[Milsurplus] Old condensers in Early solid state gear

[Bruce Gentry]

I'm at last restoring a radio hut filled with Collins original series 
URG equipment. So far, I have gotten the audio and switching panels 
working well, from faint and distorted to very robust by simply changing 
out 50 year old electrolytic condensers. However, I have so far only 
needed to replace the ones with some sort of rubber or flexible end 
seals- especially tantalums, they usually  announce themselves with 
leaks and corrosion. All of the others with glass or ceramic end seals 
test  and seem to work fine. What have others on this list experienced 
with these glass sealed electrolytics? I have never had anything but a 
catastrophic short occur with glass sealed paper or plastic dielectric 
condensers such as a Sprague "Vitamin Q". Do I really need to change out 
the glass sealed electrolytics, or test them for anything besides a dead 
short?  I can't recall ever having a bad one in a PRC-25 or 77. What 
have your experiences been?

     Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY