Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

So whats up with these ignition boxes? Seems like they crap out all the time. Sometimes they say "magneto failure", & then they hold up some gizmo that looks like the mysterious "black box" on a passenger car. I'm an old fart... the old Vertex magnetos were a combination generator/ distributor, right? These things look like pure electronics, no moving parts? Why do they go bad so often? Kills many a race...

I ask the same question a few months back.  The general replys were, they work great until they fail and their old tech.  Seems to me that a good electronics engineer would come up with a better longer lasting product.

Electronic products dislike vibration as much as moisture then there is heat.  Those parts need to be inspected, serviced, or replaced much like any component that receives hard use on a race car. Vibrations in a race car can get pretty serious sometimes. 

They can always build a better product and I'm not the guy to do it. I agree there must be someone out there with the skill but is unaware of the market.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Thanks!

Basically this is the jist.  Vibration breaks solder joints ruins components, breaks leads on capacitors, and just is plain old hard on stuff like that.  

Full disclosure, I don't have a solution.  However there's been many elementary or middle school kids throughout the years who've built contraptions that can drop an egg from the top of a 2 story building and not have the egg break.  There's a solution out there, it just hasn't been thought of yet.  My best guess at the real problem with these things is that there isn't an easy economical way to fully test these things.  It probably wouldn't be a huge deal to anyone if they could test them adequitely and have a better idea if they're about to fail.

You'd think if scientists & engineers could send vehicles to Mars & put a man on the moon (over 50 yrs. ago!), they could figure this one out....

How many add a ground to both cylinder heads ?  It makes a difference,,,,,,,,

Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder!!!!

I can honoestly say we've never had a box go bad. We mount it inside the dash not outside under the hood. It has to be a little cooler there. I don't know if that little bit of heat difference helps or not. But most of the ones I see go bad are mounted under the hood.

These were sold and now being mfg overseas. this ignition has been around for years and hasnt had nearly the failures until recently. I reputable engine builder told me new out of the box they send the ignition boxes off to be reworked so they'll last. 

I actually know how to spell "ignition", just can't type....

Is there a way to edit thread headings?

Would you buy a new 30 yr old TV or a new flatscreen?  Not much compatition with MSD.  I am told there are 2 clones and  a different one all together from a small builder.  Shea

aring of magneto roll pins is also a big problem.  Roll pin will no longer do it.  One builder uses the roll pin plus a shear pin.  MSD should also be able to do this but they seem to want to stay in model T days.