Has anyone run a Magneto on their VW?

I bought one to have a play with, It has been fully serviced and the advance has been recurved to give 22 degrees advance at 3000 rpm. But it has been sitting for 20 years unused.

I need to know what type of plug leads to use?, I tried a set of new standard leads to check it, seems to only have a small spark when cranking the engine, do the magnets go off in these things?

Yes Ben I know,
But its interesting trying these things! Keeps it simple I guess.

yeah i had a chat with a guy about magneto's as i had one as was also curiose about it.
they do "go bad" after a while and i think u do need particular leads with some...
u should get a large shock from hand spinning it and shocking yourself, otherwise its not workign right.
they were only used on high revving cars or work engines right !?

Hey Dave. My brother is running a late 60's stationary motor complete with magnito in his beetle.
Definitely need the proper magnito leads that screw?? into the top. Standard leads apparently don't have sufficient insulation or something.
Runs OK just with the built in mechanical advance. Need a stop button fitted though
Not sure what he's timed it to though.
:thumb

[Edited on 17-8-2003 by Andy]

I have been playing with the magneto, got it fully sorted and on the engine, Yes it makes a big difference on the top end and much smoother than the 009 and compufire.

Took it for a blat up the road before I hooked up a kill switch (you need to earth it out to stop the engine) 1st gear 2nd, flat change to 3rd and 4th, 90mph +, mmmmmmm, no more road, better back off, ooohh the accelerator is stuck too the floor, thats not good!!!, I can't turn this thing off!!!!. hard on the brakes(4 wheel drums). thinking what am I going to do?, beter click the seat belt and see if I can pull the pedal back. Lucky it worked.
Back to the shed in one piece.
Man my knees are still shakin':o

Told ya so
Fit the kill switch mate :thumb
Great to hear it works well otherwise. Look forward for some more info how you went when your knees stop shaking.
So did you go back to the original leads, what motor is it on etc?

Skewy, when are you coming down to test that magneto for me?

That's what inquisitive pets are for

It's on a 2176 with street eliminators and 48 IDA's.

I had to fit some Top Gun leads, that seemed to fix the small spark when cranking the engine with the starter.

I am trying to fit a relay so the Mag earths out when you turn the ignition off, but I need a relay that works the opposite to a normal relay,(makes a circut when power is off).
I made one from a normal relay, works fine on the bench but weird things happen when fitted to the car and it only works sometimes, can't work it out???? will try and buy the proper thing.

My brother had the same problem. He decided it was easier to hold the stop button to turn it off.
The motors are a little different though. He is running the industrial motor straight in the beetle.
Sounds like a great machine, and good to hear the Mag does a good job in there.
:thumb