In my quest for better stuff for my Bonneville, I have read that good ole' GM has made several ignition sytems for our cars. The Magnavox, the later Delco ... and the even later ... uhhh better one ? I have also read that the MSD coils are the same as the " later, better hotter" one. Is this true ? I have happened upon all three. The ICM looks about the same on all three and the coils are different on the Magnavox. Other than that ... what are the differences ? More jolts ? Are they interchangeable ?

JLathem
1992 Bonneville SSEI

Long list of mod'* ... only on paper now.

Well in the LG3 engine [found in '87 and early '88] had an earlier version of the delco setup. The connector for it WILL NOT interchange between the magnavox in later '88, '89, '90, or '91, nor the later Delco units. But you could bolt up some aftermarket DIS coils just fine to it, so there is no point in upgrading. In later '88, '89, '90, and '91 came the Magnavox system. I have it, and it sucks. This system is not compatable with the aftermarket DIS coils, but you can get an ICM from a later bonnie [92-95'* bolt right up to the stock bracketry]. The 92-96 [N/A and */C'*] all had the same setup. However, in '97, only the */C'd cars got the hotter spark coils [which is believed to be pretty much the same as the aftermarket MSD units, I would say MSD is better, but I have no proof]. The N/A'd cars still have the same setup, I believe. Make sense?


-justin

Good description, with the exception of over half the 92'* also got the Magnavox system. You can direct-swap to a Delco-II system. It'* been done before.

Are you sure it was half the '92s which got the magnavox system? I thought it was just the beginning few.. like the '88 with the LG3.


-justin

So given the choice of the three that I have ( Magnavox, stock 1992 Delco, or a later 1998 SC'd ) I need the later SC'd setup right ?
I want the most spark for the least money.

JLathem

1992 SSEI

Mod'*
Complete 1998 SC'd Ignition

92 was an oddball mix. Some of the L27'* got a one-pice aluminum intake like the previous gens, some got no egr, some got magnavox. None of these differences seem to be inter-related. NONE of the cars that I know of got the upgraded valvetrain that came out in 93.

I've seen more 92'* with the Magnavox, no EGR, and aluminum intake than I have the other way around. By far.

Oh, okay, oddball is right.

jlathem: The Delco style ICM from a 92+ [delco.. remember that ] is all you need. However you do own a '92.. are you sure you have the magnavox unit? If you do, I'd suggest anything from 92-95 because it'll bolt right up to your bracketry. When i talk about the hotter, better spark from the '97 and up */C'd cars, that is within the coils not the ICM. So, you won't see a difference. Once you have the new ICM, get some MSD, Jeg'* [only availble through jegs {catalog or online}], Accel, Petronix [I believe they still make the DIS coils], and Mallory [sp?], these all cost over $100 for all three, unless you eBay it, I got three Accel coils on ebay for $30 [the price of one new one]. If you don't know which system you have, just post up a pic of your coils, anyone here can tell.. or if you can't, I can direct you to a pic of a magnavox and one of a delco.


-justin

We've had bad experiences with the Accel coils (the yellow ones, right?). Premature failures.

Hmm.. I've got accel ones. Damnit. How many people had premature failures and what year bonnies?


-justin

Dunno for sure. Only seen a couple here, and both failed. Don't remember who.