Someone please tell me the good and bad things about a magneto...just purchased a boat with one in it..BBC..lots of power..don't know zip about mags...
well its spelled magneto but there great i like them the no alternator just be careful because when the cap gets wet (depending on if you have the condom on or not) it will start misfiring and could possibly foul spark plugs just my expirence with them.
the other downside is that they take many horsepowers to spin, and can be hard on the cam gear. 'course, if you have lottsa extra horsepowers like pattymelt, you would have plenty to spare
Someone please tell me the good and bad things about a magneto...just purchased a boat with one in it..BBC..lots of power..don't know zip about mags...
First, using a timing light, (I know the buzz box preference), and see if there is any advance when the Rs are raised. Some Mags are "locked out", meaning all the advance is in the initial setting and this MAY lead to hard cranking and damaged starters and ring gears. If the mag seems to advance with RPM then it has an advance curve built in. These are the things you'll need to know to set your timing. If the motor seems OK take a look at the timing (initial) as it sits, and write it down for future use. The nice thing about mags is you don't need to know alot about them for them to give you years of good service. If it is self contained, (no external transformer) it just needs the one wire, and that wire is only used to ground it to kill the motor. No ground and it is HOT, ready to run as soon as it turns, but does not require any battery voltage unless it has an external transformer,(coil). Mags are very reliable, and by their nature treat the other ignition componants very well. Spark plugs will last forever, rotors and caps, although expensive, (DO NOT USE 4N JUNK), will also last a long, long time. ...........MP
PS: get a cover for it. AND the wiring order is very tricky if the wires all come out one side, and the numbers on top may or may not mean anything............enjoy.........Oh, AND don't let someone talk you into a trade for some newer type distributor with a bunch of sirens and bells on it...........
If you have a mag...and you later need to replace to plug wires..is the type of plug wire and size of great importance...do you have to use a plug wire that is specific to that magneto...thanks for your reply Moneypit
If you have a mag...and you later need to replace to plug wires..is the type of plug wire and size of great importance...do you have to use a plug wire that is specific to that magneto...thanks for your reply Moneypit
Well, yes and no. Most of the Vertex caps accept 7mm wire. The cap end is just cut square and pushed in to the proper depth and the pointed "set screw" will puncture the insulation and hold the wire in place. I would recommend the "make 'em" yourself set with the correct "plug end" already on the wires. The hard part is figuring out which wire goes where in the cap. I've done it alot and still screw it up now and then. If you measure, cut, and install them one at a time you shouldn't have any problems. I would stay away from the resistance type conductor wires and go with the stranded wire wires. Mags don't put out a lot of voltage. I think the Vertex is like 24K, but it is 24K at an idle and at 10,000 RPM. The amperage climbs with RPMs but the voltage remains the same. This is the reason the associated parts last as long as they do, constant voltage..........IMO, the mag is the simplest ignition system you can get, and when they're right they never, (or seldom) fail. Unlike the "hotst totsy" stuff out there today..........Remember to verify the timing curve or lack of it, and to note where the timing is NOW, write it down somewhere. Oh, and make sure it is grounded before screwing with it. Just a simple act of slight rotation can and will "light up your life", 24K worth.......Also any tach or kill switch you choose to use will have to be mag friendly, standard ignition or the eletronic type stuff won't work.....MP
Magneto's have been treating us right!
MP..you mentioned that regular guages like a tach will not function with a mag...you need a special tach...what type..also do all applications with a mag have to have a kill switch...is it necessary or just for safety...also on every mag is there someplace to identify the manufacture of that mag..you talked a little about the wiring...did I understand you correctly when the plug wires should be solid core rather than stranded..also is it important to use non-resistor type plugs or what type of plug is best..thanks..Tittyman
Non resister plugs - solid core wire- plug gap 020 - ground wire switch to kill it.Ill never ever run anything else!!!! Best thing to do is send it to don zig and make sure everything is good and tell him the application so he can set it up. it will last a long time!!
This boat has the orginial tach still in it...what type of tach do I need or is there some type of conversion module you can buy so the original tach works..
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