Contact breaker gap? ML MCK1

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- Simon Taylor
  
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posted
19 years ago

Mon, Aug 9, 2004 12:04 PM

Hi all,

The Lister B is going well, and the sawbench is nearly finished, but I have not had time to acquire the new "Engine house" or "prefab double garage" to the rest of you! so the sawbench is living it up in my summer house at the moment.

Per ML instructions, I have gapped the plug on the B to 20 thou (0.5mm) but the manual states that the contact breaker gap should be set using the gauge on the magneto spanner. I don't have the spanner and so setting the gap was a bit of guesswork. The engine starts and runs ok but being a bit fussy myself, I would prefer to have the gap set correctly. Does anyone know the correct setting?

Thank you all in advance,

Simon Taylor

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- Chris Bedo
  
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posted
19 years ago

Mon, Aug 9, 2004 3:03 PM

Simon,

With all gaps and timing, we personally prefer to use trial and error. All mags are a little different, add that to the fact that most a pretty worn and it makes for a lot of variation.

Just my thoughts of course!

Regards

Chris Bedo Kent UK

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- J K Siddorn
  
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posted
19 years ago

Mon, Aug 9, 2004 6:58 PM

I agree with Chris, especially as some magnetos in their dotage will not spark at all with the maker's gap, but will run happily for years with a reduced gap at both points and plug.

If it were me, I'd experiment with the gap at an event, as it will be a good opportunity to fiddle with carb and mag settings after it has thoroughly warmed through to get the best out of it. I had a great time with my P2 compressor at the Lister-Tyndale a couple of years ago, experimenting with plugs and carburetion, finally getting it to run very reliably on an extended nose NGK (BP6ES, I think) and a whiff of partially choked throttle. Whilst not compressing purposefully, it is VERY overcooled (hand on the barrel fins after four hours running indicates a pleasant warmth!) and a pale grey plug colour will do it no harm.

It was an interesting struggle as the inlet tract is so long that changes to the carb setting don't take place straightaway and it can take up to a minute to settle down again.

Regards,

Kim Siddorn,