Mallory Mag and RPM data Logger

Just received my RPM data logger from Randy and he suggests with a Mallory mag to put the computer portion of the logger in a project box or enclosure to guard against EMI. Does anyone here have a similar set up? Wondering what type of material to use for the box? Metal or aluminum? Obviously plastic is out. Kinda looking for some concepts of how the cableing was routed etc. Just hoping to get some ideas.

Thanks
Corey

 

Running a Mallory Mag with a Racepak. Almost a box, but not sealed, it is mounted on alum and has alum all around except for one end which is carbon fiber, the dash. Everything except the pickup at the coil is over three feet away from the mag, no problems. The drive shaft pickup wire is on the frame rail opposite of the mag. Past experience indicates the grounds are more important than a box. You can't have too many grounds!
Good Luck!
Pmoore

 

Shielding

Thanks for the info, the three ft you mentioned was great. I was going to ask that, my firewall is aluminum (door car) and I have a front mag drive so they are at least 3 ft away. The only thing that will be close is the proximity for the Engine RPM, off my degree wheel. Everything else is pretty much behind the mag. I guess between the fire wall and an aliminum box I hopefully will be shielded enough.

Now I just have to get a box to fit everything.

Corey

 

box

hope this doesn't sound too corny, but I've used elec breaker boxes. nice flip up lid and some room for the extra wiring

 

We were EMI to the hilt !

I made an aluminum box for the data logger and also the thermocouple box where the thermos all connect into the logging system. I had a shielded conduit between the thermo box and the data logger. I had a ground between the aluminum heads. A ground from the neg batt to the side of the cast iron block. I ran a shileded wire from the kill switch to the mag transformer.

STILL HAD NOISE !!!!

The fix for us:
Where the thermocouples got to my aluminum box that surrounded the connecting box , I added a little bit of steel wool to let the noise be grounded to that aluminum box.

Note: this is a boat , all fiberglass.

 

RPM Data Logger

We have one in an NFC, we mounted it behind the driver as far from the mag as poss, built an aluminum box for every thing including the battery.Uses the magnets in the front hub for eng rpm, drive shaft is mounted to rear coupler, sensors are close to press sources up front plumed into a manifold, wired into an expander box.EGTs are in the headers and the harness was just the rite length the reach the back. Just took some time to plan, cut harness' and send them to RPM to finish. Has some noise in the flow meter but got better when I applied max filtering in the set up.

 

is the problem the mag itself or are you talking about emi from solid wires?

 

Mag

Just refering to the Mag itself and what steps are needed to guard against EMI. I am running MSD superconductors to cut down on interference from the wires.

Thanks
Corey

 

Why does Don Zig say to use solid wires ?

He claims the MSD's won't work with a Mallory Mag ?????????

 

ive heard that MSD wires is hard on a mallory and also the MSD wires wont last..that is just what I've heard..dave

 

Mallory Mag

I talked to Spud @ FIE about what wires to use with the SMV he finished for me and he said that the MSD wires will work fine. It really boils down to the fact that if you have a data logger, the suppression style wires are the only option and the lowest Ohm/ft is what you have to use. The fact that they may cause premature wear on the mag is a nessesary evil you have to live with. Just part of the life with a Mallory mag. But he didn't feel the suppression wires were an issue worth mentioning.

Corey