The aluminum retaining ring should be flat side up and just needs to oriented so that the holes in the ring would align with the mount holes in the magneto with the top cylinder coil toward the front of the motor. I’ve never known what the notch in the retaining ring was for. When you install the flywheel is the magneto plate free to rotate? One time I got things all bound up when I installed the magneto and had the throttle link arm folded up under the mag plate. See attached pic to be sure the link arm isn’t folded underneath and making the mag plate and flywheel sit high. Abother possibility might be a bad taper on the flywheel hub. I had one with a wallowed taper where somebody had installed a shim piece in the hub in an attempt to fix it – see pic. The shim piece made the flywheel sit high on one side. Finally, is the flywheel key properly aligned and engaged?
Bob
1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1955 Johnson QD-16
1957 Evinrude Fastwin 18
1957 Evinrude 3022
1958 Johnson QD-19
1958 Johnson FD-12
1959 Johnson QD-20
1982 Evinrude 25hp
“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."
