Magneto rebuild and WICO EK parts question

[Jebaroni]

Hey guys:

Two questions....1) Are the front cover plates with and without the stop buttons on the Wico EK mags interchangible or not? Mine currently has no stop button, but was thinking of ordering one with a button but am not sure how it grounds out. Can I add a plate with a stop button to my non-stop button equipped mag?

2) I have a "new style" webster mag that sorta died on me. It was reasonably hot and working fine and then just sorta died. I traced the problem to the trip finger. The trip is supposed to swing past bottom dead center and "kick" the ignitor points open, but there must be enough grit and whatnot that it no longer goes far enough to actuate the ignitor. I took the mag apart and cleaned it with electrical motor cleaner and did a very light emory cloth treatment to the bearing surfaces and got everything inside as clean as I could but still no luck on kicking the ignitor over.

I would like to send my mag AND ignitor to someone close to Iowa for examination and possibly rebuilding depending on what it needs. Can anybody recommend someone NEAR IOWA who can do this for me in a REASONABLE amount of time. I can't wait 4 months to get it back as there is a show in may that I need to be operational for. Thanks!

[Junkologist]

The Wico mag covers are interchangeable. The stop button just grounds out the lug on the top of the points. The lug is present on every EK magneto. In other words, there is nothing different on the inside.

Mike

[Andrew Mackey]

I don't think you can just buy the stop button. Buy the entire cover. Most often the EKs without the button were made for a purpose - there was something in the way, that the button could not be used. The IHC 'M' 1 1/2 HP engine is a good example - if you reach for the button, (if some one switched mags) you took off a finger or 2 - no clearance between the flywheel and mag.
As for the webster - make sure the bearings under the springs move and do not bind. Make sure the springs are of equal strength. If one is weaker, the mag shaft will bind. Make sure the mag wind up lever is adjusted properly. The mag should wind up to about 45 degrees, before tripping, even more on retard. At rest the mag stationary spring posts should align with the movable spring posts on the armature (they should be on the same level), springs attached. (a 3x5 card held against the pins from underneath, on the outer ends will tell you if they are level) Make sure the armature turns full circle, freely (springs removed). If it does not, loosen endplate screws and move the plates to remedy. Use light electric motor oil on bearings - sparringly, not SAE 30. It is too heavy, and will cause resistance to rotation when cold. (if you have to use motor oil, use 5W-30) At rest, the screw on the mag movable arm should just barely touch the armature trip lever. The points should be just closed with the mag at rest. A low tension mag set up is electrically simple - mechanicaly complicated. Every thing must be just so for it to work.
Andrew