Engine timing

[Willie B]

There's another similar thread running, I don't want to hyjack.
My antique International Farmall M doesn't get a whole lot of use. With Covid it has been only out of the shed for exercise.
Last weekend we held the local antique tractor pull, I was running out of power before I lost traction. It is magneto ignition. Seth went through the magneto, suspects springs are weak on the flyweights, otherwise it is good. Point gap was .001 & it ran better.
Some research revealed this 1940 tractor has a 1949 engine. Newer engine would have a hydraulic pump between the mag & the gear train. It was firing at low idle ATDC, & there wasn't travel enough in the adjustment to set it at manual specs.
Moving the Mag drive gear one tooth makes it fire too far BTDC, again, beyond the available travel. Someone has cut the adjuster slots trying to get more travel.

What should I do now? Adding a hydraulic pump with no hydraulic system, it'll run dry.

 

[Vetech63]

If there is a fix for this, its here!

 

[Willie B]

If I understand, distributor ignition uses battery power to energize the primary winding in the coil. As the breaker points open, the current through the primary stops, magnetic field collapses. Lines of magnetic field collapse to cut across the secondary winding, inducing a brief surge of power in the secondary winding. One direction or the other electrons flow from coil through distributor to a spark plug, across the gap & back through the engine casting to the coil.

Magneto doesn't use a battery, so it generates power through permanent magnets moved through a coil. A mechanism winds a spring then snaps to speed the motion intensifying the magnetic field in the primary winding. Points opening still collapses the magnetic field around the secondary winding. Meanwhile condenser prevents point burning.

Did someone narrow the point gap from the .020 recommended to change timing?