Lucas NC1 manual??

[FerG3]

Having just purchased a 1965 G80CS that appears to have developed a weak and erratic spark, I would like to go through the usual suspects - checking contacts, spark, slip ring, points etc. Its NOT the spark plug - changed that to a new Brisk plug. No spark and even earthing through me, it only makes me wince occasionally and not a lot! So, magneto. However, being used to the maggies on my older Matchlesses, I am staring dumbly at this NC1 competition magneto and wondering how to tackle it! How to get at the points and slip ring, etc, and for the life of me I cannot find instruction notes on an NC1 after searching Google. I always like to have a little knowledge before I muck things up! Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[Rob Harknett]

Had a quick look, here's 1965 AMC Lucas parts list. http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Ele ... C_1965.pdf Seeing just the parts may help.
Not sure if N1C is here. http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Ele ... EBUILD.pdf

[Groily]

Full data on these mags are contained in the Lucas service books for mags. They can be studied in various places. I am on holiday with just a mobile phone to attach me to reality, but one source would be in the Library section of brightsparkmagnetos.com. I'd send a link if it wasn't an ergonomic nightmare on a diddy key pad and using intermittent 4G.
The N1C uses the contact breaker and camring system found on K series magneto (single cyl camring obviously) and the points etc come apart pretty easily. Stripping the armature is harder though, if you have a duff coil and / or condenser. The C armature is different at the cb end from the standard N1 because that uses a 'face cam' points arrangement which attaches differently. All the differences, and all the bits, with part numbers, are in the lists from Lucas. The exact year is pretty irrelevant, although there were detail changes.

[dave16mct]

There you go: http://brightsparkmagnetos.com/library/ ... Pt%20A.pdf
Dave

[FerG3]

Thanks, both of you. I had looked up your previous reference to Brightsparks but their manual does not cover the NC1 and its also less than clear anyhow, if you have never had one of these competition mags. If someone could post a description of how to access the points and slip ring that would be great. It LOOKS like you just undo the hex nut on the end?? Its possible the points have just slipped closed.

[dave16mct]

Yes unscrew the end but don't use a spanner, just grip the outside knurled ring and unscrew. The slip ring is under the pickup (2 screws) and from (bad) memory the earth screw is under the Lucas label.
Dave

[FerG3]

Well I checked the points which seem to be gapped OK and cleaned them with wet and dry. Checked HT connevtions and swapped plugs, still no spark. I took off the pick up which is quite oily and likewise inside it looks quite oily......should it be dry? I would assume yes! Anyhow, I cleaned the slip ring which looked clean, if oily and cleaned the brush......still no spark. Oil seals gone and maggy contaminated to be u/s? The symptoms were, it was starting very well, then misfired a couple of times on a quick run round the block, then was hard to restart then would not start, spark on plug looked thin and intermittent, now no spark at all. I understand the engine has not had much use of late before I got it.

[39speedtwin]

I had the same problem with mine on a 53 G80 CS, it was bought from a well known repairer in the Midlands (I won't name him) as being fully rebuilt. It packed up after 2 years and about 1,500 miles.
Another member who bought one on the same day also had to have it repaired.
Gave it to my usual repairer (Somerset), it was full of oil because the wrong oil seal had been fitted etc.
Repaired promptly and 6 years later still working well.
So I would advise sending it to a recommended repairer.

[FerG3]

Who is your Somerset bloke? I have used Tony Cooper before.

[39speedtwin]

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