Farm Equipment - Magneto as a distributor?

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Magneto as a distributor?

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=160688
Printed Date: 07 Jan 2025 at 2:02pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Magneto as a distributor?

Posted By: Mr.Saliva
Subject: Magneto as a distributor?
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 2:31pm

    Can anyone out there tell me what this is about?

     I have a 1937 WC converted to 12 volt with alternator and relay stater.

     I'm guessing someone bored a hole in the cap to install a coil because the one on the mag burned out.

     The present 12 volt coil has an internal ballast and there is also one near the stater motor.

      This seems redundant to me.

      I'd rather have just the magneto like the original.

      Any input would be appreciated. uploads/19699/IMG_1916.jpg" rel="nofollow - IMG_1916.jpg uploads/19699/IMG_1916_2019-05-05_14-30-34.jpg" rel="nofollow - IMG_1916_2019-05-05_14-30-34.jpg

       The soap is to deter the mice.

Replies:

Posted By: Boss Man
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 4:48pm

Either someone didn't know the coil had an internal resistor or some folks beleive you have to cut the voltage back to 6V to protect the points and will put in multiple resistors

Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 6:49pm

The spark won't be as hot with two resistors. It might work, but it would be borderline. If the battery voltage were pulled down too far while cranking the engine, it may not start. It wasn't uncommon to bypass the resistor during the cranking phase on 12 volt cars that had 6 volt coils. That gave the coil considerable extra snap and gave quicker starts. Two resistors would do the opposite of this.

Unless the mag was burned to toast, it probably could have been repaired. Sometimes the mag coil would burn out, but replacements are still available

Posted By: HoughMade
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 6:56pm

People do that, but I’m with you. You just can’t beat a new or properly rebuilt magneto. It’s worth the $, which isn’t too much anyway.

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1951 B

Posted By: ac fleet
Date Posted: 05 May 2019 at 10:31pm

The last one they quoted me to rebuild was between $550 to $650. Found a good used dist. for $50 , so there was a good deal. -- Now I need 2 more so I can get rid of the last of my POS mags. --- To each his own.

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http://machinebuildersnetwork.com/

Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 5:28am

If the impulse coupling is good you should be able to do it yourself for less than $200 in parts.

Have a look here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmnP700qXc" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmnP700qXc

Posted By: HoughMade
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 9:04am

Kevins's Magneto Service (IL) took my core and sent me a rebuilt FMJ mag off the shelf for well under $300 including shipping. Well worth the money.

My tractor now starts with about 1 and a half full revolutions every time, summer or winter and runs perfectly. The original worked for over 65 years, so I expect that I will never put another one on.

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1951 B

Posted By: Steve in NJ
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 7:41pm

The cost of a Mag depends greatly on what's actually wrong with it. Magneto parts as everyone knows are expensive period. In a lot of cases, when I rebuild a Mag for a customer, I reuse what parts that are still in good shape to save the customer a lot of money. Throwing $450. bucks at a Mag is easy if you start replacing all the old parts with new.

A lot of owners do not have the correct tools to work on Magneto's, or they know nothing about them. The one's that are sorta' mechanically inclined do things like what you have sitting on top of the Mag. It works, but its a bit crude instead of repairing the unit correctly. In this case installing the correct coil back in the unit. That looks to be a "J" series Magneto, so they are popular and there are parts still available for them. I rebuild Magneto's if your interested. There are also a few others on the forum here that rebuild them also. I also offer a Mag to Distributor conversion which replaces the Magneto with a Delco Battery ignition. What's nice about the Distributor is I also offer an electronic ignition as an option if you want to go with that. Being you're already switched over to 12V w/Alternator, the Distributor conversion would be quite easy. My Mag to Distributor conversion comes with rebuilt drive & Distributor, new coil (6V or 12V) points or E.I.(optional) spark plug wires, spark plugs, key switch and wiring. The only thing that doesn't come in the kit is ambition. Instructions also come with the kit... HTH

Steve@B&B

bb-customcircuits.com

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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

Posted By: Mr.Saliva
Date Posted: 06 May 2019 at 8:23pm

      Steve..

       You are seeing what I got when I bought this WC.I'm new at all of this.

        The 12 volt "conversion" did not work..the alternator did not charge the battery because parts were left out!

        The tractor would only run as long as the charge held out..the reason I got it was the frustration of the

        owner's lack of knowledge to fix it.

        The "shade tree" mag repair might have been his also..,but I doubt it.

        Thanks for your reply.

Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 9:45am

I think you might find this helpful for all the questions you have.

http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/class-on-why-wont-my-tractor-run_topic159525.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/class-on-why-wont-my-tractor-run_topic159525.html

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3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep.

Posted By: OldAC
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 9:51am

I can supply you with a rebuilt Fairbanks FMJ or FMX magneto for your WC for $165. See my ad if the classifieds with photos and video of it running on the test machine.

Posted By: T.J._N.J.
Date Posted: 07 May 2019 at 2:11pm

Our original C came that way in the 70"s fresh from farming for real my Dad was a fabricator and needed a tractor and someone else needed some welding done knew where the C was at bought it and swapped it to my Dad. Times were different before the internet and tractor magazines, old tractors were just old tractors we didn't have antique power full of ads and services to help us keep our old iron going. I remember Dad sweating that one of the tires on the C would make it thru the winter till we were done cutting wood because that was all he could afford at the time for heat. I don't know who modded our C engine with the external coil but it worked great right up until the can blew off the stack and the water got down in and froze everything and cracked out the liners. TJ