MTFCA Forum

The magneto on top you can see that the coating is broken off a little. Should I put something on it? Also while I'm here fishing out an aluminum cotter pin from the bottom what else should I do while the hogs head is off?

If the magneto is working just put a sealer on it for now.

It looks like someone daubed some kind of goop over old, existing damage. Note the old carbon deposits on the copper winding. Anything you put on the oil soaked winding will probably come off sooner than later. I'd be concerned about loose flakes of the goop that has already come off being in the oil pipe or in the dip pan and the area around it. I'd make an effort to see that all loose material is out of the oil pipe and crank case and turn the engine and look carefully at the magnets for metallic fuzz or bits of wire, etc, and remove any that you find. I'd leave the coils alone, and carry a battery for backup ignition in case the magneto fails, which it may or may not do. I don't know if loose material in the oil could reach the valve spring area, but it would be easy to remove the covers and remove any foreign matter that may be in there.

The chunks that fell off I found in my transmission screen a few weeks ago, the oil was fine when I drained it too. But if I were to put something on it, what should I use as a sealer? And how can I clean off the oil and junk without damage? Electronics parts cleaner?

Several applications of contact cleaner might do it. I'd think it would be a challenge to get anything to stick to that. But if you could get something to bond to it, it might help prevent more of the material from flaking off. When the coils were originally potted, everything was clean and dry, or it should have been. The problem now is oil saturation, carbon deposits, and perhaps moisture. Brushing or scrubbing the exposed coils would be likely to cause a short.

Lucas, You might try Glyptal (or Glyptol). It's used inside engines and gear boxes. BUT, the surfaces MUST be CLEAN, really clean.
In looking at your photos, the red stuff may just be Glyptal.

Good Luck.

I'd spray it down with brake clean then touch up with glyptol.

I think the coating is what was put on it when it was recoated. Looks like it’s coated with electrical motor winding paint. Probably Glyptol was used to recoat the mag ring after it was cleaned up. It’s probably the original mag ring that hasn't been rewound or coated with varnish. If it’s working don’t worry about it. Clean it up put glyptol it until the engine is pulled for repairs or a rebuild.

I would leave it alone.

It looks like there is wrapping tape under the read coating. If it's original, there is a good chance that it is cotton. It will be almost impossible to get it clean enough to get anything to stick to it since its been soaked in oil for many many years.

Is this the original '17 engine that was "updated" for an electric starter ? From the field coil damage, it's possible "stuff" had previously been tossed around to cause it. That doesn't appear to be a starter field coil as there is no notch for Bendix clearance.

I'd definitely want to add a transmission cover screen and check it every couple of hundred miles for loose debris. It's always a good idea when changing oil to drain it (hot) into a clean pan and then check for excess debris in the oil.

Just my opinion:

In the past I rebuild a few engines and about 50 magneto coilrings.
For me, the only right way to make the magneto work as it should be is to rebuild or replace the coilring.

All the short cuts are just temporaly and will go bad.
Band debris will get stuck between the coils.
The debris will charge with small metal dust and will short the coilring.
Photos will follow.
One of the coilrings (double oval) was looking good but didn't work. While testing the ring out of the engine it get fire.

Good luck
Andre
Belgium

I've never seen an aluminum cotter pin. bobt

Make sure to also check the internal (and maybe external) oil tube(s) for junk.
Clogging that will shorten bearing life.

Mike

What we have here... is a failure to insulate!

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 12, 2025 4:33 pm

Is this the original '17 engine that was "updated" for an electric starter ? From the field coil damage, it's possible "stuff" had previously been tossed around to cause it. That doesn't appear to be a starter field coil as there is no notch for Bendix clearance.

Yes my t should not have a starter but it does, the previous previous owner put it in and also did the classic fix to flip. The cut corners show here and there in some repairs.

Is glyptol similar to liquid electric tape? Or should I just try to track some down? I am aiming to put it back together today or tomorrow because the weather is clear and I keep the car outside and covered for lack of a garage, if I wait I'll get rain and won't be able to work.

Mike Silbert wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 13, 2025 8:19 am

Make sure to also check the internal (and maybe external) oil tube(s) for junk.
Clogging that will shorten bearing life.

Mike

How do you get to this inside tube, the outside one I can remove and clean but idk where the internal one is.