lucas mag question

[63a10r]

can a person run a lucas k2f manual advance mag on a 63 a10r engine set up for an auto advance mag? can it be converted? i found a deal (on one that is newly rebuilt) i cant pass up and need one anyway, sooooooooooooo.........................
 im hopin it can be done, because i have an auto advance instrument that needs to be rebuilt.
 speakin of that, what should i expect to pay to rebuild (or have rebuilt) a lucas k2/

[fido]

Yes, it will work but ideally you would also change the drive pinion for one without the auto advance mechanism. I think the more sporting versions of the A10 had manual advance anyway. If you use the manual advance with the auto mechanism you could perhaps have the cable/lever fitted but just tighten down the friction screw to prevent lever movement. Alternatively you could leave off the cable etc but devise a means of fixing the camplate in given position. If you had the cable and lever but were still using the auto advance it would certainly make it easier to set the ignition timing as you could fine tune it with the lever position then tighten the lever screw. My A7SS had manual advance and I used to set it slightly too advanced so I could get it pinking then retard it and use that lever position rather than fully out ( on mine it was advanced with the cable tight but I'm told they normally operate the opposite way).

[LJ.]

I dont know about converting auto/manual but I do know that it is easy to rebuild the K2F mag yourself. You only need to send away the armature to be rewound as this is nigh impossible to do at home. As for the rest of the mag... Well, there is hardly anything else to do other than to just make sure that you have insulating gaskets between the mag body and bearings each end, you can make these up yourself and seal in with bearing seal as I did and so far after a few thousand miles it all has worked very well. I'm assuming here after re-reading your post that it is the magneto you intend to re-build or is it the auto advance unit?

[Caretaker]

Hello, converting is no problem: the correct mag, a cable, a lever and a fixed drive pinion.

One "detail", with a properly working auto advance one does not encounter the risk of breaking a leg, by forgetting to pull the lever before kicking, as is a possibility with the manual (I learned quickly to not forget 3 main things: the side stand, the breaking distance, the manual retard    . As to sticking it in full advance or whatever position that does not give a good retard at engine start, one better be a good kicker, and the bike better start easily!

Good luck

E.

[fido]

Hello, converting is no problem: the correct mag, a cable, a lever and a fixed drive pinion.

 As to sticking it in full advance or whatever position that does not give a good retard at engine start, one better be a good kicker, and the bike better start easily!

Good luck

E.

I was only suggesting locking the manual lever in a fixed position if the auto advance mechanism were being retained, in which case that would be providing the retard for starting.

[Caretaker]

.... just wanted to be sure I had warned whoever have not (yet) experienced the horse kicking ! I have a Yam xt500 that is ready anytime to put me in hospital for 14 days if I do not follow the exact kick procedure. The a10 is not that bad, but I'll never (again) forget to get the timing lever right before starting the engine.

btw, I like all these levers and stuff on the bars. I'll post an updated pic of my "view" soon.

E.

[63a10r]

i wanna thank you guys for showing patience to an a10 virgin. havin thought it out a bit more, i think i would have to use a timing cover that has provisions for a manual adjustment. ( see the picture of the a10 engine at the top right hand side of this page.) im building a bobber. for this i have had to commision a reputable frame builder to build me a rigid frame for my pre unit motor, seein as how its damn near impossible
to build a decent lookin rigid out of a stock a10 swingarm frame.
  anniehooo....., i also like all the levers and stuff. keeps my head in simpler times. i was thinkin of using this arrangement to add an eccentric touch to the bike. i want to put a lever directly on the timing cover, much like a h-d jockey shift. and as for bikes that kick back, i had a years experience (or is it inexperience?) with a 69 xlch sportster, kick only, magneto fired, hi compression ironhead mule with a bad attitude. i paid those dues in spades!
this is the bike im trying to build, but with an a10 mill.
 

[a10 gf]

Adjusting the advance manually from the timing side with the engine running won't be an easy task  If you find a way of doing that let us know! (what you see on the pic is the tacho drive). You have 2 options for advance\retard, it's the auto drive pinion, or a mag with moving cam + cable on the points side. (electronic kits exist too, so it's 3 options actually). The triumph special looks great.

E.

[a10 gf]

So, the view from the drivers seat. The left advance lever is ready for finger use at all times, but mainly stays at full retard at start & idle, & full advance at any speed. (choke lever is never used, the tickling always do the job, and it runs somehow rich). BTW, nice old watch and watchholder ?

Regards
E.

[dpaddock]

Runs rich? Check for correct float level first.