Magnetos?????

Question

i remember the old 38 indians with magnetos, why dont they use them anymore?

Answer 1

I still run a mag on my pan ,  Along with a small battery I am doing right .The best Harley mechanic I know turned me on to it.He turned the wrong way in a lead splatter at the 74 club long ago.

Answer 2

They do on small private planes. There are two and two plugs per cylinder.

Answer 3

Indian quit using them because they were too expensive by the mid/late 30's

(Equivalent of a Week or 2 of PAY for average working guy back then ! )

They switched to battery/coil ign,,, and distributors on the twin cyl bikes.

A bunch of bikes still use mags these days,,showroom floors are filled with 'em.

Granted, they dont LOOK like the old Edison/Splitdorfs  Indians had.

And contact breaker points have been replaced magnetic triggers tripping semiconductor "contact breaker switches".

I 'spose all that added some long term reliability in modern times for folks who aren't interested in working on stuff and have nothing to gain by doing a job Right.

Myself,,,i'd rather earn $50 installing $20 worth of parts,,,

than getting $20 for unscrewing a bolt ,,,throwing a $200 spark generatin' "transistor radio" in the gabage can,,,and s******g that bolt back in on the NEW $200 part.

And i'll be damned if I'll sit up all nite hand polishing a CDI Box.

Somehow it just dont create the Jewel to hang off a ol' Sportster or Bonneville that a Sparkling F-M or Lucas mag does.

...............

I just thought of this.

The last Mags Indian used were CD model Splitdorfs

Nowdays,,,almost All Mags are "CD"  models---capacitive discharge

Struck me as a bit ironic in a way

Have a Good Weekend

Answer 4

The modern electronic ignition gives a stronger, more precise spark than the old magneto.

If you remember the old Indians, you should also remember how difficult they were to start.  The newer engines with electronic ignition start much easier.

Answer 5

Do you remember who invented the wheel?