Magneto Gremlins

[oldmanandakid]

About a month ago I finished rebuilding the mag for my 47/8-A. All new guts and it checked out on the bench with a good spark. I then put it up on the shelf where it has sat undisturbed until yesterday when I got it down for reinstall. I wanted to make sure it was set right for timing but the blessed thing will not throw a spark to either side.

Any ideas what I should be looking for when I tear into it?

 

[BushogPapa]

Burnish the Points with an ordinary business card, to remove any oxidation..

Ron..

 

[John T]

Sometimes that light gray oxide coating on the points can prevent them from working, try to lightly clean/buff/polish them.

Is the spring wind and trip impulse mechanism working?? it should yield a loud sharp SNAP each 180 of rotation and it cant fire at slow cranking speeds otherwise. Ive seen them where they fit in a bind which stops the impulse from working, loosening the mag slightly and installing an extra mag to govenor gasket can help that situation.

John T

 

[teddy52food]

Are you turning it backwards? If not, clean the points.

 

[clampdaddy]

My A has a Wico C and at one time the little carbon pea in the cap fell out so the rotor wasn't making contact. Bent the piece of metal on the rotor up till it touched the brass that held the carbon pea to get me home and been running it that way ever since.

 

[oldmanandakid]

Pure genius Ron. That mag is now throwing a spark so long that it causes thunder.

Thanks guys.