Magneto or Coil ignition

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alanjennings
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by alanjennings »

Replace your battery! A Dead one puts strain on your charging system. Buy a decent one, I found a Matt jell battery stays up when not in use and require no maintenance- had one 6 years and still going strong,
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Duncan
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Duncan »

When running a Magneto and Dynamo you have two things to go wrong (does any one disagree that generally in current use dynamos appear to give more grief than alternators?), so therefore suffer twice as many problems hence the misplaced reliance on alternatives.

I run both coil and magneto ignition systems (obviously on different bikes) both work fine but the coil gives easier starting and smoother tickover (as this is the weaker range of a magneto) an important consideration as we all get older and have less “kicks” in us during a starting session.
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Pharisee
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Pharisee »

Some would say that my G3 has the worst of both worlds... coil ignition and dynamo charging.
I bought it as a basket case with a number of parts missing. It's basically 1953 and originally had a dynamo and a magneto. Unfortunately, the dynamo was missing and the magneto was corroded beyond economic repair. I bought a 'long' dynamo from a vendor on eBay and had it suitably shortened and completely rebuilt by Paul Dunn. I had the bottom end of a later, coil ignition 500cc AJS engine kicking around in the garage so I rebuilt the G3 with the camshafts, timing chest and points plate from that. The coil is fitted below the top frame tube under the tank. It has a new 9aH 6v AGM battery and has so far performed faultlessly. She's far from being 'original' and rivet counters would have a field day but she's a joy to ride and that's what I built her for.
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spookefoote1956
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by spookefoote1956 »

Ditto: Dynamo and Thorspark. Works though. Rivet counters are more than welcome to find a rivet. :rofl:
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Greybeard
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Greybeard »

Ive no experience of the Thorspark gear, but having now read about it, it seems like an eminently logical choice should a magneto fail and as such will be on my shopping list
My '61 G80 still runs perfectly happily on its original points/coil system and has been trouble free for the 25 years since I rebuilt it - Ive not had to change the condenser yet and the points have needed to be reset no more than 2 or 3 times (I did replace the A/R springs which had slackend off after 65,000 miles and nigh on 60 years). Having said that, the Gammatronix system looks like being an economically viable option should the time come for condenser and points replacement.
My M31DL had already been converted to a Boyer Brandsen set up before I bought it, along with a 12v conversion. It has been faultless and is always a first prod starter in any conditions.
I shall continue to run the mags until one of us no longer functions ;) - if its the mag that gives up first I would definitely choose the cheaper, and possibly better option. Coupled with LED lamps, running as a total loss system should the dynamo chuck its hand in whilst out and about would be no problem.

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spookefoote1956
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by spookefoote1956 »

I would have rebuilt the mag but that was not economically viable for me. Once I sussed out the instructions for the Thorspark, my brain was not in a good place at the time, it was easy to install. I know I had a thread that went on for ages about my woes with the TSpark but like I just said my brain was not in a happy place and simple to follow instructions were proving complex for me.

My thoughts are that if my bike fails I call the RAC. That's what I pay a lot of money each year to do should I need. Haven't so far.
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Pharisee
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Pharisee »

spookefoote1956 wrote:
My thoughts are that if my bike fails I call the RAC. That's what I pay a lot of money each year to do should I need. Haven't so far.
Don't rely on them... Twice in the last year I've had need of their services. The first time, the kept me hanging on for nearly an hour and I still hadn't got through to report my breakdown ("Please hold... your call is important to us!!!" but not important enough to answer!). In the end, my phone battery went flat. A friendly passer-by phoned a local recovery service for me but it cost!
The second time... very similar. Couldn't get through to anyone so after half an hour of trying, I phoned a mate who was able to borrow a pick-up and come and fetch me. My renewal is due very shortly and I will take great pleasure it telling them exactly where they can stick it!
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1608
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by 1608 »

All you get with the AA and RAC is a load of unwanted sales pitches for holidays etc. and junk male. I'm with Green flag with my car/caravan and been very quick, and my bike insurer has on several occasions been very prompt using a local garage to wherever I've broken down.
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clive
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by clive »

Duncan wrote:When running a Magneto and Dynamo you have two things to go wrong (does any one disagree that generally in current use dynamos appear to give more grief than alternators?), so therefore suffer twice as many problems hence the misplaced reliance on alternatives.
And an alternator and coil is only one thing to go wrong? :o
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by SPRIDDLER »

With coil ignition vs a mag the extra wiring, corroded or loose connectors, faulty coil and A/R unit and intermittent switches seem to be common weak spots.

I've seen a few AMC machines with the best of both worlds IMHO: Mag ignition and alternator charging.
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