I think I have the poor style magnavox ignition. Its the square looking boxy style ignition.

I have read somewheres about an ignition upgrade, that improves mileage, slightly, improves power, and runs better.

Any truth to this? I tried looking for posts that contained this, but no luck.
If anyone could, can you provide a detailed explanation, what I need, and how to assemble this?

This is a 91 LeSabre limited, vin C engine, 3800.

Thanks.

i thought the old 3.8'* had the magnavox ign (3.8L not 3800 vin 3 ) the box style is delco i believe

oh? is there an upgrade to improve idling misses, fuel economy, and power?

Thanks

If you have a 91, you SHOULD have the delco setup, although odder things have happened. You have the Vin C engine, which means that your ignition is mounted on the front passenger corner of the engine correct? There'* an easy way to tell is you have the Magnavox or the Delco. Look at how the plug wires are connected to the coils. If they are opposing (3 rows of 2 opposing wires) then you have the Magnavox ignition. If you have 6 wires all lined up on one side, you have the Delco.

wow i have a magnavox then *looks for a 97+ supercharged in the junkyard and gets the icm/coils from it*

The coils can come from many many GM cars, not just 97+ */C Bvilles. The only rule for the ICM is that it has to be from a 3800. I think it was rumoured that the 97+ L67'* had slightly hotter coils, but I wouldn't really bother looking for something that specific unless they were redily available.

Was 91 the first year with delco? I thought it was '92 that had the magnavox 1/2 through production and got switched to the delco that year...

well im only lookin cuz theyre hotter my engine has new napa coils so im not in a hurry to replace them but hell if i see a 97 l67 im grabbin 'em (more power *tim taylor grunt*)

Vin "C" engines had the Magnavox, Vin "L" engines (with the "snakes" intake) should have the Delco. They are interchangeable so who know what may have happened in the last 15 years. Some Buicks switched to the "L" and the 4T60E trans in 1991 but different carlines/models had their own schedule just as in 1988 when the "3" and "C" were available at the same time..

For more than you ever wanted to know see http://padgett.ws/cars/coils.htm

Captain is almost correct. The 97+ */C coils are not rumored to be hotter, they are.

darkshadow: again, years don't matter. All it has to come from is a 3800. You just can't pick it from an LG3 [86-88].

There is a tutorial around here, I believe. Either jrs3800 did it, or JMFC. I'm pretty sure it'* one of those two. It consists of a 3800 ICM, any Delco coils [can be from ANY car with the delco ignition, not just the 3800. However the 97+ */C coils are hotter, believed to be the same power as the aftermarket MSD DIS Coils], and a certain generation 3100 plate. That is the professional way, which ends out looking the best. Or there is the way I did it, was just mounting it slightly crooked onto the stock mounting holes. May not look the best, but it'* cheaper, and possibly easier.

Also, there is no rumor about this. I did the switch on a decent magnavox coil setup, and it increased my throttle percent 100%. My idle smoothed out, and the car seemed to give a couple ponies in the 3k rpm range. It'* not a 40hp mod, maybe 5-10hp depending on your current ignition setup'* condition. but this is not gained hp, this is retrieved hp. So you probably won't make more than the stock hp with this mod.

Don't forget to do your plugs and wires. Many will disagree with me, but I got a bad batch of NGK TR55 plugs, and installed the stock AC-Delco R45LTS6 plugs, which performed much better, IMO. The popular set of plug wires are the Belden 8mm wires, for a 93 b'ville [the 93 shares the same mounting of the icm and coil, even if the icm/coils weren't from a 93]. I also have that set of wires, and they work very well. I believe I paid $35 USD.