electrical and ignition Radio Install / Spark Plugs / Interference

[RAS-2002]

Calling all old-school RadioPhiles:

 

I did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer to my situation. Maybe someone has a similar setup and can help me out.

 

Just snagged a working vintage Becker Europa mono radio and will be installing it in my '72 '02 which once had a radio, so the speaker, console and antenna are already there.  But before I do the install, I have some questions regarding possible ignition/radio interference.

 

I'm currently running Bosch WR7DC (resistor) plugs with non-resistor plug boots and was wondering if there'd be any advantage to switching to NGK BP6ES (non-resistor) along with resistor/insulating plug boots.  Or wouldn't it make much of a difference?  Six of one; half-dozen of the other?

 

In my searches, it appears that NGKs are more favorably regarded than Bosch.

 

Sideline: my current setup is Weber 32/36 and electronic ignition,  Everything else is stock, including the E12 head. She's currently running great, blows a little oil on decel, but the plugs are not fouling at all. (BTW, I had just replaced the Solex 2bbl with the Weber and added IE's electronic tii dizzy: the result was sheer driving joy!)

 

Thanks,

Bob

 

 

[Mike Self]

I've had all sorts of radios in my 02s over the years, from vintage Blaupunkts and Beckers to "modern" (1987 vintage) Alpines; I've also used both conventional ignition and capacitive discharge units.  I never installed any noise supression and have little or no problem with ignition interference.  I believe the stock bakelite spark plug terminals have a built in noise supressor; I've never used anything but copper spark plug wire and normally don't use resistor plugs either. 

 

I know some folks install a capacitor on their alternator.  Someone more electronically savvy than I will have to tell you where to connect it, but I never have done that.  If you listen to a lot of AM you may need some supression as AM is a lot more sensitive to interference than FM (why FM was developed in the first place). 

 

I'd try your "new" radio without any add-ons and see what happens; if you do get noise you'll be able to tell the difference between alternator and ignition (alternator is whinier) and then go after the problem.  But I'll bet you won't have one.

 

Oh--and I've had better success with NGK plugs (BP6ES) than Bosch, especially in the past 15 or so years.

 

cheers

mike

Edited September 20, 2013 by mike

[RAS-2002]

See? That's why I love this forum!

Simple, straight-forward, no-nonsense answers.

Thanks,

Bob

[Conserv]

Related but probably not too important: my '76 came with, and still bears, an un-suppressed voltage regulator (yellow tape around base). I've never had a particular radio interference issue, but I've only rarely listened to AM. Do most 2002's have suppressed regulators (white tape around base)?

Thanks,

Steve

[JohnS]

I've got the yellow tape Bosch voltage regulator, NGK BP5ES plugs (one step hotter than BP6ES), standard BERU resistor boots on the wires.  Mono radio installed in the single speaker type center console.  Bosch red coil without any noise supressor installed (the little thing that looks like a condensor that grounds where the coil bolts to the body and attaches to the positive terminal on the coil).  No radio interference problems at all with either Pertronix or points installed.  Old Blaupunkt mono radio.  Like Mike said, try it without anything and you should be fine.  Otherwise get one of these noise supressors.

 

Picture attached of what a noise supression capicitor for coils looks like:

Edited September 20, 2013 by JohnS

[JohnS]

I checked the alternators on both of my tiis last night, and both of them have the Bosch noise supression capicitor installed on the positive terminal of the alternator.  Maybe that's why I don't have any radio interference.

 

Picture of Bosch noise supression capicitor for alternators attached:

 

 

Edited September 20, 2013 by JohnS

[c.d.iesel]

yea - what johnS just said - "choke"  noise suppressor for the back of the alternator

 

plus

 

clean ground wire from the back of the radio to clean bare metal ground in the dashboard area

clean ground wire from the alternator to motor

clean ground wire from motor to body

in some cases ground wire from engine hood to body