[charlie]

Whenever I rebuild a Villiers magneto I always change coil, points and condenser at the same time. That way I only have to set timing once rather than numerous times after changing one component at a time.

[charlie]

Whilst at the South Cerney show this weekend, a young lad (12) visited our club stand. He is an avid collector of lawn mowers ands is looking for an Allen Champion.

[charlie]

Who is the village idiot in the silly hat???

[charlie]

“That’s the point I’m getting a great spark to earth without the plug attached but nothing when the plug is attached”
With the plug out of the engine and firmly clamped to and making a good earth contact with the engine you should get a spark with the plug lead connected. If not there is a problem with the plug, what is the plug gap it should be 0.025″
You will not get a spark across the plug gap if the metal body of the plug is not adequately earthed.

[charlie]

That really is looking very good.

[charlie]

Looking at the third photo it would appear that either the points are missing or you have the electronic magneto see Villiersparts.com for photographs of the replacements they can supply.

[charlie]

Yes, if you get a good spark from the end of the lead to earth or at plug when it is out of the engine and connected to plug lead and earthed it should work.

[charlie]

This restoration (conservation) illustrates the range of skills needed in our hobby. I spent the day cutting clear polycarbonate sheet to make covers for the sectioned Monrotiller gearbox as featured in the forthcoming August issue of The Cultivator.

[charlie]

I have never tested for a spark in the way you describe in the last part of your post ie “Plug cap to plug terminal no light.” All I do is test plug lead to a good earth on engine, then connect plug lead to plug and hold or clamp plug to a good earth on the engine.
You will not get a spark from plug lead (cap) to plug terminal when it is screwed into the engine as there is no earth path, the centre electrode of the plug is insulated from the engine and can only spark across the plug gap. What you are doing is introducing a second gap in series with the plug gap, the attached sketch illustrates this.

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[charlie]

I managed to find some old style woodscrews online a number of years ago, unfortunately I did not make a note of the website, arghhh.

[charlie]

I will be there, planning to arrive Thursday pm to help set up club stand.

[charlie]

The Green Spark Plug Company is a good pace to look, see Lodge BN

[charlie]

I have had a look in the workshop manual for the Mk10,12 and 15 and can see where the confusion has arisen. The Mk10 and Mk12 had 18mm plugs, the Mk10/1, Mk10/2, Mk12/1, Mk12/2 had 14mm plugs. See attached copy of relevant page from manual.

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[charlie]

What engine is it, Villiers Mk10, 12 or 15 or is it something else, they did have other engine options?
Without going out and checking my machines I can’t remember what plugs I currently use, but NGK A6 rings a bell. I have one at least one machine, a SIMAR, which has had a thread adapter fitted taking size from 18mm to 14mm.

[charlie]

I have used villiersparts.com several times and would recommend them. Good quality new Viliers coils

[Author]

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