Magneto issues on a D7

You do't need to pull out the magneto for clean the point and used a fine sand paper

If you have a good blue spark from the spark plug wire to the block, can hear a good "crack" sound when it jumps from wire to block and it feels like you have a broke arm when it bites you, you have a bad spark plug or you're just not making a good ground when checking with wire on the plug.

If you have a red spark from wire to block, you need to do a little magneto cleaning/work.

So I should be able to pull the 4 screws on the front of it to get to the points right? I only get a super tiny but still blue spark when holding the wire directly up to the block and it only made my hand tingly for a minute when I got zapped, getting zapped by a lawn mower spark plug I remember being worse.

Ok... you need to take some fine sandpaper and clean the points, the rotor button, the brass contacts in cap and the spring loaded carbon thingies in the cap.

A good strong mag will have a 1/4" to 1/2" blue spark.

Ok... you need to take some fine sandpaper and clean the points, the rotor button, the brass contacts in cap and the spring loaded carbon thingies in the cap.

A good strong mag will have a 1/4" to 1/2" blue spark.

I recently went through this with my 1H D8. I found it easier to take the cap off without removing the mag. I took the points out and cleaned them. Those old mags usually have better points in them than can be bought today. I have been known to go after them with a dremmel tool to get down past the pits to a nice clean surface. Replaced points and gapped them with a match book. She starts good now.

Tom

good advise here! all the cat starting engines i have fiddled with just need the points cleaned. i just drag some fine sand paper through the points. after you have done this be sure to drag a dollar bill or some paper through afterwards. the filings can bridge accross the points groinding them out if you do not clean them afterwards. check the gap also. this will all be fun if you still have the belly pans under it.

yeah, that comment about the fun to be had with the belly pans on is what I was afraid of. Yes, I only have sketchy access to the cover from the top/side. It should be an interesting afternoon of trying to get that cover off.

Thanks for the input!

Yeah I approached mine from the bottom and it was not real easy at that. I took out the points and it would help to have a right angle screwdriver.

I have found that if you take the points out and inspect them they often have a deep pit in them, they can be made to work by sanding them but if you can get down past the pit they work real good. It is not going to be easy to get in there to clean them.

Maybe it would be easier to pull the mag out.