[TowerTalk] noise

Tue, 26 Aug 1997 10:12:52 -0400

Hi Dick,

re ignition noise and finding shielded distributor caps etc....

My best guess is to look in a J.C. Whitney  automotive parts catalog.
Perhaps they even have a web site. I haven't looked in one of those
automotive catalogs since I was a kid foolin' with hot rods. Any big
newsstand or Barns and Noble Bookstores should have them. 

I would also imagine that in a real pinch you could fashion something
out of aluminum foil.... say the real heavy duty stuff used for
baking.... and double or triple layer it.  

If you can put your hand on the distributor cap or any of the ignition
wiring and get a nice HV jolt.... you probably have an insulation
breakdown problem.  Since the spark is arcing where it shouldn't- THAT
is what's causing the majority of your ignition noise! Ignition noise
from high voltage arcing is typically heard on your radio's receiver to
change in frequency as you vary the engine speed.

Another trick we use to locate the source of the sparking - is to park
the car in the garage at night and run the engine - with the garage
doors open - of course - and all the lights off. When your eyes have
become dark adapted... lean into the engine compartment and look for
the blue sparks of ignition arcing and listen for the characteristic
loud snapping sound... which to the trained ear is different than the
sound of noisy valve lifters.  

It's also a good idea when doing this to not wear loose clothing like
ties and bolo's.  You wouldn't want to get wrapped up in an engine belt
in the dark... would you?  (THIS... is a wonderful seed of an idea for
one of K4IBP, Jack Goforth's humorous stories. I'd do one myself....
but I promised I wouldn't!)

Hope some of this has been of help.

Roger, K2JAS.... "Jealous About Sparking"

內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻內躬偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻齯滌`偕爻,虜,齯滌`偕爻內躬偕爻

At 04:21 AM 8/26/97 +0000, you wrote:
>>If you have noisy ignition cabling.... there are shielded ignition
>>wiring kits.  If you have a noisy distributor cap.... there are
>>shielded caps you can buy.
>
>Shielded distributor caps?!  Ooooh, I would love to find one of those!
>Where would I look?
>
>73, Dick
>
>--
>Dick Flanagan W6OLD CFII Minden, Nevada
>Visit http://www.delphi.com/electronic/

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