Magnacor leads

[David Wicks]

Following the feature in this months Safety Fast and the claims that the MG 6 and 3 experienced much improved performance after fitting Magnacor leads, I was wondering what MGB users have to say.
Has anybody fitted this brand and in particular the red leads ? Are they as good as claimed by our brothers from the modern car register ?
I was toying with giving the old girl a Christmas present but they are expensive - about £50 - set against ordinary leads at circa £10.
So before I spend that kind of money I want to know fellow B users experience - my engine is standard apart from a, new this year, Webber down draft carb and a recent electronic distributor.
The present leads are in good visual condition, the ignition is set at book and the engine runs very well except for a lumpy idle which I'm kind of hoping new leads might cure.
Bets Rgds
David Wicks

[Peter Cresswell]

What you have to remember when comparing old cars with modern ones is the ignition system works entirely differently from the old coil, points, condenser and rotor arm. The MGB system is just fine providing it is kept well adjusted and clean. Modern engines don't leak oil like an A or B series can do and if this gets on the ignition leads and is mixed with road dirt then you have a good recipe for something that conducts HT electricity. So I think it is more important to make sure the ignition leads on a B are kept clean, and away from anything they might rub against, and keep the points adjusted.

If you do want to do an upgrade, I would suggest you fit an 'ignitor' type of electronic ignition that does away with the points and condenser which are both prone to failure. Then fit a 'red' rotor arm and a good quality coil. If you do this it is still worth carrying a set of points and condenser on a distributor base plate for when the electronic bit fails - and practice fitting this in the dark with water running down your back!

I have done 2 Minis to Monte tours organised by the Mini Cooper Register which entailed almost 3000 miles in 9 days from home to home, and most people with the early the Cooper and Cooper S had at least a coil failure and condenser failure during the event. If you can get new 'old stock' Lucas parts then buy them. they are much better quality than the reproduction parts available these days. New old stock does come at a premium though! I have had one failure with an Ignitor system but fortunately it happened at home.

For what its worth I use a Lucas Sports Coil with points and condenser with a red rotor arm on my MGB.

[David Wicks]

Thanks Peter, appreciate the input from experience of real use, however, my motor already has an Autospark electronic dizzy with a red rotor and a Lucas sports coil.
The point about keeping a set of points and condenser on board is well taken, I actually have a complete points dizzy in the back in case the electronikry goes t**s up and you're right, ignition systems, fuel pumps and stuff usually fail at night, in the rain and miles from anywhere from bitter experience!
I was just wondering if the Magnacor leads had some performance advantage over normal silicone leads, they certainly have a price disadvantage that's for sure.
I may just treat the car to a set of Autospark leads, they could sort out the lumpy idle for a quarter the price of Magnacor
Best rgds
David

[David Wicks]

CORRECTION TO ABOVE - Dizzy is a Powerspark not Auto****

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi David,
From what I've read on the MG635 forum, some MG 6s suffer from a slight misfire and a lumpy tick over and using Magnacor leads produces an improvement for a few thousand miles before the symptoms return, so I doubt the leads are really doing much more than ordinary leads in good clean condition can achieve. BUT - remember that unless you use separate suppressors, wire cored ignition leads will more than likely upset your rev counter - and all your neighbours TVs!

I have read (somewhere!!!) that the MGB naturally has a rough tick over which is caused by the head design and on tick over it runs more on cylinders 2 and 3 than 1 and 4.

[Iain F Simpson]

I fitted the Magnacor leads on my 6 and there was absolutely no difference. Certainly the oe plug leads i replaced were in virtually mint condition. (They were on when the new engine when it was installed).
I think that they may have a longer life than the oe ones and replacing worn oe leads with new ones could also give an improvement.
A thing to remember is that the red magnacor leads are a bigger diameter than the MGB leads and there may be a problem fixing into the distributer cap.