Distributors

[cobra_dude]

Hi Guys

What kind of distributors and ignition systems are you using with your FE engines. Are you using Electronic or points types?

thanks

[ERA535]

I'm using MSD through out --- 6A box with the Billet distributor and MSD coil. Zero problems to date.

[RICK LAKE]

Hey cobradude I use a billet MSD distributor, 6-al box, and crank sensor. My car has Fuel injection and needs both signals for the brain to work, both retard and advance the timing. I had a poor ground and let the smoke out of a 6-AL box, sent it back to MSD and they repaired the box for free, minus shipping. Great company that stands behind their products. Good tech line also. Rick Lake.

[mickmate]

It's not worth installing points ignition these days. Obviously MSD is a popular choice, if you're looking for a low buck alternative a good stock distributor with a Pertronix electric eye is an easy fix. They are readily available on e-bay and other places.
Cheers Nick

[zimmy]

Rick:

Can you tell me more about when you smoked the MSD? Did you smoke it completely to the point that it didn't work at all or did it get flaky? I also ran my MSD 6AL with a non-existant ground for about 8 hours. While there is still spark and it runs so-so, I am seriously suspecting that the box is acting flaky. I am considering sending it to MSD for overhaul. I was just curious about your experience. Thanks.

Corey Zimmerman

[chopper]

I have had similar experience to Rick Lake with MSD service. I replaced a Mallory Unilite distributor with the MSD billet unit. Less than a year after installation, I began to experience all sorts of difficult/backfire-through-the-carb-during-starting problems. After tearing down the carbs and cursing Holley and all his offspring numerous times, I discovered that the real problem was that the advance weights on the distributor had rusted and stuck in the full advance position. I talked with MSD and they explained that they had briefly tried a "new and improved" anti-corrosion treatment which, apparently, didn't anti-corrode. I returned the unit to MSD and they essentially replaced all of the guts for free (minus shipping, of course). No more problem since then. They seem to really stand behind their products.

[ERA535]

That is interesting about the innards on the MSD Billett distributor - I have seen two now where there seems to be quite a bit of rust on the fasteners and some components inside the cap.....as well as some moldy sh*t inside the cap itself that seems to indicate moisture.....

Anyone else seen this?????/

[RICK LAKE]

Hi Zim. My 6-AL box had a bad curcuit inside. After the box was running for 2-3 minutes it would act up and lose spark. When the box cooled off it would work OK until it heated up again. The tech fixed the box and sent a note about checking the grounds for good contacts. I had to run two ground straps to the frame and the motor. I bought another 6-Al box as a spare, and keep it in the trunk just in case. I have not had a problem since then. Their is not corriding in my distributor and it is clean for 2 years. The weights are locked off in my car, the fuel injection controls the timing for my motor. Hope this helped.

[Whaler]

I too have all the MSD goodies on my 428 (Which has yet to be flashed up)

I have the 6AL box, the chrome blaster coil and the billet FE MSD distributor. MSD wires as well.

I have mounted my box inside the passenger compartment up in the top of the footbox. It is grounded as well.
Didn't like the idea of this component out in the engine compartment with the heat and vibration..... ( leave that for the coil heh heh)

Reading this with enthusiasm and anticipation as well as any thread concerning FE timing....One day In the next month or two I will start her up and I like the conversation.

Tim

[Trans-Am Jim]

Guess I'll buck the tide here. I've got a Mallory Dual-Point converted to magnetic breakerless with the MSD 6 AL box. No probs so far. Except for the MSD box which crapped out last year. By the serial #s on it, the MSD rep said it was made in '92, so's 9+ years of service (living on the passengers footbox in the engine compartment, with all the heat that the motor gives off) ain't too bad.