OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Engines Magneto Repairs on Villiers 412 required ?

Hi Gizmo,

Firstly thanks for your willingness to help out here as I must admit Villiers is a whole new ball game to me.

My engine is a 4 stroke, side valve engine.

Now today I've managed to open up the ignition cover as the screw that holds it plus the points into position was one of the most unbelievably tight screws I've ever had to undo without damaging the slot in the head which had been previously burred a bit.
Now from what I've worked out the flywheel is undone and that in itself pushes the flywheel off the crankshaft. That nut that you undo must somehow come out of the flywheels so as to be able to remove the thin ally plate that covers the two openings in the flywheel casting which gives you access to the magneto assembly so you can make the required adjustments with the flywheel on as the points can't be adjusted without the flywheel as it has the cam lobe on it that the points are driven off. Hope I'm making sense here.

Anyway here are some photos to show my dilemma about removing the centre nut that will allow access to the magneto in its working position and get the timing set up correct.


The Flywheel with the centre nut and the cover plate (green)

Showing the access thru the Flywheel that I can't remove.

The timing mark on the Flywheel, there is also the corresponding mark on the top of the backing plate (not pictured)