What the hell is that?!

[Multiphonikks]

Hi guys!

So, after a drive to Newark today and while waiting for my late partner to arrive, I pop the bonnet up and have a peer into the engine. Now, I'd not noticed this when I bought Hebe, (in fact I don't think this bit had fallen off!) but dangling by one solitary black wire with what looked like the remains of the broken mounting bracket was a small caplsule. Now to me, it did indeed look like a capacitor. A passing chap commented that it was what it looked like to him too. It was originally mounted between the coil and the dynamo, with the one wire coming out of one of the coil connections. As it obviously worked by making a circuit through the mounting point, I figured that the car must work without it. Further to that - I have never seen one under the bonnet of a Mog before. A quick call to a mate in Bristol with a four-door revealed that she didn't have one either.

So, it's been removed (cause it's better removed than just dangling). And Hebe works just fine.

Any ideas what it is? A capacitor for what? An interference suppressor (for a car which doesn't appear to have ever had a radio?

Any idea, greatly appreciated!

Nikki

[les]

I'll say suppressor, evidence of a radio or not! The car might have annoyed a neighbour watching tv at some time.

[Multiphonikks]

I'll say suppressor, evidence of a radio or not!

Cool - but what would cause it to be fitted? Something at the factory which was fitted just in case???

Nikki

[les]

I've added to my post a possible reason. (possibly while you were replying!)

[rayofleamington]

The condensor (capacitor) goes between the coil wire and ground... If someone had added a capacitor external to the dizzy between this wire and ground it was probably because they didn't trust the proper one to work properly?
Most likely they had one of those annoying missfires that are hard to fix - I guess they did manage it in the end as you've not mentioned one.