Has anyone installed this with their MS coil?
I am finally getting to it. But I am surprised not to see any images online of the installed product.
Looks like the coil attaches to their fuel pump ' block off ' plate . But does the coil mount actually go around the fan belt and the coil hang out there? Any images (and advice) would be great. It will probably makes sense once I have it apart.
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I just installed one with the coil bracket.
Motocarlo, if you're going for the 'original 356' look, why not try using your blue Bosch coil with the new dizzy?
That's what I'm doing and it works just fine.
CB says the Magnaspark is compatible with any normal coil. I think they encourage you to buy their coil to a) sell you more stuff and b) make sure you're using a good coil to start with so you don't end up blaming their dizzy for problems that might lie in your old coil.
If you think about it, most of our engines are just about as simple as car engines get. They shouldn't really need anything especially exotic for spark.
I think a lot of guys have problems with poor quality 009 knockoff dizzies delivering inconsistent, poorly-timed spark. They go off in search of something better and often end up buying way more complex (and expensive) ignition systems than they need.
I'm betting that old coil of yours will do the trick.
Sacto. Good advice. I will phone CB for their input. But I like the idea. So ...probably will go for it. Thanks!
That bracket cleaned up my engine bay some. Now I have room where the old coil was for an accusump. My list just gets longer.
There is a lot of bang for the buck with this dizzy. I just wanted to keep it simple.
After you get it installed, let me know how your tach acts. My tach jumps past where my engine is actually revving when I push in the clutch to switch gears. I do have the Chinese repop gauges. New ones are somewhere on that list.
Within about ten days after installing my Magnaspark I started having issues with my tach. It jumped around randomly then stopped entirely. It was a Chinese VDO knock-off installed at the VS factory when the car was built.
I say “was” because I shipped it to North Hollywood Speedometer for a rebuild. Excellent service, quality work, and ZERO issues since the rebuild at a relatively decent price. I opted to go the re-build route as the overall look of my dash didn’t change in the least; well, except for the tach needle functioning properly.
www.nhspeedometer.com
Thanks for all the input guys. Carlos and Mayo did you guys use the MS coil too or did you use your original coil like Sacto? I wonder if the tach dance is a result of the MS dist or the MS coil.
I used the MS coil. I guess I'll soon see if my tach follows the route of Mayo's. I might have to bump the set of gauges up the list some.
I am going to give it a try this week with the original Bosch coil and plan to call CB.
So .... I will report in my experience.
Working on classic cars reminds me of a story a friend told me.
He was changing the dead light bulb in his stove in the kitchen. It broke. Being an old stove he decided it was time to replace it. Then the new stove did not match the other appliances, so all new appliances. After that the ratty looking counter top needed replacing, floor, etc.... all over a light bulb.
Sound familiar? :-)
TheMayoMachine posted:Within about ten days after installing my Magnaspark I started having issues with my tach. It jumped around randomly then stopped entirely. It was a Chinese VDO knock-off installed at the VS factory when the car was built.
I say “was” because I shipped it to North Hollywood Speedometer for a rebuild. Excellent service, quality work, and ZERO issues since the rebuild at a relatively decent price. I opted to go the re-build route as the overall look of my dash didn’t change in the least; well, except for the tach needle functioning properly.
www.nhspeedometer.com
Mayo's link is busted:
https://www.nhspeedometer.com/
Sorry about the broken website link earlier; thank you @Robert M for fixing that. It was almost 3AM when I sent that post. Shift work has quite the impact!
I used the Magnaspark coil. I originally thought about mounting it on the fan shroud but it ended up tucked away on the driver side frame rail completely out of site.
On my first motor I upgraded to the Magnaspark kit which included their dry-pack coil. The dry-pack coil has a more consistent spark as well as a stronger spark.
On my new motor I also installed a Magnasprk dizzy and this time for the authentic look I used a Pertronix black coil. Of course to continue with the look of authenticity I added a Bosch sticker.
I utilized an original 356 oil canister and the stock mount for the canister and the coil.
"Sleepless in Fresno" wrote:
"I used the Magnaspark coil. I originally thought about mounting it on the fan shroud but it ended up tucked away on the driver side frame rail completely out of site."
Yup, exactly where I put mine. Nicely out of sight and runs a lot cooler there, too.
Depending on where you mount it you may have to adapt a plug wire to get a coil-to-disti wire that's a bit longer but it's worth the effort.
With the seeming slew of people converting to the MagnaSpark II on here, I'm seriously thinking of going from my 20 year old original MagnaSpark (it looks as if it was built from a 009) to the Mach II HEI version. Can't spend a tax refund any better, in my book, and gives me more options in altering the advance curve.
The madness continues!
I was going to order a spare cap and rotor but I don't see a replacement rotor listed. Anyone know what it takes?
Gordon Nichols posted:"Sleepless in Fresno" wrote:
"I used the Magnaspark coil. I originally thought about mounting it on the fan shroud but it ended up tucked away on the driver side frame rail completely out of site."
Yup, exactly where I put mine. Nicely out of sight and runs a lot cooler there, too.
Depending on where you mount it you may have to adapt a plug wire to get a coil-to-disti wire that's a bit longer but it's worth the effort.
With the seeming slew of people converting to the MagnaSpark II on here, I'm seriously thinking of going from my 20 year old original MagnaSpark (it looks as if it was built from a 009) to the Mach II HEI version. Can't spend a tax refund any better, in my book, and gives me more options in altering the advance curve.
The madness continues!
That is also where my dry pack first edition coil went. On the driver's side along the top of the frame rail. The Magnaspark kit that includes the dry pack coil has a very long lead that you cut and attach the end to yourself. This made placing the coil in a not so traditional location easier.
"Great minds think alike".
And then there are the rest of us who just do stuff willy-nilly.......
Gordon Nichols posted:
...I was going to order a spare cap and rotor but I don't see a replacement rotor listed. Anyone know what it takes?
After I got my Magnaspark II, about a year ago, when they were listing the dizzies, caps, and rotors as all being 'out of stock', I called them asking for a source for replacement parts.
They said they had a stock of caps and rotors on hand for customers with dizzies who needed parts.
Somewhere on the shelves at NAPA, there are probably exact replacements, but the info seems hard to come by.
Another Magna Spark II question.
Mine is installed, and I decided to use the original coil at first to see if the magna messed up the tach or not. If not, I will then try it with the dry coil that I got with the unit.
Here is the current question:
Can you static time the Magna Spark?
I prefer do that first to get the timing close, then dial it in later. But this time (with the MagnaSpark) the light does not go out.
(I was careful to make sure the old dist came out with rotor pointing at #1 and put the Magna in with rotor pointing at #1...etc.)
Hummm?
MotoCarlo posted:Another Magna Spark II question.
Mine is installed, and I decided to use the original coil at first to see if the magna messed up the tach or not. If not, I will then try it with the dry coil that I got with the unit.
Here is the current question:Can you static time the Magna Spark?
I prefer do that first to get the timing close, then dial it in later. But this time (with the MagnaSpark) the light does not go out.(I was careful to make sure the old dist came out with rotor pointing at #1 and put the Magna in with rotor pointing at #1...etc.)
Hummm?
@Pat Downs Would you be please answer this question? Thank you.
Sure Robert, I’m drinking wine in Paso Robles with my wife but I’ll put my glass down to answer the question😂
No, you can not static time the Magnaspark distributor, it used a Hall effect ignition module. I recommend using a timing light. Also, use the dry coil, it will give you improved spark output over your original coil.
Pat Downs posted:Sure Robert, I’m drinking wine in Paso Robles with my wife but I’ll put my glass down to answer the question😂
No, you can not static time the Magnaspark distributor, it used a Hall effect ignition module. I recommend using a timing light. Also, use the dry coil, it will give you improved spark output over your original coil.
I'm sure you had to put it down to have the sommelier refill it anyway. I hope you get an Uber. 
Thank you.
Thanks again.
So I have begun the conversion from an original Magna Spark to the “new and improved” Magna Spark II. I installed the original MS coil to the driver’s side rear inner fender panel and it looks like that must have been the very first thing I ever installed in the car because everything else comes in layers after that. Took me all morning to get it out and had to lift the rear bracket for the oil cooler to get at the coil mounting screws.
All that grief I gave computer designers over the years about “ease of serviceability”? Didn’t even give it a thought at the early stages of my build, I guess. I feel like the cobbler’s shoeless kids.......
Anyway, it’s out and I’m starting the dry-fit of the coil (using the billet mount replacing the fuel pump block-off cover) and disti so I’ll know how to modify my electrical harness. Moving that coil is a bit bigger deal than I thought, but it should be a lot more serviceable when done.
Enough for today, though.....WX is nice and it’s time for a bike ride!
After thinking about this on my bike ride, I have almost decided to put the coil on the left wall of the engine compartment, about where the old one was. Keeps it cool(er) and not a big deal running two wires over to the Disti and spaced away form the high voltage coil wire.
The downside is a longer coil-to-disti wire (about 16"), but that's the way it has always been so no big deal for me - I just use a #1 plug wire for a spare for everything.
Besides, it makes the engine look a bit less cluttered, especially with a much larger diameter disti in there.
Gordon Nichols posted:
...The downside is a longer coil-to-disti wire...
No worries, Gordon. Those electrons move pretty quick.
I know @ALB will be nagging you about the weight of the extra cable length, but you'll probably make that up by switching to a dry coil.
The length? What about the weight? Drill some holes in it.
"HOLY CABLE, Batman!" I can just see it. A cable that looks like mice have been chewing on it.
The MS II coil is significantly different from the original MS. The new one is smaller, as the original had a big, honkin metal bracket around it and was about the size of a Rolodex, but the important stuff is that the low-voltage connectors are at the opposite end and my harness won't quite reach. Just one more thing to be a bump in the road.
It should be easy to move some stuff around to reposition the coil for better harness access, but we'll see. It's a CMC, owned by an OCD pseudo-engineer who apparently does not practice what he preaches, so Lord knows how it might go. 
Robert M, your engine looks great. What are you using the oil filter canister for.?
(a filter... a vent...?)
@MotoCarlo - yes, that's his crank case vent / oil breather box.
Gordon, I'm pretty sure the low voltage wires are just wires - no special shielding or magic force field repellant properties.
Why not just put the coil where you want and extend the leads?
MotoCarlo posted:Robert M, your engine looks great. What are you using the oil filter canister for.?
(a filter... a vent...?)
TRP posted:@MotoCarlo - yes, that's his crank case vent / oil breather box.
As TRP said it is the oil breather box.
Great idea. Gonna do it myself.
Gotta ask . I see the upper line . The lower line out of the canister , does it have a y and goes to the 2 valve covers...? Or does it simply exit to the pavement?
It goes to a fitting that appears to be a part of the alternator stand or into the case. I'll look again later this week. I'm working a 15 hour day today so I won't have time until tomorrow or Thursday. I work another 15 hour day on Wednesday. Nothing is routed to the valve covers or is open to the air. Upper line comes from the oil filler neck.
Mitch wrote (on the other side of this thread): "Why not just put the coil where you want and extend the leads?"
And where's the challenge in THAT? Anybody could do that.
Besides, if I put it where I want, I now have the fused relay for the oil cooler fan in the way so that has to get moved before I can mount the silly new coil and then extend the leads and hook everything back up. I thought a lot about mounting it as Carlos did on his Spyder, even have the same billet mounting bracket that he used, but that is even more involved than doing what I'm doing (I think) so I guess I'll sleep on it and see what comes of that. I know....If all I'm doing is extending wires in a harness then it doesn't matter if they're 4" or 40" longer - It's the same amount of work, but I want to do this once and make it right.
Spent the afternoon driving diagonally through 90% of Rhode island (it's a wicked small state, so that only took about 40 minutes) to take a few photos of John Estes' car and hob-nob with the mechanic working on it. Now I need to do an ad write-up and go visit John's wife and see if we can get this beautiful little clown car sold for her.
While driving, I took a side trip to get around Providence traffic - You would think, with only one city of any size at all in that state (and the third largest city in all of New England) they could figure out how to make traffic flow better, but no. The I-95/I-295/I-195 "Mixmaster" through the city continues to be a crawling parking lot all day long. Somewhere in Cranston ("pronounced Cvansten by the locals) I came across the "Altec Electronic Parts Store" and HAD to stop in to see if the place. It was like walking into "Worcester Radio Maintenance" where I got my parts when I was a 10 - 20 year old Ham operator. Small mom and pop store with parts in piles all around the place, although now the parts they carry look more like stuff needed by robotics teams.
Quite the fun distraction on a rainy day!
Roberts breather drains into the altetnator stand. I drilled the lower part of the alternator stand and added a #8 fitting. It worked out very well.
Hi Pat, getting back to the MagnaSpark. I already have a breather box that vents from the valve covers, but I also have a faux oil canister... just sitting there. Empty.
Any reason not to hide the magna coil in it? Does the coil produce any gas...?
Wish I had seen that great idea of using the canister for vent before I did my venting...
Ignition coils get hot, I would not recommend putting one in an encloser, it will eventually fail.
Gottcha. Thanks again Pat.
Robert's engine is a beautiful thing. Love the clean lines of it. Great ideas with is coil and the breather.
Is the Pertronix coil comparable to the MS dry coil. I might simply copy Robert's approach to keep my engine from looking cluttered.
This is one of yours Pat from 2004. I redid it with larger P&C set and modified it for the 356 look.
MotoCarlo posted:Gottcha. Thanks again Pat.
Robert's engine is a beautiful thing. Love the clean lines of it. Great ideas with is coil and the breather.
Is the Pertronix coil comparable to the MS dry coil. I might simply copy Robert's approach to keep my engine from looking cluttered.
This is one of yours Pat from 2004. I redid it with larger P&C set and modified it for the 356 look.
The dry pack coil from CB produces a more consistent and higher output spark than a wet coil. I went with the Pertronix Flamethrower because it was black and went with the theme of the motor. I suppose I could have hidden the dry pack coil along the frame rail back in the driver's side of the engine compartment and installed the Flamethrower for looks. If the Flamethrower ever gives me grief that is what I will do.
