[AT] Antique tractor tool advice needed

H. L. Staples hlstaples at mcloudteleco.com
Wed Feb 2 10:31:10 PST 2005


Grant--Not sure but I doubt that the pickup is a magnet, most likely the
inductive clamp consist of soft iron laminations rather than a permenant
magnet. 

I suppose it is possible that the Xenon tube has with age become eratic in
its flashing or some other component is tired.

Sorry I'm sure that this will not be much help.  
 
H. L. Staples
McLoud, Oklahoma
USA
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Grant Brians
Date: 02/02/05 11:17:41
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Antique tractor tool advice needed
 
All, I have a very on-topic need that I want to ask about. I have a timing
light I bought about 30 years ago for use on gas engines on my cars, trucks
and tractors (all over 40 years old now!) It has given me excellent service,
but I did not use it for four or five years and then I went to use it again
recently. I discovered that it does not any longer consistently light it
should.
    The timing light is a high quality inductive pickup type light and I
have cleaned the magnet, checked the springs to assure that the pickup is
fully around the spark plug wire and verified that all of the wire
connections appear to be fine. I have not opened up the sealed wires to
verify that with a meter, but I see no evidence to believe that is
necessary. When I thought about this, it seemed that there might be a
possibility that the problem is that the magnet has lost its magnetization.
Does this seem like the best possible analysis to the list? And if so, how
best can I remagnetize this pickup without damaging the light itself.
    I should mention that the light itself (a neon bulb) lights just as
brightly when it does light as ever, and that there does not seem to be any
pattern to the lack of lighting that I can determine.
    Thanks in advance to all who offer thoughts on this challenge.
        Grant Brians
        Hollister California
p.s. I have an Oliver that could really use this to be working so I can tune
it.....
 
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