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I’ve run MSD ignition components in my boats and and cars for decades.
I’ve never had an issue with any of them.
I’m installing a new MSD billet, tach drive, distributor and 6-AL box in the restomod project of my 73.
That sucks...if I understand correctly you swapped out both the distributor and digital box for HEI? I'm curious if the distributor might work w/ an old analog MSD 6/6AL box? As I mentioned above, my only problem was w/ a coil where the barrel contact / brass sleeve pulled out of the coil when I changed wires and ran intermittently until I found the problem and swapped coils.
I know it can be a pita, but have you iteratively replaced the coil then the box w/ a known good box - like your old box in your 71? Just thinking out loud... ignition and electronic gremlins aren't much fun...good luck
Yeah I swapped coils, but only when I tried putting the Ti ignition system back in it. I tried it with both the MSD blaster coil and the AC Delco Ti coil, and it ran the same. And to clarify, the car ran different and exhibited different issues when running the MSD stuff vs the repro TI stuff, but both were crap in their own ways.
When I slapped the HEI, I even went as far as to wire it directly to the battery with a toggle switch, it eliminate the fuse box and/or key switch wiring from potentially doing something weird. (MSD stuff was wired to the fuse box and key switch). After 3 distributor swaps in one day, I went back to the HEI, wired it to the key switch and the car runs great.
Amazingly I've been running my MSD 8572 for 28 years with an 31-year old MSD-6A (analog I reckon!) and it has never hiccupped.
The dang distributor does rust terribly so I clean it every couple of years and I've been coating the internals with Silver POR-15 - to keep the rust at bay for years.
BUT it has never failed me..... even when it was rusty AF. That being said I would buy one of those cheap ones if I had to replace it today..... MSD price is totally ridiculous.
I know man. My pro billet distributor in my 71’ looks like I brought it up from the Titanic inside, yet it always works flawlessly and has for 30k miles, same for my 15 year old 6AL box.
But on the 65’ 396 car, the MSD stuff only worked good for about 6 months before it started exhibiting a bunch of weirdness and inconsistencies. The way it runs, doesn’t match the timing numbers I get on the light for sure. Even just idling the car sounds different, seems to pop more on the odd bank and just doesn’t sound happy at all. Pop the HEI in it and it instantly sounds/feels better, even before putting the light on it.
Im gonna try one of these tach drive small frame ready to run distributors with the MSD style cap (so I can use my wires) and see what it does.
Good luck...it does seem the later, digital MSD stuff is nowhere near as reliable as the old analog pieces. Look forward to seeing what you come up w/ that works w/ tach drive - short of points!
It’s sad when you think about it.
The cheap Chinese junk none of us want to run, now works better than our expensive made in the USA products.
These big companies that have bought up everything, just don’t care about anything but profit.
FWIW after running the MSD 6A box for 37 years with no issues ever I purchased a new 6AL 3 years ago because I needed a rev limiter.. summer of 22 i'm coming to a stop sign and the car dies. can't get it started - no spark. flat bed happened to be driving buy so I got it towed home. checked all the wires & looked everything over and when I try to start it again if fires up and has run perfect since. no idea what happened. now every time I drive it I'm wondering if it's going to leave me stranded again.
Pat
Yeah I swapped coils, but only when I tried putting the Ti ignition system back in it. I tried it with both the MSD blaster coil and the AC Delco Ti coil, and it ran the same. And to clarify, the car ran different and exhibited different issues when running the MSD stuff vs the repro TI stuff, but both were crap in their own ways.
When I slapped the HEI, I even went as far as to wire it directly to the battery with a toggle switch, it eliminate the fuse box and/or key switch wiring from potentially doing something weird. (MSD stuff was wired to the fuse box and key switch). After 3 distributor swaps in one day, I went back to the HEI, wired it to the key switch and the car runs great.
So yeah with this car, no more MSD stuff.
Distributor and wire madness going on over here….
An alternative.....
After two failures of my TI, original lasted 40 years, updated new TI amp lasted about 5 years.
I converted to HEI, only I used the stock TI distributor, with a remotely mounted HEI Module and a remote HEI coil.
This setup works better than the TI ever did. Much quicker starts and no misfires up to 6,500 rpm, even with puttering around driving, just a full throttle blast thru the gears, crap out the exhaust, no misfires.
Every corner auto parts store carry HEI modules & coils. (I carry spares, one of each)
Easy to wire up and very reliable. Reliable as an HEI distributer.
I picked up one of the Skip White corvette HEI / tach drive distributors back in 2018/2019 and took most of the guts out and replaced with old GM and MSD parts. Put my cam gear on and run a MSD digital 6 box. I guess this will be the 6th year now with no issues (other than a really weird popping in the radio if I try to use a new HEI cap.. old is fine...)
Knock wood
M
FWIW after running the MSD 6A box for 37 years with no issues ever I purchased a new 6AL 3 years ago because I needed a rev limiter.. summer of 22 i'm coming to a stop sign and the car dies. can't get it started - no spark. flat bed happened to be driving buy so I got it towed home. checked all the wires & looked everything over and when I try to start it again if fires up and has run perfect since. no idea what happened. now every time I drive it I'm wondering if it's going to leave me stranded again.
Pat
I hate when stuff like that happens…constantly worrying about it. One my of daily drivers is an 89’ 5.0 Mustang, and I have to carry a spare module, spare coil, spare ECU and tools to change all of them, because all of them have left me stranded at some point.
ajrothm
Is that like a 72 (or so) Gran Prix? Just off the top of my noggin???
Distributor and wire madness going on over here….
[/QUOTE]
It’s a 69’ Model J 4 spd car. My dad has owned it since 85’. We restored it in 90-91’ and havent touched it since, other then oil changes/tires. It’s a time capsule from 1990…I learned to drive stick in it. It’s got a mild 454 BBC in it, as the original 400 was long gone when we got it. It’s a neat old car.
An alternative.....
After two failures of my TI, original lasted 40 years, updated new TI amp lasted about 5 years.
I converted to HEI, only I used the stock TI distributor, with a remotely mounted HEI Module and a remote HEI coil.
This setup works better than the TI ever did. Much quicker starts and no misfires up to 6,500 rpm, even with puttering around driving, just a full throttle blast thru the gears, crap out the exhaust, no misfires.
Every corner auto parts store carry HEI modules & coils. (I carry spares, one of each)
Easy to wire up and very reliable. Reliable as an HEI distributer.
Man that’s very crafty… I’d love to use the original TI distributor, we just had a new pick up coil put in it. GM HEI modules (aftermarket/repros) have a high failure rate too these days tho.
So we ended up ordering a Dragon Fire Pro Series ready to run tach drive distributor. Zip had them in stock. I’ll report back in a few weeks if it’s worth a **** or not. Hopefully it’s decent. I’m tired of fooling with this thing.
An alternative.....
After two failures of my TI, original lasted 40 years, updated new TI amp lasted about 5 years.
I converted to HEI, only I used the stock TI distributor, with a remotely mounted HEI Module and a remote HEI coil.
This setup works better than the TI ever did. Much quicker starts and no misfires up to 6,500 rpm, even with puttering around driving, just a full throttle blast thru the gears, crap out the exhaust, no misfires.
Every corner auto parts store carry HEI modules & coils. (I carry spares, one of each)
Easy to wire up and very reliable. Reliable as an HEI distributer.
Any pics of how you relocated/mounted the coil/module?
I'm still using the original can coil with the HEI module attached to an aluminum pad/sink, and then this pad is attached inside the ignition shield for a bigger heat path. Been stone reliable for the past forty years.
Beautiful cars. Really like them .... hardly see them anymore.
It’s a 69’ Model J 4 spd car. My dad has owned it since 85’. We restored it in 90-91’ and havent touched it since, other then oil changes/tires. It’s a time capsule from 1990…I learned to drive stick in it. It’s got a mild 454 BBC in it, as the original 400 was long gone when we got it. It’s a neat old car.[/QUOTE]
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I haven't had any technical issues with MSD at all. I did have a rust issue under the cap over the winter so it's had to be cleaned. That's it. I took out the tach drive because the cheap Chinese cables everyone sells snap if you have a decent engine driving them. Went with a non tach drive MSD... I should sell it. Its in great shape
05-16-2024, 11:36 PM
