1962 650 SS Magneto or Distributor
- Thread starter pierodn
- Start date
So sorry, never seen around here!
My 66 Atlas K2FC was completely rebuilt (322 GP spent) from Brightsparks Magnetos.
I would send to him also my 64 K2F of my Matchless G15 MK2, for an overhaulling.
But they dont reply anymore to my mails.
May be they closed eith their job?.
In case, who other can operate on Magnetos?
Thanks
Piero
I would send to him also my 64 K2F of my Matchless G15 MK2, for an overhaulling.
But they dont reply anymore to my mails.
May be they closed eith their job?.
In case, who other can operate on Magnetos?
Thanks
Piero
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I can find out, as he went to Cambridge University, as I did, a long time ago. He has a very good reputation for his work.
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The Magneto Guys - Vintage, Veteran, Classic Magneto Repairs
Most of the work we do involves magnetos as fitted to Veteran, Vintage and Classic machines. This includes all types of Stationary Engines, Tractors, Boats, Motorcycles and Cars ranging from the most simple generator sets through to exotic racing machinery. Customers include individual owners...
But I do not try them , just bought some spares and they were helpfull ..........
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I have got a response from Bill very quickly today. He doesn’t understand why Piero is having difficulty. I have given Piero his personal email. Jan.
robs ss
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My understanding is really not much that would effect function.
The FC has an alloy cover, with rubber seal over the points in place of the F bakelite.
The FC, I believe, also has different HT lead pickups. They are screwed on instead of held in place by leaf springs on the F.
Early on the FC had a larger drive end bearing (18mm) but I think all had this size later on.
I don't believe the F had "kill-switch" brush on the end of the shaft like the FC.
The overall effect is better quality and more waterproof - though not as waterproof as the K2FR (wader) which had rubber boots etc to protect the points. The FR was used on trials and ISDT machines and their ilk.
texasSlick
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I cannot add any more than what robs ss has given, except the "C" referred to "competition".
I have heard Lucas used a finer gauge wire on the armature, thus gaining more wire turns and thence greater voltage, but this may be a myth.
Slick
I have heard Lucas used a finer gauge wire on the armature, thus gaining more wire turns and thence greater voltage, but this may be a myth.
Slick
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All Norton 650ss to 1966 were fitted with Lucas K2FC magnetos witch are the best and are very easy to rebuild just follow the instructions in the Lucas Instruction booklet and ever magneto is dated to the machine it was fitted too, has for Joe hunt and BTH electronic mags I have seen many fail to the owner's surprise whereas my Lucas magneto as never fail me and not even in a very heavy thunderstorm at speed over 80mph on a motorway even steam was coming for the engine it was raining that hard but not one engine beat was lost for well over forty miles in the heaviest rain I have ever encountered even modern bike where breaking down in this heavy rain So I have nothing but praises for Lucas K2FC magnetos and I have owned Nortons and others for over 50 years Now
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Money is better spent on the magneto rebuild then any electronic devices witch are a misconception as they all work from a leak link the battery which can fail at any time even new batteries can fail
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Thinner wire than regular !
May be complete BS but...
The story I heard was ...
The regular armatures would have up to 3 breaks allowed in the HV coil winding- stripe and twist together and continue.
The competition would not allow any breaks in the HV wrap wire.
I know how hard it is trying to wind the hair thin wire. I finally quit after many attempts.
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However for the price of one magneto rebuild. you could buy batteries for easily... 30 years @ 5years each.
I'm with Anna on this one. Not from an economical perspective but from the perspective of someone who has toured with an old bike with modern ignition and a modern charging system.
That combination has been anything but bulletproof. In fact it has been the Achilles heel on my Vincent and much the same for others I've toured with. Last trip it was a friend's Vincent with modern EI that failed. The black box went kaput and there was no fixing it roadside. Other times it has been the charging system that failed for someone ( 3 times for me)
Then there are electrical system short out, poor connection and so on.
Not that Lucas mags are perfect, but if rebuilt properly they just seem to work.
The lovely thing is they will keep the engine running and get you home even if the rest of the electrical system has melted and fallen off the bike.
Points/ coil and EI arent so happy when that sort of thing occurs.
Glen
That combination has been anything but bulletproof. In fact it has been the Achilles heel on my Vincent and much the same for others I've toured with. Last trip it was a friend's Vincent with modern EI that failed. The black box went kaput and there was no fixing it roadside. Other times it has been the charging system that failed for someone ( 3 times for me)
Then there are electrical system short out, poor connection and so on.
Not that Lucas mags are perfect, but if rebuilt properly they just seem to work.
The lovely thing is they will keep the engine running and get you home even if the rest of the electrical system has melted and fallen off the bike.
Points/ coil and EI arent so happy when that sort of thing occurs.
Glen
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Pretty much agree, however....
Who in north america can actually do this? almost nobody?
Ask Slick who did his mag? One of the reputedly BEST in the country .
It had to go back for a "freshen up" or his bike was not going down the driveway unless pushed?
That is why I do my own mag overhauls since around 2001...if I screw it up...I fix it!
Bad harness'? since 1987 I saw one bike develop a failure from use. A MKIII commando developed a broken wire in the harness at the steering neck. 160,000 miles!
Anything else has been from outright neglect and lack of simple maintenence.
I had a wiring harness go at the steering head at about 120,000 miles, so, it may be more common than you think.
I had 4 charging system failures in 55,000 miles on the Vincent.
3 were modern charging systems, one was the original.
All were hundreds of miles from home.
A good mag would have made life easier on those occasions.
I also had the Commando charge warning unit fail about 400 miles from home. That was fun. Again a good mag would have been lovely.
We have a good guy for mag and dynamo rebuilding here in Vancouver.
He rebuilt my Super Rocket mag, works great.
Glen
3 were modern charging systems, one was the original.
All were hundreds of miles from home.
A good mag would have made life easier on those occasions.
I also had the Commando charge warning unit fail about 400 miles from home. That was fun. Again a good mag would have been lovely.
We have a good guy for mag and dynamo rebuilding here in Vancouver.
He rebuilt my Super Rocket mag, works great.
Glen
On the Vincent with a magneto you can only really start the bike on the back cylinder........
As for the charging system, what were the faults?
ashman
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Anna I am a big fan of Joe Hunt maggies and have clocked up a lot of miles using them on my old 81 Triumph Thunderbird with the 2 rare earth magnets (for over 9 years and 250K km clocked up with the JH) and now over 8 years with my Joe Hunt with the 4 rare earth magnets on my 850, both maggie's hang off the side of my motor and not behind the motor, on both bikes I have run through some very heavy rain without any problems at all and the only place water can get in is the front cover but I have never had any problems there as my gasket is well sealed, so far the JH on my 850 I haven't touched it, I have a spare tune up kit at home but so far haven't had the need to replace the point or condenser, I pull the front cover off when doing a service on the bike but so far have only put a few drops of oil on the felt pad for the point's cam and the original point's are still good, I never file points as that takes the hardening of them, I only give them a clean in some white spirt and so far I have clocked up over 30K miles with the JH on my Norton, not many compared to the JH on my old Triumph but I do also have 2 modern Triumph's I ride.
On my project Manxman bike if the Lucas Maggie fails I won't hesitate to put a new 4 rare earth Joe Hunt on it even behind the motor.
Ashley
