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ForgivenCreation 
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Joined: 02 Apr 2024
Location: West Coast USA
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 Topic: Strong Spark On All But One
Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 4:08pm |
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I wanted to run this by yall before I start buying parts. Recently had the WD running fantastic after some mag timing issues. Finally got it running and figured I would wash it. After washing it ran awful. Through testing I discovered the the old coil inside the mag was still firing somehow. I switch to an external Canister Coil that's an old Bosch coil. Eliminated the Inside mag coil but I now have a VERY odd issue. I have great STRONG spark on 1 3 4 but 2 is Very weak and inconstant. New plugs and solid core wires and the inside of the cap has been cleaned. I believe I set the point to 20 Thou and the coil Primary is 2.3ish and the secondary is around 9 or 10, there is resistor inline. The condenser was tested before finding that I had two coils firing haha and it tested good charging up slowly and not spiking.
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Les Kerf
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Joined: 08 May 2020
Location: Idaho
Points: 777
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 4:38pm |
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Probably need a new cap.
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
Points: 81135
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 4:42pm |
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if you have new wires and new plugs, then it is a good posibility of a hair line crack in the cap that is fireing to the next cylinder or ground... and i am NOT a big fan of inline resistors.. sooner or later you need a 12v coil and eliminate the resistor, if your going with an external coil..
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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Les Kerf
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 4:54pm |
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If that is a 6 Volt VW coil running on 12 volts then you do need a ballast resistor. Longevity of the points will be your next challenge.
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ForgivenCreation
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 5:13pm |
It is indeed off of a vw rabbit. It says 12v on the bottom but I read that the points don't last with 12v to the coil so the resistor drops it down to 7ish. Regarding the cap if you saw my posts a while back I guess the cap that my Fairbanks Morse mag has is some 'Heavy Duty" cap. Do yall know if I can even get the inside plastic part for it anymore?
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Ed (Ont)
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Joined: 08 Nov 2009
Location: New Lowell, Ont
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 9:05pm |
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Washing can be an issue at times. I know once in a while it is needed. When I wash an engine I make sure I have lots of compressed air in reach. Wash first. Blow off with compressed air - blow it more than you think is needed. Then I hit with brake clean and blow off well again. Then start. Eliminates a lot of problems.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 12 Jun 2024 at 9:57pm |
Im not saying that "SOME" coils dont need an external resistor... Just saying that is "OLD STYLE" and i would eliminate the OLD COIL and get a NEW type that has internal resistance to work on a 12 v system........ what year is the coil ?? 
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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Steve in NJ
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Andover, NJ
Points: 11796
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Posted: 13 Jun 2024 at 10:28am |
Magnetos don't like moisture or getting wet. You probably wound up getting water in under the lower cover and started it misfiring. Remove the lower cover and blow it out with compressed air. The Brakekleen trick that Ed suggested is a good idea. When you start running external Coils you're allowing moisture to get back in the Mag again, because of the hole you drilled in the side of the unit for the coil wire. Sounds to me like there wasn't anything wrong with the Coil that was in it as long as it was the upgraded Maroon color R2477 epoxy Coil. If it was the old style tar taped coil, throw it in the garbage and put the newer upgraded R2477 in it. Renew the gaskets as well. You want to keep moisture out of a Mag and keep it dry inside! HTH Steve@B&B
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39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
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ForgivenCreation
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Posted: 13 Jun 2024 at 6:07pm |
Alrighty yall it's time to dig through your stashes haha. The cap has continuity between post 2 and 4. Does anyone know of or have the part number for this style cap?   
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 13 Jun 2024 at 6:11pm |
i would be saving up my pennies and buy another mag with a GOOD COIL and GOOD cap and more STANDARD design... FMJ...
you said this is a "heavy duty" mag... Is the BODY the basic FMJ with a different CAP, or is the entire MAG different ?? Maybe a Standard Cap and coil would FIX your old mag ?
Edited by steve(ill) - 13 Jun 2024 at 6:13pm
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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ForgivenCreation
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Posted: 13 Jun 2024 at 7:04pm |
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The body of the mag is a standard fmj mag but the coil can't be removed due to one of the screws not coming out. Tried heat and penetrating oil nothin. So I guess really my only course of action is to spend 100 plus on the normal cap setup and more for the normal wire setup.
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Les Kerf
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Posted: 13 Jun 2024 at 8:12pm |
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Since it appears that moisture was what initiated the fault, I would at least try dousing it liberally (you know, the way congress spends your money) with WD-40.
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IBWD MIke
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Posted: 14 Jun 2024 at 9:11am |
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If it was me,,,,, battery ignition!
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Les Kerf
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Posted: 14 Jun 2024 at 10:24am |
 IBWD MIke wrote:
If it was me,,,,, battery ignition! |
I believe that's what he is doing with the magneto converted to function as a distributor.
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Les Kerf
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Posted: 14 Jun 2024 at 10:27am |
ForgivenCreation wrote:
... spend 100 plus on the normal cap setup and more for the normal wire setup. |
Unless the wires are too short you can re-use them.
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Steve in NJ
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
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Posted: 14 Jun 2024 at 11:45am |
That is a flange mount F/M Powerhead Mag which is missing the carbon button in the middle for starters. Also has a damaged high tension rod. It's a wonder it worked at all. Amazing some of this old stuff. Parts for the old Powerheads are even more expensive than the standard "J" or "X' Fairbanks units. If you want a Distributor type Mag, you could move to a Wico "XH" series Magneto. They look just like a Mag but work like a Distributor. You need to run power to it like a Distributor. Or get yourself a Mag to Distributor conversion. I offer a couple kits to change the Tractor over. One with points, the other with E.I. A lot of my customers got rid of the Mag and never looked back. Me being one of them and I rebuild the damn things. LOL! Parts are getting junky for them (even from F/M) and for a $150-$200 more than a repaired Mag you can set yourself up with a Mag to Distributor conversion kit. Done deal.
Steve@B&B
Edited by Steve in NJ - 14 Jun 2024 at 11:47am
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39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
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