what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

[VanDy]

think there are any good parts in it? for $18 i guess I'll be finding out.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Eisemann-Tractor-Magneto-AM-4-/161574324004?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=amWTKScjwqfoUBq4x2wUEaBvbiw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[wlas]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

I've got some Eisemann mags I would love to get rid of, PM me

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

That was a base mount mag but if you got it (or if someone else here did) get with me and we can determine if the parts are good for our planes. The capacitors are getting VERY hard to find but I bought a tester and have a few of them. The points and coils are also getting hard to find. Even small parts are valuable to those of us who want to keep the old Eisemanns alive.
I am gathering Eisemann parts to try to rebuild them so if you have parts Larry, please let me know. If I don't buy them I can help you distribute them to those who need them.
If anyone has any of the special tools to work on Eisemanns I would like to hear from you too. Especially the tools for the impulse parts like the spring winder. I have made several special tools but that one has me stumped.
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

That was a base mount mag but if you got it (or if someone else here did) get with me and we can determine if the parts are good for our planes. The capacitors are getting VERY hard to find but I bought a tester and have a few of them. The points and coils are also getting hard to find. Even small parts are valuable to those of us who want to keep the old Eisemanns alive.
I am gathering Eisemann parts to try to rebuild them so if you have parts Larry, please let me know. If I don't buy them I can help you distribute them to those who need them.
If anyone has any of the special tools to work on Eisemanns I would REALLY like to hear from you too. Especially the tools for the impulse parts like the spring winder. I have made several special tools but that one has me stumped.
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

The spring winding, I can do it by hand, but it hurts!

I've sent a PM to wlas because like Hank, I love these mags and I want to keep them going.

Coils can be rewound (using the original cores...and if we have the spec).

Condensers are simple & proprietary; it's just the geometry to get them to fit in the mag case, which means de-soldering the housing & re-soldering a new condenser to it. But they're probably from a 1936 Buick anyway.

Rob

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

There is supposed to be a guy in England who can take the condensers and rebuild them but I haven't found him. He evidently does it for old English cars that used strange shaped condensers. If you come across him please let us know.....and for the rest of you guys, DO NOT THROW THEM AWAY EVEN WHEN THEY ARE BAD!!!! Someday we may be able to rebuild them. I have a guy here who rewinds coils but he doesn't have the specs. We have been trying to reverse engineer them but specs would be MUCH better! I am also looking at a way to replace the actual contacts on the points but so far it is EXPENSIVE.

One improvement that is needed on the Eisemann is a way to adjust the advance of the points so the E gap could be adjusted, but it would probably screw up the certification. I have an easy way to do it, but the FAA would go nuts.

Hank

Yea, I tried to wind the spring without the tool too and it was a mess getting all the blood out of the Mag. ;-)

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

There is supposed to be a guy in England who can take the condensers and rebuild them but I haven't found him yet. He evidently does it for old English cars that used strange shaped condensers. If you come across him please let us know.....and for the rest of you guys, DO NOT THROW THEM AWAY EVEN WHEN THEY ARE BAD!!!! Someday we may be able to rebuild them. I have a guy here who rewinds coils but he doesn't have the specs. We have been trying to reverse engineer them but specs would be MUCH better! I am also looking at a way to replace the actual contacts on the points but so far it is EXPENSIVE.

One improvement that is needed on the Eisemann is a way to adjust the advance of the points so the E gap could be adjusted, but it would probably screw up the certification. I have an easy way to do it, but the FAA would go nuts.

Hank

Yea, I tried to wind the spring without the tool too and it was a mess getting all the blood out of the Mag. ;-)

[flyguy]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

A few years ago I rebuilt my LA-4's with good results. I presently have a good-sized box full of LA-4 parts. I would be hesitant to let any of them go just now as I never know when I may have to work on them again.

I do still have all the dead parts and might be interested in getting involved in making re-manufactured coils and whatever. I think in the end, the points may turn out to be the real proverbial straw. Not sure how they could be fixed.

I wonder if Fresno Air Parts (easy trip from here) still has points. That is where I got mine. I never thought to ask the owner how much stock he had. So far mine seem to be holding up good as the drop is only down about 50 rpm.
Darryl

[VanDy]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

I saw it was a base mount, but figured for $5 I'd give it a shot and hope there were a couple of good parts in it. If not, that's ok too. WLAS is going to send me some pictures, If I pass on them, I'm sure he'll let you guys know.

[VanDy]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

But I do have a couple of cores, so you never know, maybe able to make one

[lawheelock]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

I flew behind Eisemanns fpr 48 years and never had any serious problems. First in my BC12D from 1964 to 1969 and in my Franklin powered Stinson from 1968 until I converted it to a Lyc O-360-A1D 180 hp in 2012. Total time behind Eisemanns north of 4,000 hours
I have a large collection of new and used Eisemann parts and have always bought every reasonable priced ones I could find at the AeroMart at Oshkosh or on e-bay.
A recent Trade-A-Plane which still carries Fresno Air Parts full page ads lists most parts for the Eisemans. Only AD is on the coils. Fresno lists new coils, new condensers, and new points but not the platnium points. My LA-6 mags on the Franklin had platnium points; and I ran them probably 3,000 hours without ever changing points. The only problems I ever had was condensers causing intermittent problems from heat and one distributor block getting an arc track between towers probably cause by a little dust and oil.
Much easier to work on than Bendix, no need to fool with egap or timing assembly. Only mechanical problem on the LAs (shielded) is the wire studs for the ignition wires locking up the wire nuts and spinning in the plate for the distributor section.
Love them!

Larry Wheelock, A&P/IA BC12D under repair; '46 Stinson 108 since 1968 now with O-360

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

Are any of you guys bidding on the AM-4s on Ebay? I was looking at them for parts. Anyone here selling them?
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

Are any of you guys bidding on the AM-4s on Ebay? I was looking at them for parts. Anyone here selling them?
Hank

Ah...I might be bidding . Hank, I'll send you an email.
Rob

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

Anyone know who is selling? One of us? If Robert buys them I wouldn't mind testing the Capacitors before they cross the pond and inspecting the points. I just want the components to end up available in the Tribe. If the seller is in the tribe, it may be open bidding, but I will refrain from bidding against one of us if it is an outsider.

Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: what say ye, good buy? Eisemann Am-4

Anyone know who is selling? One of us? If Robert buys them I wouldn't mind testing the Capacitors before they cross the pond and inspecting the points. I just want the components to end up available in the Tribe. If the seller is in the tribe, it may be open bidding, but I will refrain from bidding against one of us if it is an outsider.

Hank