Happy New Year Everyone! I realize this is not really a 'For Sale' but I am intending purchasing an 'NOS' Scintilla magneto for a VW engine that was on a drag car for a short period before it blew the engine apart. Does anybody know much about them and can I use it on an 1835 or 1915 etc...does it use stock ignition leads bla...bla...thanks.
AL

Errr.....
Not too sure why you are insisting on a magneto unless to be different or you are getting it for nothing?

They "used" to be really modern and wonderful things a long time ago when reliable high energy electrinic ignitions that would happily run to high revs were not readily or cheaply available to build or buy!
There is no advantage running them now against virtually any electronic ignition.

Even the humble EA TAI (transistor assisted ignition) triggered with standard points would perform as well unless you were looking at perhaps 10,000 rpm or more!!!

Maggies rely on olde fashionede points to trigger and are prone to missfiring when any crap gets onto the points. The primary circuit operates at very low ampereage and due to this low current, cannot burn off oil fumes and dust off the point contact faces.
Furthermore, you may be more than likely have non-standard points/rotor/dizzy cap to source and have as spare. Dunno here tho.
Another wonderful trait is that maggies make pinching the car a complete doddle as the maggie coil -ive has to be held to ground to provide "ignition off"
Make sure you wire in a ignition switched relay with "Normally Closed" contacts or a concealed kill switch in to the dizzie case to points/maggie wire to help prevent it being started without your permission or when your working on it!!

They will run pretty much any leads you have altho the usual clobber is wire cored leads.
Have fun bloke
L8tr
E

Ask Dave, http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=16476  :thumb

Thank you very much for the reply...there goes the idea. It was just for that 'retro' look I was after.
Cheers,
al

Werent they just for stationary engines? I think you need to modify them for a street engine that runs at varying rpm!

Steve

Don't give up; follow lugnuts' link in the previous message; Dave Becker is making very respectable horsepower from a 2176 with a reasonable compression ratio, using a Scintilla.

Dude
I didnt want to sound like I was raining on your parade with regards to the maggie, however' if its the "look" you are after then go right ahead so long as you dont pay too much for it.

Just ask yourself the question is the bulky, non-stock look of it worth the money you may have to unload into it?

It is certainly true that you can get performance out of them and there are plenty of engines out there that still make respectable power with just stock points/coil.

But from a performance versus economy view, there are a myriad of alternative "modern" ignitions that will easily out perform a maggie at often a fraction of the cost, and on all fronts.

L8tr dude
E