Re-assembling and testing QD20 Johnson 1959 coil/condenser/plug wires/points

[Mr. Matt]

Greetings I finished re-building the carb and fuel tank, and started on the electrical. The coils were original and no good, decided to replace coils, points, condenser and plug wires. I found all parts, including solid core plug wires. I removed the magneto plate to route the plug wires and placed it back on, then noticed the word "Top" on the cam. I also have a few other questions:

1) Is there a mark on the plate that should align with the word "top" on the cam?
2) Where do the leads from the kill switch connect? Probably the points, but I want to be sure.
3) I bought a Sierra (Zhangferd?) coil(s), they have one green and one black wire. One goes to ground, the other goes to points, which is which? The black wire is on the top of the coil and I have seen it being used as a ground in videos, but green is a universal color for ground.
4) Will placing/pulling the flywheel result in the correct position the coil clearance? Or do I place/pull, mark the location of the coils and then move them in just a bit?

When I re-built tank, I replaced two "O" rings for the female end of the fuel line. Should the same be done on the connection at the engine?

I'm still having run with this project and have learned quite a bit, thanks for the help!

 

[racerone]

The cam can be put on upside down.----Therefor it is marked with " top "-------And it only fits one way with the key.----Green wire goes to the points.---Making sure it is the correct set of points too.----Top secret file------on these pages you can find information about the " universal magneto " and the fixing of it.

 

[Mr. Matt]

Thanks for the advice. I did not remove the cam. More to the point, I was asking if there is a correct position for the magneto plate when putting it back in place. Four screws secure the magneto in place and the screws thread into a ring that is held in place by a retainer, which is also bolted to the engine. This ring floats in the space between the retainer and the engine, until the plate is screwed to it and snugged up.
Because this ring floats until snugged by the plate screws, it means that the plate can vary somewhat in position. As the cam location is determined by the keyway and it has the word "Top", I was wondering if the plate should be snugged up relative to the word "top" on the cam.
I checked the secret files regarding the magneto and did not find this mentioned.

Do you know where the kill switch leads (2) should be attached?

 

[racerone]

It does NOT matter.-----The 2 black wires from kill switch attach to the 2 black wires coming down out of the magneto plate.

 

[F_R]

Don't over think this stuff. The retainer plate can be any position as long as all four screws enter it. Lubricate that stuff VERY sparingly with an EP grease. Too much will splatter out and foul the points. TOP just tell which side of the cam goes up. Kill wires go the the points. Make sure all wires are tucked back to avoid contact with the flywheel. You either have to make a way to hold the cam down while adjusting the points, or else adjust them though the flywheel hole. Make sure the shaft is not in position for the cam to bang into the points arm as you lower the flywheel onto it. Finally, make sure the points are slid back even with the machined edges of the posts they sit upon, or flywheel magnets will rub against them. This is probably the most often seen mistake.

 

[Mr. Matt]

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[tjandrews]

Don't over think this stuff. The retainer plate can be any position as long as all four screws enter it. Lubricate that stuff VERY sparingly with an EP grease. Too much will splatter out and foul the points. TOP just tell which side of the cam goes up. Kill wires go the the points. Make sure all wires are tucked back to avoid contact with the flywheel. You either have to make a way to hold the cam down while adjusting the points, or else adjust them though the flywheel hole. Make sure the shaft is not in position for the cam to bang into the points arm as you lower the flywheel onto it. Finally, make sure the points are slid back even with the machined edges of the posts they sit upon, or flywheel magnets will rub against them. This is probably the most often seen mistake.

Um, don't you mean the coils should be slid back even with the machined edges?

 

[lindy46]

Make sure the shaft is not in position for the cam to bang into the points arm as you lower the flywheel onto it

I put a small strip of cardboard between both points to keep the rub block from interfering with the cam when lowering the flywheel. Then just pull the cardboard out through the inspection ports when the flywheel is in position.