Thread: Ready for this?

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It's a similar motor to our model air plane motors. The ever popular Zenoah G-62 3.7 cu in uses a magneto. Does not have points or condenser. Looks almost exactly like the 1st picture. Very Very reliable. I ran mine for 13 years in a giant scale Corsair and never had a single problem with it. I still have the motor and I'm building another Corsair that hopefully will last untill I can't fly it any more. haha

You are right about the magnets in the flywheel. The timing is fixed at about 28 deg. Some are a bit less. You have to use a very "smart" flip of the prop to start these. 22-24 inch dia props. Kinda picture laying your lawn more over on it's side and hand starting it. haha You have to flip the prop over at 400 rpm to make the spark work right. We use a welding glove and sort of slap it. Usually 3 flips and it runs. one to choke it, one will get a "pop' unchoke and one to start. Works almost every time.

There are battery operated after market ignition systems for these and other "gas" motors. All are at least one step below the magneto systems as far as reliability. Battery, contol box, pick up, wiring, switch etc more stuff to fail. In some motors the CD idnition is all that is available. They are a bit lighter weight. And they start much easier as they have a built in advance/retard. They usually start at 5 deg BTDC and have electronic advance to 28 deg or so. Some you can manually preset the total advance but I have forund 28 deg works almost universally.