Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

DM · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 209 Location: North Cornwall

I have been looking out for a 3 electrode ignition spark gap block for ages,
could not find one to buy so made my own.

badhuis · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 1191 Location: Netherlands

What use does this have?
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:34 pm Post subject:

This isn't something I've come across before, I'd be interested to know more about it.

DM · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 209 Location: North Cornwall

When bolted to this 50's Octopus test bench -

I can test run a magneto from 0 to 6000rpm, which means I can check-

Minimum speed the mag will spark at
The advance curve
Points bounce
Wear on cam to make sure all cylinders are timed right
Spark voltage

I can also warm the mag up to make sure it still sparks when hot

The Octopus can test dynamo's, alternators and starter motors as well

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 21707 Location: UK

Very interesting, not unlike the rig that my mag was tested on a few years back.

RJ
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Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

RogerB · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:50 pm Post subject: Octopus test rig

DM,

I write articles for several classic car club magazines and I would like to write about the test rig you have. Is it possible I could have a photo of the rig and a bit of information about?

Thank you,

RogerB

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 21707 Location: UK

This was the unit that little Dodge's mag was tested on, you can just see one spark jumping between a pair of contacts

RJ
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Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

DM · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 209 Location: North Cornwall

alanb · Joined: 10 Sep 2012 Posts: 514 Location: Berkshire.

What a wonderful piece of kit, looks like it should belong in a 50s sci fi film
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old tourer

Morris 8 two seater

RogerB · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 5:03 pm Post subject:

DM,

A very impressive piece of equipment.....!
Any chance of emailing me a copy of the photo please; I feel an interesting article coming on.....!

RogerB

DM · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 209 Location: North Cornwall

Ony took me a year but found space at home for the Octopus.

Testing a mag shows up erratic spark and excessive sparking at the points, then loses spark at 1400rpm.

Hopefully fitting a new condenser will sort it.

And another little ongoing side project
A pulse magnetiser being made from a cut down spot welding transformer

DM · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 209 Location: North Cornwall

I have got the magnetiser working, using parts I had lying around I ended up with a 500 volt DC supply.

That give me over 90,000 ampere turns, experimenting with it I managed to reverse the poles of a horseshoe magnet and then put it back to it's original polarity.

Need to get a gaussmeter before I try it on a magneto magnet as I would like to be able to measure any improvement in the magnetic field.