Magneto ignition for street use

[airkewledzook]

Just curious if anyone has any experience with using a magneto ignition on a volksie for a street driver. I've seen them used for racing, aircraft conversions and industrial applications on the upright engines but I've heard they don't work well on the street so I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with actual experience.
And please mention which kind it was.
Thanks for any help.

[Gearfinger]

Put simply, a magneto is a long step back in time and has no up side in use in a car today. That's why you don't see any vendors selling new Chinese made VW Magnetos...

[Glenn]

Checkout Joe Hunt on the web.

https://www.huntmagnetos.com/
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[madmike]

They are 'Hard' on the Brass drive gear for the street ,,
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[flatfour]

I had one on my old race car and then switched it over to MSD. Magneto sounds good in theory but there are better options for street or race.
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[rugblaster]

The obvious reason to use one is if you don't need or want a starter and a battery. Not practical for a street car, I would suppose. They use them on airplanes though. If you have ever been "hit" by one, you'll remember it.
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[Gearfinger]

Use on aircraft is by FAA requirement. The engine must have redundant self contained ignition systems seperate of the aircraft electrical system.

[atticus finch]

[jeffrey8164]

It’s also my understanding that a magneto has no advance built in so it’s really an all or nothing type thing. Great for engines that run pretty much the same RPM the whole time.
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[gwal]

I ran a mag on my 12 sec street car for 4 years with absolutely no issues what so ever, it ran like a champ!

and just to be clear some mags do have an advance mech, just like a dizzy,

cheers

andy

[oprn]

The FAA redundant requirement does not apply to homebuilt aircraft which is where converted VW engines are used. Weight savings is the big one there and I have never heard of a brass drive gear failure on that very critical application. It is true though that they run much more steady state.

[KROC]

Don Zig prepped Magneto in my 2275 Patina car. This Mag came out of a Swiss industrial engine, originally with no advance curve, Zig rebuild the guts and was able to get 18 degrees of advance out of it. the curve is from 900 rpm to all in at 2600 rpm, I wired in a 5 prong bosch relay to ground the unit when I turn off the key ( so no extra toggle switch to shut off engine )
Tons of spark energy engine revs cleanly to 7000 rpm plus.
I may purchase a rev limiter/ tach adapter from ECT rev limiters some day.
Will it wear out my Brass distributor drive gear? I could care less as I tear my engines apart every winter trying new combinations of cams heads etc... If it wears I will replace the silly thing 😜

[airkewledzook]

Thank you for the replies. I was not aware of Don Zig.
FWIW my interest in a magneto is to have a self supporting ignition.

[tommiebsmith]

Does anyone know if Don Zig is OK? I have spoke with him about 5 times
At the end of 2019 waiting for him to get to my magnetos now in the last
4-5 months I can not get a hold of him ??

[Ohio Tom]

[k@rlos]

My mate who’s also my engine builder has been running a magneto on the fk89 & ida fed 2276 in his street/strip car for years. MSD & Mallory etc are gonna be better Overall but it suits his cars image and it runs consistent 11’s so must work alright

[oprn]

Tough to get past that old mindset of "it works on the drag strip so it's gotta be right for the street" isn't it?

[FreeBug]

As far as gear wear, I just have this to say: that magneto was probably not just off an industrial engine, but off a military industrial engine. Those things are portable, have arms which swing out and lock into place for six, and compress air, generate electricity, or pump water, depending on the model (the generator is the coolest, it has a starter motor )

What I'm getting around to saying is this: it is critical that they be dead reliable, and dependable; those things are built to last.

[oprn]

I would definitely consider a magneto for an off road Buggy that I was planning on doing long back country trips with. Carry a crank and you will be coming home no matter what happens electrically!

As for on the street, there are so many better options out there!