Digital Ignitions, and no contacts?

Ant · #1 (**permalink**) 07-23-2003, 03:38 PM

Ignitions, having used MSD 6AL, and now MSD and other manufacturers are producing digital ignitions, I would appreciate some feedback on these, and I assume there is a move away from points distributors, for more accurate timing etc.

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-23-2003, 04:26 PM

Ant,

I have used Jacobs Pro Street ignitions for years and I took the points distributor out years ago and switched to a magnetic type. The MSD I had also worked better as the points will tend to bounce above 5,500 RPM after a couple of times of getting warm and cooling off. I hardly ever touch the distributor as the magnetic type doesn't have much to wear out.

Ron

aumoore · #3 (**permalink**) 07-23-2003, 05:55 PM

I was running a Mallory Unilight distributor with a MSD Coil for a short time without a ignition box. The Unilight will drive the coil without a signal enhancer (ignition box). It ran fine but I had what I thought was valve float at rpm over 5500. I added a Mallowy Hyfire VI with rev limiter at the suggestion of the Mallory rep at the Gatornationals. He had just told a guy to run one on his big block 454 Chevy to clear up the loading up plugs and gas smell/burning eyes at idle. The rep said it would work great on my Holley equiped 302(actuall a explorer 5.0)

Here is my obsevations:

Much cleaner burn at idle and almost no eye burning anymore

The engine miss at 5500 went away

The car felt like it picked up a few HP

It starts easier

Better milage

The rev limiter is a must have as it saved my engine when I had a stuck throttle the other day. I was shifting from first to second and I actually hit neutral. When I pushed the throttle I realized it was in neutral and backed off the throttle but it stuck (spring was hanging on turkey pan) and the engine zinged to the 6000 rpm limiter and banged off several times with no engine damage. Actually it was more like the motor just started cutting out at the limiter as the Hyfire alternates misfiring the plugs to keep the rpm under 6000. It sounds like a top fuel car when it is doing a burnout because that is how they control the burnout. they use a two stage limiter one for burnouts and the other for engine safety.

I highly recommend using a Digital ignition box and the Hyfire is a great unit at a great cost. It cost less than a MSD Analog unit and the rev limiter is changed with dip switches not chips that you have to buy.

Ant · #4 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 04:16 AM

aumoore,

Regarding Mallory it sounds like that is good stuff, I am going to run their Comp fuel pump etc, as they are quiet and good quality, will look at their website.

Ron61, Do you still run MSD or the Jacobs Pro street?
There is quite a choice out there, most people downunder seem to run MSD, but if some other brands like Mallory or Jacobs are reliable and the thing I found with MSD was I had a full race engine running with the coldest plugs available and never a miss!

Ron61 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 05:56 AM

Ant,

I am running the Jacobs Pro Street now. I like the rev limiter settings as you just use a jewlers screwdriver and they have the two settings in the end of the unit. One is for thousands and one for hundreds in RPMs. I think the MSD is as good in most applications, but I do get a smoother run with the Jacobs as it will vary the voltage to each cylinder depending opn the resistance of each cylinder. I am not sure that the new version of the MSD doesn't do that too. That way you will get the exact same spark and combustion in each cylinder. Example, if one cylinder has more resistance it may put 85,000 vots into it and another it may put 80,000 volts in to give the same combustion. But I would maybe try the new MSD if I were doing another car just to see how much they have improved over the ones that I had. I think both are top line and it is just a personal preference mostly. Don't use platinum plugs or any other type except the regular steel electrode with the Jacobs as they will throw the resistance readings off anf then the car will run lousy. I know, I tried it.

Ron

wilf leek · #6 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 07:04 AM

I couldn't comment on the relatie merits of analogue vs digital ignition boxes, since I have only ever used an MSD6AL, but I most certainly would never fit another points-type distributor to any engine. The MSD magnetic trigger one I have now is absolutely some of the best money I spent on my engine.

Roscoe · #7 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 07:09 AM

I am using the MSD Digital 6 Plus and am very pleased with it. I like it because it has built in rev limiters and a 20 deg start retard. Also gives a hotter spark output.

Roscoe

Ant · #8 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 02:14 PM

Thanks for the advise, I wont be going back to a contact points setup!

Ron61, yes the MSD will do, analogue or digital? "Food for thought"

Roscoe · #9 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 02:46 PM

Ant,
Let me add that I have an MSD Pro Billet Dist which has a magnetic pickup instead of points.
Roscoe

Ant · #10 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 03:08 PM

Roscoe,

I will go for the Pro billet MSD distributor!

mikiec · #11 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 05:11 PM

I'm running an MSD6AL box, Blaster coil and a duraspark dist.

Works great.

Mike

Ant · #12 (**permalink**) 07-25-2003, 08:18 PM

Mike,

Duraspark distributor 'Is that a dual point system?

mikiec · #13 (**permalink**) 07-25-2003, 09:02 PM

No, the Duraspark is an electronic dist. I got mine from autozone as a rebuilt unit. I used an 85 1/2 as it has a steel gear to go with my roller cam. The unit has more than 21,000 mikes on it in 2.5 years. It has been trouble free.

Mike