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#1
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MSD hookup problem
OK, I mounted the MP version of the MSD6al next to my mp electronic ignition unit. I figured two systems are better than one in case of failure right! Well, I can't get the car to run with the MSD. I followed the directions and made the connections as per but the car will not fire. Yes, the MP unit is disconnected. I can turn the engine over and got a strange noise from the dist.?, hard to say as I was sitting at the wheel. My coil has acted strange in the past, had the tach end of sending wire off once and car would not start! Should I only have 1 wire at each coil terminal? Any suggestions appreciated! thanks. <><
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#2
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Few tips for MSD Ignition systems
1. The orange and purple wire new to be twisted together do not straigten them out. 2. One wire to each side of the coil is correct. 3. The box needs a good ground 4. MSD systems will operate effectively from 7-18 volts 5. A good quality coil wire, spiral wound like a Moroso Blue Max or MSD wire, a solid core wire will not work. 6. If the coil wire is of good quality and good condition it should not exceed 30" 7. Be sure the engine well grounded to the same metal that the box is mounted to. MSD Tech Stats....claim that 70% of MSD problems are caused by poor grounds. I can go outside and look at mine and give you the exact wireing if you need me to? Don |
#3
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Don that would probably help. Maybe I'm reading something wrong? I will check the ground again as well. What do you mean about twisting the orange and purple wire together? Coil wire is brand new and no longer than 12" so it shouldn't be that. Thanks for your help! <><
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#4
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Have you made sure that you are signaling the box correctly. The first time I tried an MSD box, I incorrectly assumed that I had a magnetic trigger. I assumed that because I had an electronic (no points) ignition that it was a magnetic pickup. I called MSD and told them what I was trying to do and they informed me that I needed to use the white wire setup since I had an amplifier ignition. As far as wiring diagrams check out MSD's website for their online instructions.
http://www.msdignition.com/downld1.htm Have you tried false triggering the box to see if the box is bad. I've had this happen before also. This can also be found at MSD's site. This procedure lets you check if the box is sensing the correct signal and then firing without trying to start the motor. http://www.msdignition.com/1troub1.htm Finally, if you have more than one wire on the positive terminal of the coil and one wire on the negative terminal of the coil, you are definitely wired incorrectly. |
#5
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Aloha K, maybe I've made the same assumption? I thought the MP electronic dist was a mag pickup? Please comment. As for the wiring to the coil terminal I was just curious as to what should be on there, I only have 1 lead in on each term, and a tach sending wire for now. thanks for the info. <><
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#6
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Shouldn't your tach wire go to your MSD box tach terminal.
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#7
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The MP electronic unit does use a magnetic pickup, however, the way that it is setup, it will use an amplifier.
The tach should connect to the MSD tach output as the negative side of the coil will cause very inaccurate tach readings. |
#8
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I agree with the previous posts that the tach should be connected to the box's tach output. Only 2 wires go to the coil.
Although all electronic (no point) distributors use a reluctor and magnet to determine firing pulses, this does not make them "Magnetic Pickup". Most electronic distributors will actually be "amplifier" types. When I connected my MSD as a "Magnetic Pickup" incorrectly, at first I wasn't able to start it. I messed with the wiring some to the point that I was able to start it and rev the motor unloaded, but it wouldn't rev under load. I can't stress enough that you need to be able to false trigger the box. This will tell you if the box is good, and if your positive side wiring is good. It will also tell you if your power wires are OK. |
#9
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Thanks guys! Yes there is a tach signal pickup on the MSD box but what good is it when the car won't run? I was doing the process of elimination with the wires to the coil. I think K could be right, I'll try using a different set of instructions for an amplified unit, hopefully it can't hurt anything! cya
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#10
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I just completed this addition myself...I spent two days trying to figure out why the MSD unit wouldn't start the car. I purchased the MP distributor kit with the orange box originally.
My findings after swapping things back and forth were that I had 1) not grounded it properly. Fixing this, the car would start intermittently...running that problem down I discovered that 2) The positive connector from the MSD to the coil had some plastic wrapped where I had thought I crimped the wire to the connector properly. Cut it, crimped another and it's been going good ever since. |
#11
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I took it off the car last nite. I tried everything, could not get any spark. Even ran a jumper from neg. side of battery to insure I was getting a good ground, nothing. Tonite I will check all the terminals as you did Mopardad. Do you feel it is a worthwhile upgrade? I mainly want the rev limiter and some better bottom end. <><
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#12
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Worst case, you have a bad control box. You might want look at getting another MSD 6AL.
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#13
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Easiest way to tell if the box is really bad is to take it to a pro shop where they have an MSD display. The display has connections in the back that let them hook up additional boxes. When I figured out my MSD box was bad, I took it back to the shop where I had purchased it from. The guy didn't even ask why, he just plugged it into the back of the display and turned it on. Sure enough, no spark. Pulled out a new box, tested it, took it home, hooked it up, back on street.
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#14
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I had mine hooked up exactly like page 20 of the online instructions from keko's post. The white wire I used as a kill switch when shorted to ground. No spark. Mine worked fine with the MP distributor.
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