet, electricity is fascinating!!

Here is the way I did mine My thoughts for today: All we need to learn is in print somewhere. if One learns to read there is no limit to his abilities. I wonder why no one on this thread knows the purpose of the condenser I am entertained by some ideas expressed here on cures for electrical problems.

The length of the condenser lead affects its capacitance rating and results in pitted points. ( pic looks like a 1929 L Lincoln!)

Everyone who answered this post is misinformed DC will not pass through a condenser; only AC will I'll let a graduate EE explain ( hope we have one!) It gets very exciting

Just call it "wreckedem"

NO MANUFACTURER EVER PUT A SYNCHRONIZER ON REVERSE. the only company to put a synchronized low in a 3 speed transmission was Ford in the early 60's' It's useless unless your driving requires you to use low as a "driving" gear where you shift from 2 nd to !st on the fly. I would think you would want second and high synchronized. Ford didn't do that until 1935. I suggest you fill the transmission to the proper level with 140 w. gear oil.

I think you might have come to the wrong place. We are basically a historical preservation group. We strive for originalty. Therefore if I were to put either of those transmissions in a 59 Edsel Villager I would simply drop the tailgate and place in on the floor behind the rear seat. If I were to replace the transmission in the Edsel I would get an original Borg-Warner. If replace is your goal I think you will have more success at a site which features modified vehicles.

Use Dot 3 The silicone fluid has no lubrication qualities for the rubber cups in the cylinders. In response to Spinneyhill I don't think I am misinformed about this. I got my information from the Rolls-Royce engineering division in England several years ago. I have Dot 3 in my Rolls. fronts only. The rears are mechanical with a booster! I tried silicone fluid in my Mk II Continental and was not satisfied. After sitting about a week I had to stomp on the brake pedal. Once I broke it loose it was OK for the trip. It had a Treadle-Vac booster which doesn't have a piston with rubber cups as normal. It uses a steel rod(plunger) with a leather seal.

MATT: Here is some good advice(even if it is free) from an old pro Hydra Matic repairman. Hope it's not too late. There is a 1/8 " pipe plug on the top of the left side right behind the front band adjusting screw. Connect a pressure gauge here and run engine at about 1500 RPM. The gauge should show 75 PSI pressure. If it is low remove the big hex shaped plug in front of the adjusting screw. This is the pressure regulating valve. Clean it and your problem is cured (we hope)` P.S. 5 of my 74 years was in a Cadillac/Olds dealership shop Let us know the what the cure was.

An automotive water heater is another thermo siphon device. Hot water naturally goes up so put it in at the lower connection ,always.

If you have a Borg-Warner overdrive the first thing to do is check the electrical circuits. It could be a bad connection on the governor lead (if you are lucky!) SUGGESTION: Next time give us the make, model, and year and original or add on unit. We are then hopefully a little smarter !

Mr. Chef: I was always told to go to older people for advice. Here is some from an "old" old man! Reserve all your loyalty for your wife.------ Play the field with cars. Forget about brand names. Four wheels and a piston engine are always fun! In the last 71 years I have owned the following: 2 Crosleys (outran a state cop once with one!) Now have; 1 LaSalle 2 Nashes (LeMans engine--outran everything) 1 Minerva 4 Chevrolets 1 Rolls Royce 3 Fords 1 Chevrolet 2 Buicks 1 Buick 1 LaSalle 2 Lincolns 1 Rolls-Royce 3 Lincolns 1 Pontiac 1 Minerva Proof that variety is the spice of life!! I have heard that he who dies with the most toys wins! Wins what???? A Grand National Senior at Williamsport in June hopefully!

Snyders Antique Auto Parts ---Toll free 888-262-5712 part # A-6602 @$49.95 w. hook up kit Gauge reads 0 to 15 # Fits 2 1/16 hole

5219 (that sounds like a 1940 LaSalle body style) 4 dr sed? I've owned a 1931 LaSalle 345 Opera Coupe 65 years. It has never wanted to learn anything (must know it all). Here it is: Remove door handle (assume you know how) Clamp end of square shaft in vise Use Crescent wrench near handle to twist shaft slightly as needed.

I suggest testing for a restricted exhaust system before any other tests. It's simple, quick, and easy. All you need is a vacuum gauge. That is the only thing that could rob you of that much power while in storage. I had a Lincoln customer once with the same complaint. He fed his dogs in the garage. Chipmonks had filled his muffler with dog food pellets during the winter. NOTE: That is a very pretty car but those sagging door handles need corrected. It's a fast and easy cost free procedure. as ever, Willie

Broker-len; Just trying to help you answer John S My 1933 book shows; 1932 Cadillac 16 cyl roadster new $4595 now $1895 1932 Lincoln 12 cyl Brunn Conv. new $7200 now $1735 1932 Packard 12 cyl roadster new $4250 now$1585 1932 Pierce Arrow 12 cyl roadster new $3900 now $1480 Those big old 7 passenger cars were favorites of plumbers and carpenters; may be called forerunners of the panel trucks. For the Model T fans; the book lists the value of a 1927 @ $4 and a 1926 @salvage! Wonder what salvage was? Maybe some coins? 'NUFF SAID ?

I had this same problem with my 1984 Riviera last year (66000 miles) . The camshaft sprocket has nylon teeth which disintegrate and cause the pistons to hit the exhaust valves and make some strange sounds like ringing knocks, etc. These teeth then clog the oil pump pickup screen and restrict the oil flow to the crankshaft resulting in burned out rod bearings. Then the rods knock! I had the engine remanufactured with a 100,000 mile warranty on it :that is more than it had when new ! Drives like a dream !

At $7450 this is the car you have been looking for! No repairs needed. Just drive and enjoy. This car was originally sold in California and somehow ended up in Florida. It has the owners manual and all the other info brochures that came with it. I bought it from an elderly gentleman who had only driven it 4000 miles in the last 3 years. It now has 66000 miles. He let his son, who I would guess to be 55-60 years old, use it to go to N.Y. It developed an overheating problem on the trip so he had a new radiator installed when he got back to Florida. He had to return to N.Y. and the overheating problem returned in West Virginia plus, some rods started knocking. He then got a rental and I bought the Buick. This all the history I have on it. It is now in West Virginia The overheating problem was caused by the camshaft shedding some of its nylon teeth which resulted in the valve timing and the ignition timing being very much late. The gear teeth then fell into the engine oil pan and clogged the oil pump intake screen which starved the rod bearings of lubrication, thus the knocking rods. I removed the engine and sent it to Jasper Engines in Jasper, IN for their remanufacture service. This is more than a rebuild. Every part is tested and fit to factory specs and any factory updates are performed. It came back looking like new and now has their 100,000 mile nationwide parts and labor warranty. I installed a new AC compressor and drier when I put it back in. The sheetmetal is perfect: not as much as a parking lot "door dimple", the bumpers are like new and all the stainless trim is perfect, even the wheel opening mouldings! The vinyl half top was removed and the car was repainted in original color. The interior and trunk compartment show no wear at all. Ash trays and lighters have never been used. The tires look new. It drives and feels like a new car. Very quiet ,nice riding, handles perfectly, steering and brakes track straight. AFTER ALL THE ABOVE: I think it's time to qualify myself. I started working in my dad's service station/garage at age 13. It was 1943 and all his help but one had been drafted to fight in the war. Seven years later I became a line mechanic in a new car dealership for 8 years . My next job was as a Lincoln-Mercury service manager for 9 years. in 1967 I opened my own independent garage . I thought I retired in 1996. My garage is now a hobby shop(cars naturally). Next job is a 1942 Jeep. After 73 years I still enjoy working. I have enough to keep me occupied; in 1951 I got a 1931 LaSalle opera Cpe.(AACA Senior) That was the start of my collection 1953 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn(2nd Jr.) I like true classics! 1929 Lincoln Locke Club Roadster(1st Jr.) 1979 Lincoln Cont. Town Car Collectors Series (Gr. Nat. 1st.) 1929 Minerva (Belgian)Town Car By; Hibbard & Darrin (AACA Senior) Pebble Beach winner in 1998

In my interest in the safety of you, your family, and every one you will meet while driving your 1953 Pontiac, I feel it a duty to give you my 2c worth. Brakes and steering are the 2 most important systems on an automobile. They are the only ones that can kill. Since we are dedicated to originality I suggest you have the original braking system restored by a professional. It will do a good job for you. You cannot afford any trial and error work here! I'll try to explain. The system on your car uses wheel cylinders with rubber cups that seal in one direction only. When driving the brake fluid becomes heated and expands slightly. After parking the fluid cools and contracts which pulls air past the wheel cylinder cups and results in a soft pedal. To prevent this accumulation of air, the master cylinder contains a residual check valve which retains about 10 pounds pressure on the system . In a disc brake caliper the pad does not have a retracting spring like the drum brake; Therefore ANY pressure in the front will apply the brake pads. I hope this explains why you have to use a dual master cylinder and proportioning valves. The only way I would convert would be if a reputable company had a conversion kit available which included every piece in the system and was designed by professional engineers for your specific car. Naturally it would be warranted. Back in the 40s and 50s I had customers come in regularly for a brake bleed, they couldn't afford a m/cyl overhaul. as ever, Willie