OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Reel Lawn Mowers, Atco & Villiers etc. old jap motor

Hi all,
After borrowing a coil from a Villiers two stroke and testing it on my old jap pump I have come to the conclusion that the magnets in my flywheel are no longer sufficient to generate a spark. I am wondering whether there are any tricks on how to re magnetize. it is only 2 of the 4 magnets and I have already tried rubbing a heavy magnet over the flywheel with a little result (I guess it is a bit like rubbing two sticks together). Is the key to keep rubbing till I get a strong field or should I look at something else?
Also is it possible to donate to the forum without using PayPal as I don�t agree with the slice they get!
Thanks allot any comments appreciated!
Regards jay

I think you are asking a lot trying to remagnetize that way. You need to use a very strong field, which you won't get from an ordinary magnet, and I'm not at all sure it can be done with the magnets already installed in the flywheel. I'm thinking in terms of using a really serious electromagnet, and probably doing it with the magnets separated from the flywheel. However I've never done the job, or seen it done.

Before you conclude that your magnets are too weak, you need to be sure that you have the points opening at the exact point of maximum rate of flux-change as the magnet passes by the coil. Remember you are looking for the maximum rate of change, not the strongest flux. If you have all the right parts in an engine, you achieve this just by setting the breaker points correctly, but when you don't have the right parts or don't know the correct point gap, you have to do it by trial and error. I've spent more than an hour doing it with an old Villiers engine on an Atco mower when I didn't know what the gap should be. Even then I finished up with a pretty average spark.

Thanks for your response!
First off I tried disconnecting the points just to see if i got anything, and a 1/2 dozen good magnetos off various engines later I have concluded that it most likely the magnets in the flywheel because one set of magnets won�t even hold a screw up side down!
I have had success with large electromagnets out of a big electric motor before but I no longer have any access to them.
Thanks again,
Regards jay

If nothing else if you have a points setup, you could use an ignition coil from a car and 12v source for the time being.