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Just opened the box

SteveL

Active Member
Good evening all!
I just opened my Lycoming IO360 M1B box from Van's . 1 Pmag and 1 regular mag. I'm thinking about selling the regular mag and going with 2 Pmags. My wife thinks that if that's the way they shipped it then that's the way it should be. She's usually right! What say all?
Thanks!
SteveL
 
Warranty

Good evening all!
I just opened my Lycoming IO360 M1B box from Van's . 1 Pmag and 1 regular mag. I'm thinking about selling the regular mag and going with 2 Pmags. My wife thinks that if that's the way they shipped it then that's the way it should be. She's usually right! What say all?
Thanks!
SteveL

Check with Vans or Lycoming. Pulling a mag and swapping it may invalidate the warranty.
Mine was purchased out of warranty so I plan to pull both. Already have two P-mags ready to go in.
 
The performance and efficiency improvement of two P-mags over just one is small. I like the idea of having two separate ignition systems.

YMMV
 
If you’re reason for going with 2 Pmags is reliability, you are headed in the wrong direction (assuming one ignition system will get you to a safe landing in the event of an ignition system failure). If your reason for going with 2 Pmags is increased efficiency, I don’t think your pencil is sharp enough to discern the cost/benefit gain that would justify that.
Listen to your wife..... my opinion only.
 
200 hours on a factory-new O-360. Before first start I ripped off the right mag and installed a P-Mag purchased used from a fellow VAF'er. That P-Mag had just been back to EMagAir for software update to the latest at that time (V40). Lo and behold the P-Mag suffered an infant mortality within the first 15 hours of operation, necessitating the replacement of the main electronics board at my own cost which was not insignificant.

There - that's the down-side of P-Mags in my limited experience.

Now for the up-side. Easy engine starts in all weather conditions (literally -20C to +35C). And the real bonus... I see fuel consumption figures that are, on average, 1gph lower than the Lycoming power charts indicate.

Would I install a second P-Mag? Well, that depends on its cost, and on what other options are available and the cost for those options. I would like to ditch the impulse coupling on the Slick magneto mounted in the left hole, but not at any cost. I likewise don't want to have to install another entire electrical system to power an ignition system.

One has to make the decision regarding ignitions with one's eyes wide open and with a full compliment of information in hand.

At the moment I'm leaning toward an SDS CPI2 ignition system for the left side with its power coming from the primary electrical bus with the self-generation capacity of the P-Mag acting as my "get me home" fallback plan. Still, I don't see the cost justification and won't until I'm facing a bill for the 500 hour Slick inspection.
 
Nothing wrong with running EI right & mag left. Redundancy issues are satisfied.
If you decide to go with a second EI, best to match what you have on the right. This would insure both ignitions are running & talking the same game.
 
For all those who have not yet ordered an engine from Van’s, you can get it delivered with one pMag and the other hole just covered - plus credit for not getting the mag. I did that for the new RV-8 engine.

I have always run dual pMags. On the 8A, 900+ flawless hours and no cleaning those horrible aircraft plugs.

Carl
 
This is the exact engine I ordered for my RV8. I am planning to fly with the 1PMag + 1Mag at least for the first few years. This is just in case my wiring standard isn't perfect and having one old school magneto will keep the fan running. I read about the bad crimp on a RV7 a few months ago which had to make a dead stick landing because of a failed crimp on the Pmag wiring.
 
SteveL, just curious: did you choose 1 pmag / 1 mag when you ordered the engine, or did you choose 2 mags and they sent 1 pmag?
 
It's been a couple of years but I think this was the standard set up when I ordered it. 1 pmag, 1 regular mag.
Steve
 
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