Msd ignition
 

I have a MSD8578 Distributor which I am about to fit a larger Cap A Dapt distributor cap (Ford style) to keep the leads further apart.

Looking at the new MSD 6AL 6425 digital Ignition box I read don't buy dated April 2011 or earlier as there are firing issues. I am interested to know what other ignition boxes can be wired into the MSD Dist like a less expensive factory standard Ford box as a backup.

I read where the MSD boxes/distributors give problems but there must be thousands giving reliable service over 20,000miles. A normal box might work just as well over 3000rpm as the multiple spark help stop plug fouling at idle etc but tapers off to be similar to a normal ignition over 3000rpm!

you could use a ford duraspark box. msd even has a adapter for the plugs so you don't have to cut them off and rewire.

What is wrong with the old 6al box
 

Ant have been running an old 6al for 14 years. I do have spare boxes, caps, rotors, and distributors. Gears and pins too. If you are looking for a better box, look in your back yard, The company is ICE. Guys are using them on the engine master challenge and they say they make more power and last long than MSD. There system is about $200.00 more than MSD. I think the biggest problems with MSD is guys not putting the correct parts together. They do work but have failures. The only issues I have been through are burning the pile out of the cap (2 times) It's carbon. What dope thought this up instead of running metal??? I run .050" gap on plugs, 8mm plug wires with separators, HVC "e"coil. I zapped myself over the car a couple of times.:eek: Taste like you are sucking on batterys for a couple of days and my hair is now silver.:rolleyes::( I also don't like oil filled coils on the motor or a vibrating part of the car. It's not correct but mounted to the inside of the fender with a ground wire to the coil mount. having a good air flow around it also. Good luck Rick L.

Summit has their own brand of box out now, bought one last year for my engine run-in stand,works great,the kit has adapter plug-ins for most any distributor including MSD......
Great price and soo far, good ignition box.....I like the rotary dial for the rev limiter,you can set it at any rpm you want......

Summit Racing SUM-850610 - Summit Racing Street & Strip® Multi-Spark Digital Capacitive Discharge Ignitions - Overview - SummitRacing.com

David

MSD Ignition
 

I had a look at the ICE products they look very good, I guess you would have to carry the mandatory spares as if something major happened at that price I wouldn't carry a distributor or box.

I ran a Mallory dual point distributor in another cobra I had with 6AL and never a problem, that was a cost effective reliable setup.

Thanks for some options. I think the more powerful ignition spark the more problems keeping it alive from heat ionization etc.

That's what I'm using now with one point set removed, no condenser, advance locked out, and using the MSD 6AL programmable for advance/retard curve. It does feel odd to sit in my car with a laptop, setting my ignition curve while running a points type dizzy. :LOL:

The simplicity of points and relativey easy trouble shooting is why I'm going with an old dual-point distributor. Setting up a dual-point and keeping it running didn't give me any trouble when I was a 17 year-old kid in the 60s and it will do me fine right now. Between all the posts on corroding MSD distributor innards and crapped out MSD boxes, I'm surprised anyone still buys the stuff. But I'm sure I'm in the minority so for all you MSD lovers - carry on.

"MSD lovers" have you ever used one Dan? I still have the second one I ever bought in a Boss 302 that I've owned for 20 years. The first one was sold with my first Boss that I bought back in the early eighties. I've used them for quite a while in other words and have never had a problem. You might want to try one. I doubt you'll ever go back. I'm not saying go whole-hog and buy a dist and all; just the box. After you realize that you never have to set your points again (they only carry something like 3 milliamps w/MSD) and you only need one set hooked up because dwell doesn't matter, then factor in how much more crisp your engine will be, and you'll definitely never want to go back. In fact, if you are going through "points withdrawals," you can leave the second set in the dist just in case the MSD craps out then you can go back to the points set up in less than 5 minutes. That's what I did for years. I don't any more. There's a reason why there are about a billion MSD boxes out there in all manner of performance vehicle, it's because they work. So you might want to look at the massive # of up-sides rather than the incredibly small percentage of people having problems and try one for yourself. Compared to the cost of the rest of your engine, or car for that matter, it's a tiny amount and simple logic of scale should over-ride the knee jerk nostalgia. I mean, look at you, you're on a computer and everything!;) :LOL:

Steve

Why ground the coil mount? I've just installed my MSD Blaster coil on the fiberglass firewall/bulkhead and I did not run a seperate ground to the coil mount. How important is this ground and what is the purpose of it?

Would much appreciate the advice as I'm in the process of finishing my wiring harness and all connections.

Thanks, Arthur

I have alway had extra grounds on cars
 

lal Naja I have been burned on car with driviblity issues from poor contections, weak ground wires to frames and motors, having false signals because of some wires need to be twisted to stop em from effecting by their EM signals on other curcuits. In the old instructions from MSD I got and running the E, HVC coil there was a note about adding a good ground to one of the 4 bolts. I have learned that have 3-4 grounds fixed many problems I had with starters, Alt's, and batterys. Aluminum motors also have more resistance that steel or iron. If you look at some of the newer cars and truck, we are running 3-4 grounds to motors alone, 2-3 from neg cable of battery to chassic and motor, and the ECU's have 3-5 locations of grounds. In the good old days, 2 wires where enough. Today with weird metals and cheaper built wiring systems and smaller cables you need this. This is just my opinion. Run what makes you happy. Over time all bolt hole corroide. This is not the correct word but close and resistance gets higher. New terms are Voltage drops, and load ampage tests because of small wiring now in cars. It saves weight and money. You should see the .064" connectors, 24 gauge wire, and connectors from Japan, WHOLE LOT of fun.:eek::CRY:**) Rick L.

Has anybody got details on ANT's comment: "Looking at the new MSD 6AL 6425 digital Ignition box I read don't buy dated April 2011 or earlier as there are firing issues" ??

I've got this box, purchased in March 2011 and all of a sudden I'm having problems - either ignition or fuel - seems like only firing on driver's side, serious backfiring (through exhaust only) also on driver's side. I found the center electrode on distributor cap gone yesterday, replaced cap and rotor, still have problem, now so bad the engine won't start.

I'm going to start checking the basics per MSD (spark, coil, pickup, etc.) now, but was looking for some insight.

Thanks,

Hal

I read about that bug...
 

Hal, my understanding of the 6425 digital glitch was that it was cranking speed dependent. Meaning, there would be spark if the distributor was turned slowly by hand but there would be no spark if the engine was cranked by the starter motor at a certain "critical" speed. It was, basically, an "all or nothing" glitch. It would not give you an intermittent spark problem. MSD was not terribly responsive on this, though, and there was also a lot of bogus rumors on the 'net, so you might want to call them tomorrow and see if they'll tell you the truth or give you a definitive method for testing for the glitch.

MSD Ignition
 

My comment is un-qualified I read on the net that some of the ignitions can give firing issues prior to March 2011, that maybe a guide if you were buying and there was stock older than that from a supplier, I don't want to detract from the many happy customers MSD has, so like patrickt said give them a bell and check it out.

The only thing I could find on the MSD site was this blurb: Digital 6a 6201 not getting signal from Magnetic Pickup - MSD Ignition Tech Support Forums

Guys, thanks for the info on the MSD box. A friend dropped by and suggested a couple of things, including checking for fowled plugs after the distributor cap problem. I found eight very wet and fowled plugs, replaced them and the car fired right up! So, it's not the MSD box this time, just their frail carbon center electrode!

I think I'm going to try one of Summit's caps next time; in fact, I'm going to order one BEFORE the next time!

Hal