Ignition Coil

C

Chouette

Member
Tadpole
Tadpole
Joined
Sep 6, 2023
Messages
25
Location
Chicago, IL
Good evening,
I’ve been having a time of it locating the correct ignition coil for my 403 Peugeot. That along with the corresponding condenser. I have a mate in France you sent me an NGK. After running a bit, the condenser fails. When shopping online, whenever I put in ignition coil for 403 Peugeot, quite a few pop up. When asked the year of my Peugeot after putting in 1959, I get the, this will not fit your vehicle reply. Any of you happen to know what’s up with the early models and answer to the 1959 coil/condenser conundrum.
Thanks ahead,
Tommy
 
Surely if 12V, any coil with a primary resistance greater than 3 ohms would suffice?
 
Thanks,
Seems to me also. Perhaps the condenser not being the correct mate. I’ve been using the DU-116 condenser.
 
Chouette said:
Thanks,
Seems to me also. Perhaps the condenser not being the correct mate. I’ve been using the DU-116 condenser.
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I’m waiting to hear back on the model # of the NKG coil my friend sent from France. There was no marking denoting # on box or coil. I’m thinking now that it might be the condenser not being the correct one for the coil.
 
The capacitor can be anything you like, you can even go to Jaycar to get it as long as it is anywhere between .02 to .2uF (20 to 200nF) and rated at or above 630V.

I would definitely not buy an old one even if unused. They dry out and become resistors. Crappy new ones are probably just as bad. Get a new one from any decent manufacturer with some QC and you'll be fine.
 
Looking at an old 403 repair manual 1967-1960 different coils (courbe in the manual) were used depending on the Ducellier distributor. I'm sorry about the terrible copy.
 

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I went on De Franzose and this is what they list.
Seems a lot of French cars use the same.
I bought a Fuelmiser C80 coil off EBay for my DS, it's just a standard 12V non resistor coil, that was 15 months ago, does the job. Regardless of what it had originally if you buy a matching coil and condenser it should be fine.
I assume it doesn't have a resistor wire to the coil? Just check it has 12V or so at the + terminal of the coil with the key on.

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schlitzaugen said:
The capacitor can be anything you like, you can even go to Jaycar to get it as long as it is anywhere between .02 to .2uF (20 to 200nF) and rated at or above 630V.

I would definitely not buy an old one even if unused. They dry out and become resistors. Crappy new ones are probably just as bad. Get a new one from any decent manufacturer with some QC and you'll be fine.
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Thanks for reply. The cool thing is that I’ve finally been able to pinpoint the condenser as the problem. I’m with you on the NOS. They haven’t been lasting but for maybe a short drive. I’ve been reading about the new capacitors, quality control, crappy, etc…
I recently purchased a distributor from a gent in England. He may have the correct coil. I’m in the hunt. Again, pinpointing the condenser was huge! The coil has been throwing me. Locating the correct coil to pair with condenser and points. I’ll follow your lead on condenser. Thanks again
 
seasink said:
Looking at an old 403 repair manual 1967-1960 different coils (courbe in the manual) were used depending on the Ducellier distributor. I'm sorry about the terrible copy.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I figured as much. Mine is a 59. Just heard from a contact in England who says he has the correct one in stock. I’ve just explained that whenever I put in my year, 1959 403, this coil does not fit, pops up. We’ll see what he says. I have a mechanic friend in France who sent me an NGK. It might be fine and it’s simply been a run of crappy condensers. At some point though, you’re left to wonder if the coil is not pairing with the condensers. I have been using NOS di-116 condensers. I’ll follow schlitzangen’s advise above and source a quality condenser.
Thanks for your reply. I’m in the hunt.
 
Of course it was a 1957 to 60 manual. Thick fingers.
 
The coil is again like people said here. As long as the windongs have the correct resistance, you'll be fine. You don't have to measure it, most available on the market would be there. Maybe just for sanity check.

As for condesers, there was a VW shop in QLD some time ago where they had new Bosch stuff for Beetles and such. I would check them out first. They also had coils and vacuum capsules. Not because it is Bosch but they probably have some QAQC. It's all made in China anyway.

Face it. Your car is just garden variety, doesn't have some outlandish requirements for exotic components.
 
schlitzaugen said:
The coil is again like people said here. As long as the windongs have the correct resistance, you'll be fine. You don't have to measure it, most available on the market would be there. Maybe just for sanity check.

As for condesers, there was a VW shop in QLD some time ago where they had new Bosch stuff for Beetles and such. I would check them out first. They also had coils and vacuum capsules. Not because it is Bosch but they probably have some QAQC. It's all made in China anyway.

Face it. Your car is just garden variety, doesn't have some outlandish requirements for exotic components.
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As regards, garden variety, true, very simple. Also true about everything being made in China. Not to disparage made in China, however, everything I’ve been reading of late alludes to crappy quality when it comes to condensers. I believe what I may have run into is a string of subpar condensers. Two were Standards, NOS du-116. I’ve been learning quite a bit of late. Other that the sudden dying out all of a sudden, she’s been running like a dream. Know enough to keep a spare condenser on me at all times. I’ll keep everyone posted. Road-trip down to Florida for a wedding, through the heart of Dixie & the Blues tomorrow.
 
Just get a Pertronix hall effect gizmo and do away with the condenser altogether. And the points! It's the simplest most cost effective upgrade that rids the car of something that will always be a problem. Easy to install and you can reverse just as easily.

Again, if your points are some non descript run of the mill variety you can basically get any of the basic pertronix units. Pretty much any other Euro car of the same era is going to be the same.

I have put these units in all my points cars and never had a problem for decades. I no longer have any cars with points, but can strongly recommend the pertronix. There are people here who have reported problems so do your own math. In the US I guess you have the advantage that pertronix is around the corner hence easier to ring up for assistance.

China is fine as long as there is some QAQC hence the need to chase some reputable brand.

Oh, and if it were my car I would check the vacuum capsule just to cover everything.
 
With age, plus the under bonnet heat, I would've thought that even functioning old condensers would be all over the place in value? Is installing the correct one for the car really that critical?
 
The tolerance on auto condensers is 20pc anyway and value varies as you've seen above. Problem with old used ones is exposure to heat. They are the paper and oil type, which never dealt well with heat. We've got much better ones these days. Polypropylene, teflon, you name it. Any would be much better but they don't make them dedicated for auto probably because they would be considered expensive. You can however make your own. Just buy the condenser from a reputable electronics supplier, get a metal/plastic case and pot it with some potting compound. Don't forget to add some pigtails for the leads.
 
A bit off topic, but further back, they were sealed up with wax! For those into valve radios, you never switch on a newly acquired radio without re-capping or else you might burn out the power transformer.

I'd find it a bit nerve wracking relying on an aged condenser. I'm with Schlitzaugen. Get a good quality cap of the correct value (from Jaycar?) , follow his advice and install the new one.
 
That should be perfect but our friend is in the US. Don't think I've seen a capacitor at Supercheap around here recently though.

Maybe really old auto capacitors were the wax type, I don't think I've seen one, but they would be the worst for a hot environment.
 
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