magneto help

[2popnpull]

Good evening, just wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers or website to go to for testing a magneto? Mine sat for a while now i dont have any fire. Thanks for your time.

 

[Duane Larson]

2popnpull,
I covered highlights of the operation and repair of most magnetos used on Deere's in my 2008 Gathering of the Green magneto workshop. The slides are on my website below my name. Scroll down to 2008 magneto workshop, then scroll thru until you find your magneto. Hopefully it will be there. If not, post back and we'll go from there. But the first thing to do always is clean and polish the points with fine grit aluminum oxide, and check the setting.
Duane Larson
http://jd2cylservice.com

 

[gtx1967jewison]

i would suggest using a POINT FILE over aluminum oxide, as it will leave grit behind & contaminate the tungsten & leave grit to get on the cam.

 

[John T]

If its sat for a while, is it still "impulsing" i.e. does it wind up the spring n then she SNAP loud n sharp??? If its impulsing, then I agree with the good info below, perhaps Id just run a dollar bill or shop cloth between the points to begin with in case the are only gray oxide coated before I resorted to filing..

John T

 

[Duane Larson]

Point files have their place - about the only time I use them is for worn/pitted points for which new ones are no longer available. Many folks don't know how to use them properly, and leave scratches in the point surface material, or worse yet, file the points such that they no longer form a parallel surface upon contact.

Aluminum oxide cloth technology involves use of good bonding agents and coating agents such that the abrasive material wears but does not release from the backing mateial. I cut a thin strip from a roll of 3M 320 grit cloth I've had for 30 years, fold in half, and place between the points. Holding some tension on the points and pulling the cloth thru removes a typically white coating of oxidation - a few strips and the points are clean, not scratched, and still parallel. I then wipe them with brake cleaner to remove any residue.

I haven't bought any aluminum oxide cloth for many years so I don't know the presently available quality - but it sure should not release the abrasive material like sandpaper can.

Different strokes for different folks....

 

[Jphn B.]

My Farmall F14 used to do that after sitting for some time. I would remove the magneto and take the points out and clean them with some 1200 grit wet/dry paper on a thick metal block I had made years ago.

Then I would use electrical parts cleaner and clean them then install them back into the mag and then run a small piece of clean paper thru them a couple of times and that would pick up a lot of debris.

The tractor would start right up after that. The more you run them the less this will happen to the points.