Last Saturday, we had a shouty old man demanding information at the library. He needed help with the ignition system on his snowblower. If you read that post, you may recall our inability to help due to a lack of information. He came back yesterday, and it was time for some professional reference librarian Google-Fu.
DO NOT WANT! Image credit (again)
Based on the serial numbers he was able to provide from the snowblower and engine, I am fairly certain the whole contraption is older than I am. It uses points ignition, and he wanted to get a diagram of the inside of the ignition coil showing how everything was supposed to work.
I was informed that he had already been there the day prior, too, but Monday is not part of my regular work schedule, and he left disappointed. Apparently my Y chromosome makes me automatically the library expert on mechanical questions in the eyes of this geezer, but I only know enough to muddle along as it is. Unfortunately, that still probably makes me the relative expert among the remaining staff. I wouldn't be surprised if @generikat would have been able to rebuild the thing in her sleep.
The engine manufacturer changed hands a couple times after that particular one was built, and finally went out of business over a decade ago. The model itself certainly predates the modern era of nice PDF manuals online anyway. After sifting through some illegibly-pixilated scans, I finally found a decent technician's manual, and printed off 9 pages of ignition system troubleshooting data with decent illustrations.
The Saturday pain spike has subsided a bit. I'm still worse off than normal, but I am functional, and I made it through today better than I survived yesterday. It was back up toward 5 when my shift ended then, but the Shouty Old Man isn't really to blame for yesterday's issues. I'm only up to about a 4 today. Progress!