REFLECTOR: new electronic ign.

[Jim Sower]

<...need two spark plugs per cylinder because it is too big to combust 
properly with only one ignition point ...>
Perhaps, but it's pretty well documented that a Lyc with one electronic 
ignition system and the mag powering the other plugs turned off runs 
better than the same engine with two mags.  Two electronic ignitions is 
better than one, but one alone is better than two mags.

Who told you mags fail by degrees?  All of the mag failures I have 
encountered were sudden

I agree that redundant ignition is a requirement, but many EI systems 
have redundant processors and a coil dedicated to a plug.  Worst failure 
is a coil, so you lose one hole - processor failure requires you to 
switch to the other side and continue the march.  If two plugs per 
cylinder were required or even helpful in a modern engine, modern 
engines would have them.  Anything that improves performance or 
emissions is adopted immediately, even if it is expensive.



Brian wrote:

>Mags do not have a lousy spark. They need two spark plugs per cylinder
>because it is too big to combust properly with only one ignition point,
>especially a 540. And you need two ignition units because anything can
>and will eventually fail. Electronic units fail instantly instead of
>running rough like an old style mag.  bg
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>Behalf Of Scott Derrick
>Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 10:15 AM
>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: new electronic ign.
>
>  
>
>>Try and remember: you do not have two mags because they give better
>>ignition that way - they give lousy ignition the day you install them,
>>and go downhill from there. You have two mags because one of them is
>>*certain* to fail. One electronic unit provides better ignition (saves
>>    
>>
>a
>
>While I agree that mags are much more failure prone than an EI and that
>one of the reasons for two is redundency in case of failure.
>
>Mags have a lousy spark and you will not get full power with just one. 
>two are required.  Even with EI's two plugs will provide a more complete
>burn and more power than one.
>
>Scott
>
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