Couple of Dixie / Splitdorf questions.

[JKWidener]

Just bought this magneto for my Bessemer upright and need some information. It says Dixie on the top, and at the bottom on the base is the serial number and to the right of that, is the model "S7" I understand Splitdorf/dixie made a "S" model magneto, but the number following the "S" was how many cylinders it had. This magneto is a one cylinder mag. Why is the "7" there? And also, i am in need of about everything under the brass points cap, the aluminum points holder and everything else. Does anyone know where i can get these parts? Checked a few vender's but they don't show Dixie listed. Here are a few pictures.

[JKWidener]

More Pictures.

[Dempster]

You'll just have to call them because older Dixie or Splitdorf is not something most get calls on parts for everyday. I have some Splitdorf parts but not sure have anything you need. Are you sure it's not a S2 instead of 7 ? I'll look in my other Splitdorf manual later but one didn't show a 7 just 2, 4 & 6 and SS models.

http://www.oldengine.org/members/die...s/MagData3.htm

[JKWidener]

Thank You Dempster. Any help would be greatful. Here is the link to the full size picture showing the Model of the magneto. The model is to the right of the serial number. Looks like a 7, but could be a 2. http://www.smokstak.com/forum/attach...2&d=1256079887

[KidDynamo]

Hi- It does look like a 7 but I went through all the Dixie mags I could find and did not see a correlation with many of the number and the number of cylinders. Why, I do not know. Some, yes. Others, no.

I have several, and seen many other Dixie/Splitdorf mags with a similar problem, or worse, to what you have. I saw that mag advertised and knew from the photos that the points housing was probably shot. How? The points cover was split.

The spun brass covers are pretty weak just from the stresses induced into the brass by manufacturing and that type of brass part tends to develop latent cracks over time.

Then, the lousy pot-metal used with the Dixie/Splitdorf mags deteriorates and enlargement is in the first increment. That causes the already weak cover to split, either on the shelf or when someone innocently attempts to re-install it and it is "too small".

The only solutions I might suggest are,m obviously, finding a good replacement points "mounting block" or reverse engineering one and making it yourself or having it made. Its a pretty good bet that replacements are in short supply but that doesn't mean you won't find one.

If your main casting is usable, that, by itself, is a plus. Believe it or not, someone recast a few of these, had an extra, and listed it on eBay where it got bids but went "reserve not met". This was a few years ago.

I have 4 or so single cylinder Dixie mags. They are of 2 different sizes. All but one of mine are Dixie 601 as used on Cushman Binder engines but one of them sparks in either direction. The Dixie M-1 is the same size but has a different points assembly, etc, amongst other things.

I have received several of them that were destroyed by poor packing by sellers. That is a bummer! It looks like your's arrived with the lead out tower intact and that is a very big plus as they are hard to find replacements for.

I hope it works out!

[cobbadog]

my eyes are not the best on a good day but could it be an '8' then a '7' ? Possible year of manufacture? Plus I know very little about maggies but I have a couple of old ones in the shed and they are from 1925 and the numbers '25' are stamped on the bases in a similar way to the photos.

[Dempster]

After I looked again closer it does look like 7 for S7. No luck here my Splitdorf / Edison-Splitdorf books go back into 1920s but showed nothing like that one. Couple reprints I have on Dixie didn't show it either. Splitdorf must have dropped it out of the line and support for it way back maybe. The other S and SS Splitdorfs are different anyway with one piece horseshoe magnet turned the other way. Yours with magnet sitting that way and split is all Dixie design like the 2 & 4 cylinder Dixie mags also. Splitdorf and Edison Splitdorf all had magnets turned the other way later on.

[JKWidener]

Have contacted most repair places about parts for this magneto, and still have another person checking with another one. But i still haven't found the part i need. I can machine it if need be, but would like an original if one can be found. Here are a couple pictures of the part i need. It's the aluminum piece that holds the points.

[jopeter]

I have a Dixie M1 .It has the rotten pot metal base . It is in three broken pieces . I considered puting it back together with an industrial glue .....but it will only fail again .Looking at it I am sure my friend could cast one for me in Alluminium. He is using the Lost Wax method with great success on jobs like this.