Magneto Questions

Could be all kinds of things! If the points were pitted, it would be reasonable to assume the condenser was bad. If not, I'd check the resistances across the primary and secondary coils next to make sure you don't have a bad coil. I don't know exactly where you'd test this on your mag - I don't work on them often enough!

Mags are interesting, and it would be worth learning something about them. You could probably find a general aviation mechanic in your area who could help you - all the older small aircraft have two magnetos on them, and they have to troubleshoot them all the time.

Of course, there are lots of people who fix these things, and do them well... Just depends on what you want to do.

An Aviation mechanic can probably fix your mag, but will charge you Aviation Prices ($$X4). Check to make sure your points are CLEAN. Sometimes a trace of residue from sandpaper or a bit of oil or dirt will keep the points from making good contact. Also look for carbon tracks inside the cap and on the rotor that could be shorting out the spark internally. Have you tried testing the mag without the cap & rotor? You can attach a heavy wire (welding rod, solid copper ground wire, a piece of a coathanger, etc.) to one of the cap screws on the metal body and bend it so it's about 3/32" away from the terminal on the coil. That way you can see what's going on in there without the cap & rotor. It should fire across the gap to the wire even without the cap & rotor. If it does fire you know you have a problem with the cap or rotor.

Have you tested your Plug Wires? Use only solid core wire with these older magneto's, not the modern automotive carbon filament wires.

You can also test the mag with the same heavy wire as mentioned earlier. Bend the end over so it fits snugly in the terminal and bend the wire so it's almost touching the magneto body. I usually put a wire in each terminal that way you can see which one is firing and in what order.

What did you clean the Cap & Rotor with? Sometimes a little moisture will create a carbon track and short out the mag internally. I usually use electrical parts cleaner, or brake cleaner. These sprays will clean well and not leave any residue.

Good Luck, and don't give up yet!👍