Blown Condenser Loop content

[Canuck750]

I found out how to blow a condenser this weekend, five hour ride east to a vintage bike rally the Eldorado stumbled an hour from my destination just after filling up with gas. Now one would think bad fuel but that was not the case, fresh gas made no difference.
Many helpers at the rally site, one keen pair of eyes noted arcing across the distributor cap between coil and LH cylinder wires. I had replaced the high tension ends with crimp on style terminals, soldered the copper core wire to the tips. Another keen eye figured out the crimp ends were not seating fully into the cap. At the gas stop my boot probably tugged on the spark plug wire just enough to pull the end out of the distributor just enough to cause arcing.
Replacing the wire terminals with old style brass butterfly tips did not solve the terrible running, backfiring, little power, not running past a couple thousand rpm. Fitted a new spare cap, rotor, nothing. Fitted a new condenser and the bike ran great.
The arcing was slowly destroying the condenser.
Lesson of the weekend… make sure the high tension wires are fully seated in the distributor cap and the rubber boots are solid and seated.

[Cam3512]

Been there.  Years ago riding back from the VA rally the Eldo was running like crap, especially at lower RPM’s.  Stopped several times to check/change the plugs.  Finally got home and realized that the wires were not fully seated in the cap. There had been arcing that created a lot of carbon buildup. I check them regularly now!

[lucian]

Probably ought to throw a new set of points at it as they will be pitted if run without a condenser for any period of time. Glad you got it resolved while on the road. 

[Canuck750]

Probably ought to throw a new set of points at it as they will be pitted if run without a condenser for any period of time. Glad you got it resolved while on the road. 

Yes good point!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

An idea for an upgraded condenser from "el burro" on the Guzziriders (UK) group:

[moto-uno]

  I put a very similar set of solid state capacitors on mine a few years ago , ran fine for
  a few hundred kilometers and then started failing , had some old used condensers in
  my tail bag , installed them and rode home . Maybe just bad luck , don't know , but
  they're cheap and would be fine for test purposes or shorter rides , YMMV , Peter

[moto-uno]

Here's what I'd used , as per earlier post , Peter

[Kiwi_Roy]

  I put a very similar set of solid state capacitors on mine a few years ago , ran fine for
  a few hundred kilometers and then started failing , had some old used condensers in
  my tail bag , installed them and rode home . Maybe just bad luck , don't know , but
  they're cheap and would be fine for test purposes or shorter rides , YMMV , Peter

Yes, don't think you are doing an upgrade by replacing the condensers, better to use an old one, I think i'm still running the original factory one in my Eldorado. I tried a new on but it let me down on the first ride.