Bamford EG1 condenser location

Morning all - first question and, as a newby, it’s a newby one!

I have a Bmford EG1, recently bought and now running, after cleaning plug, points and carb. The carb leaks like billy-o and I’m guessing float height is the issue. I’ve cleaned all the jets through, taken all the feed apart, lapped the tap and sealed the threads with ptfe to resolve the other leaks and issues, but just this last leak to go.

The other issue is the condenser. The person I bought the engine from said he thought it needed a new condenser as it will stop running after a while, and he gave me a new condenser. I expected to find the condenser next to the points, but removing the points cover revealed... Points! And nothing else.

So, the newby question is this - where did Bamford hide the condenser on this engine? I don’t want to start taking parts off at random hoping to find it. Not yer, anyway.

Thanks all

Richard

If you can't see it under the points cover then I'm guessing you have the Lucas RS1 mag on that so it will be under the Bakelite cap.

Thank you Appletop - is there a way of telling the two mag's apart?

Also, is it safe to assume that the condenser will look like a standard condenser (as that was what I was given) or do they look different to the ones I used to change in cars when I first started driving in the 80's?

It it is a Wico A mag the WICO name will be embossed on the square cover secured with four screws over the coil. The Lucas RS1 has an oblong bakelite cover with two screws retaining it, the condenser will be under there. The original one was a cylindrical one, you can use the standard car type ones in place of them but you need to earth the tag on the body with a screw etc.

Pete.

Thanks Foden. It appears to be the Lucas type, but I can’t see the condenser. I think I need to go deeper in maybe.

If its a Lucas as appletop wrote the black bakelite top with the two screws holding it in place will need removing, you will find the condenser attached to the body of the magneto by one end, you will also find the top of the coil in the same space.

Maryalice

Thanks again - I’m off work today and have shiny new screwdrivers to replace the mildly disreputable ones I’ve been using for the last 30 years... I see a shed mission on the horizon!

Richard, As its the Centenary year of Bamford engine production, Stationary Engine magazine has, for the past four months including the current issue,  been publishing  a series of Bamford-orientated articles which as a "newbie" you would find interesting. Coupled with that and in relation to your earlier problems with the Solex F-type carburettor, the  November issue dealt in some depth with this type which is also problematical on certain Fowler models and which you would find extremely useful. The current issue deals in some depth with Part One of a feature by someone restoring two Bamford EG engines.
E

Hi Cranium, I did see a couple of those, but supply is a bit hit and miss in Smiths around here. I’ll get onto their back order team and fill in the blanks.

Every day, it appears, is a school day and today’s lesson is this - If you take a sneaky day off work, don’t tell the wife. If you do, you’ll end up spending the whole day shopping for Christmas presents in Oxford. Ask me how I know...

Maybe tomorrow is shed day!

I’ll try to attach a pic to this post, but I’m doing it from my phone so please bear with me.

I’ve popped the top off of the magneto and there’s a black cylinder next to the windings - my logical head tells me that it’s the condenser, but it doesn’t look how I expected it to - am I looking at the right thing?

Thanks for your help

That's it. That is an original one.

Ooh, that’s interesting. Is there any way of testing it - if like to keep it if I can

If you have a volt test meter with capacitor testing yes, but as its original its likely to be knackered and your magneto wont work properly if at all.

Maryalice

Well, it turns over and starts ok - I’ve just sparked it up in the garage about 5 minutes ago. Apparently it will cut out if it runs for a long time, so that sounds like a faulty condenser to me.

Because the condenser warms up and breaks down.

Maryalice

That's what I reckon - there's a break somewhere which is making contact when cold. As the condenser warms up, expansion forces the break apart and things get rapidly cooler (as the engine stops)

About 55 years ago, I had an A35 special. At one time it would run for about a mile, and then stop. After about 5 minutes it would run again, and then stop again.
After some time when the engine was running, I noticed oil emerging from the top of the h.t. coil; it seemed that the coil was over heating and breaking down. I'll never know if over-heating of the coil caused the oil leak, or, if the loss of oil caused the coil to over-heat.

Nothing to do with stationary engines; but at least the car was stationary a few times.

DickBrowne wrote:Well, it turns over and starts ok - I’ve just sparked it up in the garage about 5 minutes ago. Apparently it will cut out if it runs for a long time, so that sounds like a faulty condenser to me.

Sounds more like a faulty coil than a condensor.

Have you checked the coil with a multimeter? Set to the 20k Ohms range and measure between the HT outlet and any part of the mag that is earthed. You should get about 5000ohm resistance.

I’m reading slightly lower than that - around 3.8k, but it’s holding solid and the good news is that I get this at both the contact on the coil and on the end of the HT lead, so there’s no extra resistance in the lead or that contact itself.

Is that enough of a discrepancy to cause a problem?

It did fire up today, albeit with a little warming of the plug first. I am wondering if the plug I have is the right one, I shall take a note of the ref number tomorrow, but does anybody know what it should be?

Also, whilst I’m thinking about it, can somebody please enlighten me to the recommended spark plug and points gap?

Thank you for all your help

Richard

Re plugs, Miley_ Bob has a few Bamfords so he should know, he might pop up again soon if the wind is blowing in the right direction Re magneto, I always try the condenser first as its the cheaper option as a Magneto coil rewind wont be cheap.

Maryalice

DickBrowne wrote:I’m reading slightly lower than that - around 3.8k, but it’s holding solid and the good news is that I get this at both the contact on the coil and on the end of the HT lead, so there’s no extra resistance in the lead or that contact itself.

Thank you for all your help

Richard

Not seen a photo of your HT lead but don't use a bakelite/plastic plug cap with a built in resistance. Use a brass connector between the HT lead and spark plug.

And that’s what I have Blue Cat - the original brass connector with a knurled finger nut. The good news, as I say, is that there’s no extra resistance being introduced along the length of the HT lead - it’s showing 3.8k on the top of the spark plug and the same at the pip inside the magneto.

Does your current plug have a nice long reach into the head, my EV4 plug is possibly 1/2" long from memory getting the electrode closer to the fuel vapours, it been a while since I have had it out and cant remember the type, just a thought.

Chris

maryalice wrote:Re plugs, Miley_ Bob has a few Bamfords so he should know, he might pop up again soon if the wind is blowing in the right direction Re magneto, I always try the condenser first as its the cheaper option as a Magneto coil rewind wont be cheap.

Maryalice

I'm back.

The make/model of the plug shouldn't make a massive difference if you have a healthy magneto. Having said that if the plug is damaged it could be causing problems.

How far does the spark jump when the mag is spun over? it should be able to jump at least 5mm. If not something isn't great with the mag and chances are its the coil.

Having said that, looking at the picture posted above, the magneto bracket is painted. It he bit under the mag unpainted allowing it to create an earth to the engine?