Remy Mangeto Help

[AVS619]

I have a circa 1909 Remy Model L magneto off my 1909 Regal that needs to be repaired. This is an early Remy (see photo attached) made of brass and bronze not a later pot metal one. I think it needs rewinding but not sure. My car is useless without the magneto. Is there any magneto expert that will repair this one for me. No hurry I just need it to work again. I have a complete spare parts Model L. I know that there appear to be a curse on the Remy by magneto people but please can someone help (my wife is ready for me to sell my brass era cars because of this). Please email me at brasscars@charter.net or call me at 920-648-3067. I will be forever in your debt. Tom  

[padgett]

Just a thought but didn't Harley and Indian use magneto ignitions into the 60s ? Some aircraft did also. Might keep the original for display and use something else for tours.

[John348]

2 hours ago, padgett said:

Just a thought but didn't Harley and Indian use magneto ignitions into the 60s ? Some aircraft did also. Might keep the original for display and use something else for tours.

 

Mr P,

Great suggestion however I think you must have missed this part of the problem from the OP's statement (see below)

 

3 hours ago, AVS619 said:

My car is useless without the magneto. 

 

Edited May 24, 2016 by John348
spelling (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

There are a couple of people in NZ that rebuild magnetos if you can't find anyone close to home.

 

Some racing cars use them. E.g. in the Wellington street races in the '90s, the M3 BMWs were using them. One failed and Doug rebuilt it. Next thing they were sending him brand new magnetos to rebuild coz his were more reliable than the factory!

[TerryB]

Look for a place that services magnetos for antique farm tractors. They might be able to work on yours.

 

Terry

[capngrog]

Most, if not all, reciprocating aircraft engines use magnetos, and the upper end (lower E.T.) dragsters also use them.  I would check with either source because I'm sure there is someone out there who can help you.  I'm not familiar with brass era cars, but I am a bit familiar with machinery of that era.  Machines of that era were necessarily relatively simple and were relatively easy to work on.  Almost anything of that era can be rebuilt, and such specialty items as bearings etc. should be available.

 

Good luck,

Grog

[JV Puleo]

I think you guys are missing the point. There are plenty of people who repair magnetos but virtually none of them will work on a REMY mag... largely because the later ones are made of pot metal and fall apart. They are, effectively, unrepairable. Add to that  the complete lack of NOS parts and they can be a real headache. I'm certain it is repairable, but it will take some imagination on the part of whoever does it.

 

The drive spindle of almost all brass era automobile mags is 45mm from the base, which makes them nearly all interchangeable, since the usual method of attaching them is just a strap securing them to the engine. I would find an off-the-shelf, later 4-cylinder mag to use for the time being while looking for someone to tackle the job. It might also be a good reference point to measure the effectiveness of the rebuilt with.

[Dandy Dave]

Send it to Marks Magneto. Usually these old mags need a new Coil and Condenser then it will run for years again. http://www.ironmemories.com/business/marks-magneto-service

[thegreendragon]

Try----Standard Magneto Sales Co.

4119 West Grand Ave.

Chicago, Ill. 60651-1897

773-235-2010

fax 773-235-2996

[Akstraw]

I agree with JV Puleo above.  Unless you are a stickler for keeping the car all as original, you can just try another brand of magneto instead of the Remy.  I have good luck with the Bosch DU4.  I also have a Dixie 40 as a backup, but finding one of those with a solid white-metal frame can be challenging.  You do have to be sure that the one you get is set up for the same direction of rotation as the original.

[HarryLime]

Mainleymagnetos.com in Maine has a web site. There are people that will work on old mags. Too many old aircraft, motorcycles, and autos use magnetos for this to be unsurmountable. If the frame, as you say, is in solid condition it is repairable. Polar inductor magnetos have the coils in the armature and the capacitor. it's very time consuming to rewind an armature, thus costly. But you haven't tested the coils for viability. I think most repairers will want to rewind the armature to give you a solid guarantee. The capacitor in the armature SHOULD be replaced due to age. That part too is a part of a good guarantee.

[avantey]

Is the Remy a low tension mag?  If so it is almost impossible to find a shop that will work on one.  I have looked all the country for someone to rebuild a Splitdorf off my 1913 Studebaker.  Most shops will not touch a Splitdorf and end up admitting they don't work on low tension mags at all.  They all say no demand and the repairs don't last well tarnishing their reputations .

 

I ended up taking mine apart myself and it is in pretty good shape.  I found the bearings are a standard bearing item called "magneto bearings" with a 35mm OD, got the magnets recharged at a starter rebuild shop and I am having the distributor base plate repaired by an expert machinist.  The advance/retard arm broke apart at the linkage hole (old diecast).  It has a pancake style condenser as the top member of the frame that only shows 1 mf capacitance.  I am looking for a fix for that now but it is about 3" square x 1/4 thick and impossible to find.  I may have to add newer round style condenser by soldering it to this one for ground and attaching the lead to it instead of the lug on the pancake one.  This will be hidden inside the magnets and hardly noticed I hope.

[Dandy Dave]

Yes. Two things stop us from knowing what a mag needs and doing it is winding new coils. And finding, or making a condenser that will work for the next 100 hundred years. Some of the common crap coming from foreign countries just does not cut it. I have replaced a few coils and condensers in common mags and have found a negative result. Maybe I should start a company that supplies only suitable parts? But then, Would I be able to find a suitable supplier of good and raw materials that has nor been kicked out of business by the EPA in the good old USA? What a vicious cycle! Dandy Dave! 

Edited May 27, 2016 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)