Messing Around
THE
With Magnetos
-L HE MAGNETO I G N I T I O N system used with
small aircraft engines iVW's too) is a Spartan instal-
lation which ordinarily performs as expected. However,
as we homebuilders ruefully discover during the early
stages of construction, the term 'ordinarily' ordinarily
describes a condition or state applicable to someone
else's project, not our own. When one's own project is
involved, it is just as well to assume that "Murphy's
Law" prevails . . . anything that can go wrong, will. In
deference to said law, the following remarks will apply
to practical applications and not to theoretical enlighten-
ment.
When operating properly, the magneto generates a
high voltage which forces a spark to jump across the
spark plug gap at the precise moment the piston is on
the proper stroke (compression), and at a specified num-
ber of c r a n k s h a f t degrees before top dead center
(BTDC piston position).
Well now, if that is all there is to this shocking device,
why are so many of us perplexed by the little black
boxes? That may be, indubitably, attributed to our lack
of familiarity with magnetos. After all, not many of us
work on engines and it is only when our project ap-
proaches the engine installation stage that we realize
how unsure we are about timing procedures.
Mechanically simple, magnetos are reliable, efficient
and when installed on an engine . . . potentially deadly!
The installed magneto might be likened to a rattle-
snake ready to strike. It won't hurt you if you are alert
and retain control of the situation but it is, without doubt
as deadly as the rattler.
If there are latent fuel vapors in the engine cylinders
together with a faulty ground or switch connection
present . . . look out! Don't move that prop even the
slightest amount! Why! Blame it on the impulse coupling
of that innocent looking magneto bolted to the engine.
In view of the foregoing, I'm surprised the govern-
ment has not required us to post a public notice on the
engine cowlings in 2" letters:
"WARNING": Touching or moving this propeller
may be injurious to your health".
Although no such warning is evident, the need for
caution around propellers merits frequent repetition . . .
to you and to me, and particularly to all the experienced
mechanics, pilots and lookers. You know the old saw,
"Familiarity breeds contempt" . . . or, at least casual
indifference.
THE IMPULSE COUPLING
Contrary to what many people believe; to start a
magneto equipped engine, it is not necessary to grasp
the propeller with both hands and snap it through smart-
ly with one leg gyrating through the air ala Hollywood.
Not at all. Not with an impulse equipped magneto.
20 FEBRUARY 1976
SPORTPLANE
BUILDER
By Antoni (Tony) Bingelis
EAA Designee Program Advisor
8509 Greenflint Lane
Austin, Texas 78759
How then, can you know the engine has an impulse
coupling? You can bet on it. Without an i m p u l s e
coupling (or booster mag, or vibrator), the starter won't
crank the engine fast enough to get the magneto up to
sparking speed.
A good hot spark is not produced until the magnet
is turned above a certain number of revolutions, let's
say, more than 100 rpm. This is known as the "coming
in speed" of the magneto. Because of this characteristic,
it is a standard industry practice to utilize an impulse
coupling to generate a better spark for starting. It does
this by causing the magneto to spin faster than the
engine cranking speed and, at the same time, auto-
matically retarding the spark for starting.
If you tried to start the engine with its normal ad-
vanced (early) spark timing, it would kick backwards
like a mule and maybe break an appendage or worse,
the starter. Therefore the retarding or late spark capa-
bility provided by the impulse coupling for starting is
essential. (Figure 3).
After the engine starts running, the impulse coupl-
ing performs as a drive coupling for the magneto allow-
ing it to function in the full advance spark position.
(Fig. 2).
VW engine buffs frequently encounter a u n i q u e
problem affecting the impulse coupling's action. If the
homemade adapter for attaching the magneto to the
engine does not provide the proper spacing between the
engine and the magneto, when bolted in place, the
impulse coupling binds and cannot function.
You can recognize the presence of this condition
when you turn the propeller and do not hear the familiar
"clack" noise of the coupling. In addition, while turning
the prop, the crankshaft will feel unusually "tight" with
a noticeable absence of end play. The remedy? Shim the
magneto away from its mounting as necessary, to free the
impulse coupling.
One scary thing about magnetos. You can never be
sure they are "OFF" when the switch is in the OFF posi-
tion.
Very few light aircraft have an IDLE-CUT OFF
feature with their mixture control and these engines are
normally stopped by turning the magneto switch to the
OFF position. If the engine stops, you know the switch
is functioning, and the magneto, at that time, is safe
(electrically grounded).
An ignition switch for a magneto system functions
opposite to ordinary switches. In the OFF position, the
switch is closed causing the breaker points to be electri-
cally grounded. The magneto, therefore, cannot operate.
If, on the other hand, the engine does not cease firing in
the OFF position, the magneto ground lead (also re-
ferred to as the "P" lead) is open and the trouble must
be corrected.
 The external magneto wiring circuit is simple. A short CO COUPLING NUT

wire from the magneto case runs to some point on the

engine that serves as a ground. The only other wire is the SHIELDED WIRE^

magneto's primary ground wire (P lead) which is con- FERRULE- OUTER

(GROUND WIRE)
nected to the ignition switch.
A shielded magneto such as the Scintilla has a built-
in safety device that automatically grounds the magneto SLEEVES -
whenever the switch wire is disconnected. Unfortu- INSULATING (GROUND WIRE)
nately, this requires a rather fussy connector. You can't
just twist the switch wire around a terminal and snub WASHER -
it down as in some unshielded installations. GROUND WIRE CONTACT
It is necessary to obtain a Terminal Assembly Kit for
the magneto if one is not already installed and dangling
from the magneto (most unlikely). The kit consists of a SOLDER WASHER TO END OF BARE WIRE
contact washer, insulators, ferrules, and a union or
connector n u t . Figure 1 shows how the switch wire FIGURE I.
is assembled into a unit of the exact length required
to make proper contact, inside the magneto, with the
GROUND TERMINAL ASSEMBLY
breaker grounding spring.
Also required is some shielded switch wire. In addi-
tion, a radio noise suppressor is ordinarily installed in
the magneto switch wire circuit to eliminate electrical
interference picked up from the switch wire.
Don't assume a minute that if the primary ground RUNNING SPANK
lead ("P" lead) is disconnected the magneto is rendered 25' TO SO'
harmless. It may not be: BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER
(ADVANCE)
Many magnetos (Scintillas) do have a special breaker
grounding spring on the magneto to short circuit the
primary . . . when the switch wire is not installed but,
other magnetos are NOT provided automatic grounding
springs at the switch wire terminals.
After months or years of flying, it is easy to forget
whether or not your magneto(s) has the built-in safety
feature of a grounding spring, so always be careful when FIG. 2
messing around with the propeller or engine.
Play it safe. Whenever you do any magneto main-
tenance requiring the removal of the "P" lead from the
magneto, remove the top spark plugs or, at least discon-
nect all spark plug cables from the installed spark
plugs. Often recommended but not as safe, of course, is
to make sure the magneto is off and that there is a com-
pleted connection from the switch to the engine and from
IMPULSE COUPLING
the magneto to the switch. RETARDS
FIRES AT
(OR NEAR)
When installing the magneto "P" lead connection, STARTING SPARK
TOP DEAD CENTER
insert and secure the switch wire terminal assembly
before replacing the breaker cover plate so you can visu-
ally ascertain that the end of the switch wire terminal
is making positive contact with the breaker contact
spring. If not, reposition the breaker grounding spring
as necessary. Otherwise, the magneto might remain
grounded even when the switch is moved to the "on"
position. If you can't get a sparking in your plugs from FIG. 3.

the magneto, your difficulty may be as described. This

problem is most likely to occur after an engine rebuild
or magneto overhaul.

TIMING THE MAGNETO TO THE ENGINE

There are many types of magnetos used by home-
builders but most of them are timed to the engine using
the same general procedures. Realize, of course, that
there may be many minor variations and theatrics that
can be engaged in during the magneto-to-engine timing
ritual. Most of the methods in use are good-to-excellent
and any one may be preferred by the individual mechanic
(builder) simply because he does have the particular
gadget, feeler gage, buzzer, tool, piece of cellophane,
or light required. Use whatever you have. If you don't
have anything . . . make something or borrow something.
You will be able to do a more precise job of timing.
Why such a fuss about timing? A bad timing job
can cause all sorts of problems, failure of all cylinders to
fire, irregular operation of all cylinders, low horsepower
output, loud exhaust, overheating of the engine, detona-
tion, backfiring, and difficult starting. As if that's not
enough, improper ignition timing, especially advanced
timing, can seriously damage an engine in a very short
time.
Advanced timing can lead to preignition, resulting in
piston b u r n i n g , stuck and broken rings, and scored
cylinders.
The best guidance for timing an aircraft engine will
be found in the maintenance manual for that engine. Its
instructions should be followed faithfully. Your only
alternative data may be the information obtained from
the aircraft engine data plate.

SPORT AVIATION 21
 VW engines do not have s t a n d a r d aircraft-use
manuals nor data plates for guidance and most builders
grope around on their own for the best results.
ONE MAN'S TIMING PROCEDURE
1. First of a l l , remove all upper spark plugs for
safety!
2. Determine the number of degrees before top dead
center (BTDC) you want the engine to fire. As pre-
viously mentioned, refer to your engine data plate or
engine manual. Most engines are timed to fire from 25°
to 30° BTDC. For example, the C85-12 is usually timed
at 28" BTDC for the left mag and at 30" BTDC for the
right mag. The last VW aircraft conversion I worked with
was timed at 27'i>" BTDC.
3. Locate top dead center (TDC) for the No. 1 cylin-
der. This means, of course, that you will have the No. 1
piston on the compression stroke and both valves are
closed. To find the compression stroke, you can press
your finger or thumb over the spark plug hole while
turning the crankshaft in its normal direction of rotation.
The compressed air in the cylinder will try to escape
past your finger with a "pfuph" sound. Be sure that you
have one plug installed in the opposite side of the cyl-
inder (dual ignition engines), or else you'll be turning
that prop all day waiting for the "pfuph".
At this point you might ask how TDC is determined.
Most aircraft engines have engraved marks on the pro-
peller hub which are aligned with the centerline split of
the crackcase. Other engines and converted auto engines
might have no such references to use and the TDC will
have to be established from scratch.
A "screw driver and hammer" mechanic would pro-
bably poke a stick or a wire through the spark plug hole
and feel for the piston's rise in the cylinder. When the
rising sensation ceases, the piston is somewhere around
top center . . . not TDC maybe but something close to
it. With the piston at or near TDC, there is very little
motion of the piston in relation to the crankshaft rotation
and, as a result, it is not easy to establish the exact TDC
of the piston. You might be off as much as 5° on dif-
ferent tries.
An exact TDC determination using a "Piston Posi-
tion Indicator" is possible. There are store bought types,
but you can make your own piston position or top dead
center i n d i c a t o r from a piece of wire and an old
shielded spark plug with its guts punched out. Me-
chanics have been using such a device for decades. The
hollow spark plug shell screws into the cylinder and
serves as a very convenient support for the inserted
indicator wire. Minute movements of the wire indicator
are observed more accurately from this steady base.
(Figure 4.)
4. Set the crankshaft at the proper position for firing
No. 1 Cylinder. After you have found the TDC position,
back off the crankshaft 30 to 40" and then begin to come
back slowly in the direction of rotation until you reach
the prescribed number of degrees ahead of top dead
center (BTDCHas specified by engine manufacturer).
When this position is reached, you are ready to mate the
magneto to the engine.
5. Rotate the magneto shaft to the position where the
No. 1 distributor block lead is ready to spark. Different
magnetos have different features built-in to assist you
in establishing the point where the magneto breaker
points should be just beginning to open (ready to fire).
On some magnetos look for a marked tooth on the
distributor gear which shows up in a small window in
the cover of the magneto at the drive end.
or
There may be an opening in the distributor cap
through which the position of the distributor finger may
be seen . . .
22 FEBRUARY 1976
DIAL G R A D U A T I O N S
"FOR E A S Y REFERENCE
. B R A Z E / W E L D OR SILVER SOLDER
TO SHELL
REMOVABLE PIN 1/8*
OLD SPARK
(SHIELDED
PLUG
TYPE)
KNOCK OUT CENTER COR
WIRE
LENSTH
INDICATOR
TO SUIT
r s' 4
FIG. 4.
PISTON
TOP DEAD CENTER INDICATOR
or
In some cases there may be matching lines on the
distributor gear and magneto housing.
or
The magneto may have a step cut on the timing col-
lar secured to the cam.
or
If all else fails, install a spark plug wire in the No. 1
distributor block opening and cause the magneto shaft
to be rotated until that lead sparks when held close to
a metal ground. (This could be a shocking experience if
you are not careful.)
Now, with both the crankshaft and magneto position-
ed to fire No. 1, install the magneto on the engine and
draw the bolts up snug, not tight. Rotate the magneto
in both directions as far as the elongated mounting
holes will allow. During this rotation, check the breaker
points to see that they open and close. If not, the magneto
will have to be removed and its drive shaft turned slight-
ly before reinstalling for another check.
As a final check rotate the magneto in the direction
opposite to the normal rotation until the breaker points
are just opening. The exact moment of opening may be
determined by using a feeler gage (.0015") or a thin
piece of cellophane. ( D a d d y , what's cellophane?)
Insert the cellophane between the breaker points and
rotate the magneto case slowly by tapping it while main-
taining a slight pull on the feeler gage or cellophane
strip. It will begin to slip as the points are just beginning
to open. At this point, stop and permanently tighten the
mounting bolts, as your timing is complete. The other
magneto should be timed in the same manner but using
different firing position if applicable. Next, hook up all
the other spark plug leads. The number 2 distributor
lead of the magneto goes to the second cylinder to fire
and not to No. 2 cylinder, etc.
If both magnetos are timed to fire at the same crank-
shaft position, you can check their synchronization with
the cellophane strip as described before, by inserting
a strip in each magneto. Rotate the engine crankshaft
backwards about 45° and bring it back in the normal
direction slowly. Both sets of breaker points should open
simultaneously.
Don't be surprised if the engine starts easily and runs
good . . . you probably expected otherwise but Murphy's
Law once again proves you're wrong.