My '64 truck has long caused a pretty good/loud static-whine over CB and radio, due to the ignition or generator charging system. It's definitely RPM dependent so maybe the coil? It probably wipes out reception in other cars, too.

Anyway the manual shows capacitors (condensers) installed at the voltage regulator, coil, generator, etc, to keep this RF hash down. Like to try this. Now, they *look* similar to the ignition condenser, but my assumption would be they may be a lot different electrically. I don't care about authenticity so much as killing the noise.

Now, there are modern generic replacements available, but they are $40, $50, or $60 a pop. What I need is a Ford part #, but even better would be the specification e.g. the MFD or "uF" rating, the capacitance, and the voltage rating. Or a workaround.

Have a few ignition condensers laying around - if the voltage rating is good enough no problem using those, at least the Echlins and other old school cans. The capacitance rating is probably too small, but they may help.

The caps regardless would need to be high quality - a short to ground would be Not Good (TM) depending on location, but there's no particular reason they need to cost $50 either unless the correct appearance is important. Even then..

Here's a pic from the manual of where and when installed:

 

Look at basic part numbers 18827 & 18832 .. Notice there's no listing for 1964 for either.

 

Thanks ND!

Well, what does that mean? Clearly, the 1964 shop manual shows them.

For that matter were these RFI capacitors/condensers normally part of the OEM equipment or, an "add on" or dealer installed item if the customer complained? Probably only if a radio was purchased? Hm.

 

OK, amazing what good stuff the correct part # will dig up. It's like magic!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...adio-help.html

As usual, the price is totally stupid. 70 bucks? The caps are about 0.5 MFD as suspected and only around 20 volts. I have some film caps that will work electrically and cost under a buck. We'll try those and see how they work. Thanks again.

 

Just making sure I read this correctly..

So just they way the charging system is designed on there's trucks cause cause issues with radio connection?? I don't have a radio in my truck, but just driving by someone on the street can affect their radio?

 

Absolutely. Waaaay back when, spark plug wires were ... wires... solid wire. Plugs were too. Plugs and plug wires today have a certain resistance built into them, carbon core in the case of the wires and ceramic or somesuch in the plugs. This keeps the noise generated way down.

The voltage regulators - prior to the solid state kind - have mechanical relay contact points that arc and spark a hundred times a second or whatever. That's how they regulate current and voltage, by (mechanically) rapidly switching on and off. All this sparking and arcing will cause a LOT of noise in any radio, particularly AM, and yes in nearby cars too. In the days of analog over-the-air Television, it would wreck their TV signal too, as you drove by someone's house.

The coil too, is high frequency output. In fact, the very earliest "Radios" were called spark-gaps. They are completely and totally illegal today, because they are not confined to any single frequency particularly lol. You can "talk" (morse code) all over the world with one though. Marconi invented them I guess. Every now and then they'll fire one up.

I'm pretty sure you could make one with stuff laying around in the garage, maybe a very long wire antenna, a 12 volt battery, generator, and ignition coil. Don't try this at home kids.

 

Tedster, aware of and remember all you have said on early days. Two questions did/does your truck have a factory radio? Wondering if you disconnected the fan belt to eliminate charging system and ran engine to see if the interference was the same or lessened to some degree?

 

Nope, no radio. It was a county conservation truck originally. In those days, government tended to be more frugal. Someone installed a Kraco DeLuxe CB though.

It would be good to narrow it down. Judging from the buzzy whine that follows RPM my money is on the generator brushes? Not sure though.

Another easy test might be to take a small, portable transistor battery powered radio and see if the source of the RFI could be sniffed out that way. It should get louder as the radio gets nearer the voltage regulator, if that's the problem child.