Elgin 16hp Points setting

[geary]

Guys,     I’ve been stumped with trying to figure out the correct points setting for the magneto on my 1952  16hp Elgin.  There are two magneto designs, 26A- old stye  & 26B – new style, mine is the 26B.  According to what I’ve been told you are supposed to set the points gap at the low side of the cam with the feeler gauge between the fiber point arm and the low side ! One problem is I wasn’t told what measurement feeler gauge to use ?  According to the mag plate, it says set points gap at .020, If I use that dimension and then rotate the crankshaft to the hi side of the cam, the points are only open .009 – .010  ?

In the picture of the two types of ignitions the 26B says the gap is to be between the low side of the cam and the fiber points arm and is the important measurement but no mention of what that measurement should be ?  It also says to disregard the punch mark which is for the 26A ignition !

If you look at the fiber arm on the 26B and where the contacts are in relation to the pivot point on the arm, it appears it is about 1/2 the distance from where the fiber arm contacts the cam!  To me this is why the points only open the .009 – 0.010 when set at .020 between the fiber arm and the low side of the cam !  But it counters what is printed on the mag plate, which is (set points at .020)    If anyone can straighten this puzzle out for me I would greatly appreciate it !

I have tried setting the points both ways, one at the low side of the cam and one at the hi side where the punch mark is and both setting produced a good healthy spark !

Thanks

Gary

[billy-j]

Just my thoughts. I am sure you are familiar with the OMC timing tool to set the points on Johnson /Evinrude engines. And I am sure you know the timing tool sets the points when they are supposed to break in relation to piston position for optimum efficiency of the engine regardless of point opening gap. So following that reasoning you say you have two options for setting the points on your engine that result in a good spark. I would suggest you set the points with each of your procedures and then using your analog ohmmeter with the magneto advance in the idle position determine when the points induces the magneto to create a spark in relation to piston position. I would think the correct procedure would be the one where spark would occur when the piston is at top dead center or a few degrees before.

[seakaye12]

Gary;  very timely post which I will be paying great attention to!  Just yesterday I acquired a 1954 Elgin 16.  571.58851

I have the parts manual for it and I also have a brief service publication which may be different from what you have.

I attached it here.

Chuck

Elgin-16_HP-Service

 

 

[geary]

Billy,   Thank you for your thoughts, yes I am familiar with the timing tools for OMC engines and your logic is fairly close to what should happen when the mag is retarded and the points open !  Makes sense ! But the missing part of the puzzle is the measurement needed to set the points on the 26B ignition when the fiber point arm is set at the low side of the cam !  And that is explained in Chuck’s service manual

Chuck,   Thank you so much, your service  manual cleared up the puzzle measurement for setting the gap on the Fairbanks Morse 26B ignition on the low side of the cam ! It explains it perfectly and now makes sense !  It’s great to have people like you and Billy to help solve a problem !

 

Gary

[seakaye12]

My 1954 Elgin 16 has a different magneto.  Still Fairbanks-Morse .

 

[jeff-register]

The top  looks like a sintilla/bendix coils & the bottom looks like wico  coils . If your bendix coils still function I would coat them with corona dope they look skakey.. the rotor & wiper pads need cleaning too. I would adjust points at the highest point when the cam follower is at the highest point.

[frankr]

Very interesting.  I wonder why they came up with the unorthodox setting method.

[Author]

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