Re: Distributor is shorted...
A condenser is the name that was given to what is now known as a capacitor back in the early years of electronics.Since it didn't "condense" anything it was named more appropriately a "capacitor".Your testing will be limited to a go or no go condition which can be done with an ohmmeter.Basically there should be no continuity between the lead coming out of it and the case that the mounting screw goes through.Measure it on one of the higher ranges and if it is good you will see the meter deflect momentarily while it charges then should go back to infinity if the cap is good.Consider the lead as positive and the case as negative although the cap may not be polarized but that will be how it works in the circuit.If the meter shows any significant current continuing to flow after the initial charge the cap should be replaced.It may work in the circuit or it may not but in theory it should not leak which is what is happening if it shows any numbers on the meter scale.
You should not need to know the value of the capacitor except for replacement purposes but that can be measured as well with a bridge that can compare what you are testing against a standard to calculate its value.
A bridge can also test the capacitor at operating voltage that will detect a leak that might not show up with the simple ohmmeter test.
Basically an ohmeter test can tell you if the cap is shorted in which case you know it needs to be replaced,if it is not shorted you have eliminated it from suspicion in an ignition system with a short in it.Ron G
