I’ve had experience with both P-mags and EFII System 32. I currently run the EFII System 32 in my RV-8, and I absolutely love it. I’ll be running it in my current RV-14 project and I’m also planning on running it in my future Javron build. I’d personally never go back to standard old technology mags, carburetor, or mechanical fuel injection. However, I guess like everything else in life, they both have their good and bad points.
P-mags:
The good. They’re simple, easy to time, generate their own power above a certain RPM, advance/retard is based on manifold pressure, can easily be managed with an external EI-Commander, and utilize automotive spark plugs. Bottom line, P-mags are WAY better than standard mags.
The bad. Like magnetos, they’re still a mechanical device that requires attention from time to time. Things can still wear out! The factory use to recommend sending them back in for a health checkup every 100 hours, or at annual time. I think that’s changed now, so I’d confirm the maintenance intervals with them.
EFII System 32 or SDS:
The good. It can take the place of either your ignition system, fuel delivery system,….or both! It’ll bring your old technology air cooled engine into modern times if you utilized it to its full potential of both electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition. Everything is solid state, so there’s no moving parts and nothing to wear out. Advance/retard is variable and is based on manifold pressure. As with other electronic ignitions, Inexpensive automotive spark plugs are used. If the fuel injection portion is taken advantage of, the high pressure fuel rail will always deliver cold fresh fuel, so hot-starts will never be an issue again. Each injector is adjustable/programmable, so you can get the perfect Gami CHT’s. The entire fuel delivery system is automotive gas friendly….both with and without ethanol. I run 91 octane ethanol laced fuel in my 180 hp RV-8 all the time and she runs perfectly fine. I typically cruse at around 10k’ altitude at 2200 RPM, 165 kts TAS, burning 7.5 GPH. That’s some pretty cheap flying!
The bad. Not rally so much as “the bad”, but really more “the careful”. Yes, the aircraft is completely electrically dependent, so the electrical system and wiring MUST be rock solid. It would be highly advisable to run either a backup alternator or backup battery….or both. I personally think a back alternator is probably the better choice. If your electrical system is bulletproof and you have the proper backup systems in place, there’s really nothing “bad” about the EFII system. If you take advantage of its full potential and utilize both its electronic ignition and fuel injection, you’ll have to do some fuel system plumbing work, but once you’ve finished with the product it’ll be well worth it and you’ll never look back at the old school technology again.
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