msd issues 6al and 8594 distributor

[Rick Parker]

Just a bit of my experience. I run resistor plugs at a gap of .045 no wider. I am also hard headed an continue to run solid core wires with no apparent detrimental effects other than creating havoc on the radio of the car next to me in traffic . I have no other electrical accessories other than a Msd Rpm limiter that plugs into the MSD 6T Box. I route the #7&8 wires in such a way they do not create any cross fire. I do see some "rust" created on the magnet core and attaching screws but I occasionally attempt to scrub it with a small stainless wire brush and blow out With compressed air. My crankcase is well vented an I don't have a lot of Blow By that can and would otherwise be forced to some extent past the seals within the distributor and contaminate the atmosphere within the cap. I have never had the center electrode disintegrate. My personal thoughts are that this is caused by the electrical loads imposed by the combination of resistor plugs, resistance type wires, high powered coils and wide plug gaps. I do see some "fluffy" deposits on the brass poles within the cap and on the end of the rotor but it poses no problems and is easily cleaned. In the 25 years I've had my car I have had the same MSD box on it. I once thought the box had failed but it turned out that when replacing the pickup assembly I had installed the magnet upside down and thus changed the phasing and polarity causing triggering problems between the distributor and the box.
The only item that has to be watched closely is the dimension between the reluctor (star wheel) and the field coil pole of the pickup assy. You DO NOT want the reluctor to become magnetized so it is suggested you use a brass feeler gauge when setting the gap. If you check with MSD you will get one of many different answers for the correct air gap dimension. I use .015 for a strong signal.
Personally I think MSD is a well designed product overall.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

Personally I think MSD is a well designed product overall.

Yes,well designed product made with el-cheapo components in Mexico.......when one buys a top of the line after market distributor like an MSD unit for near 300 bucks, one should expect it to run properly and not rust up in 6 months to a year.......

Ford has made how many millions of DuraSpark distributors since the early 80's to 1995 that were used in the Mustangs/LTDs and F-150s?? and how many gazillion trouble free miles were put on them with no issues,especially rust??????
That's why last week I trotted down to the local O'Reilly's and bought a rebuilt Ford DuraSpark distributor for less than 80 bucks with warranty for my new 331..........I'm done with ALL MSD products!!!!!!!!

I have had their distributor/ignition box in 3 cars starting back in 1996,I can tell within 5 seconds when I start the car if I need to pull the distributor out and clean it again for rust,which is at least once a year....I've tried every thing MSD has recommended and few things they have not and nothing stops the rust or other problems.......

David

[FWB]

and the Duraspark doesn't sit way up in the air like the Eiffel tower because MSD was too cheap to design an actual Ford housing.

But i'm not bitter....really...

[DAVID GAGNARD]

As a side note:
I picked up a DuraSpark distributor out of a 1994 Mustang GT in a salvage yard a while back thinking I could convert it to use on a carbed engine,no go, but anyway,I took it apart and other than being dirty,it has ZERO rust inside and all it's internals were in perfect working order,in fact the engine I pulled it off of,was still running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[zrayr]

Originally Posted by DAVID GAGNARD

"..............I'm done with ALL MSD products!!!!!!!!

"..........I can tell within 5 seconds when I start the car if I need to pull the distributor out and clean it again for rust,which is at least once a year....I've tried every thing MSD has recommended and few things they have not and nothing stops the rust or other problems.......

David

I agree it is an aggravating problem. But if you are only inconvenienced once a year or so, it doesn't seem to be a deal breaker for me. After all it doesn't take but a few minutes. But hey, I have my own pet peeves where maintenance is concerned on classic cars so I do understand where you are coming from....

I've had better reliability from MSD products than any other ignition system, so I'm inclined to stay with what is working well for me. I especially like the combination of the MSD Digital 6+ box and their non vacuum advance distributor #8579. I've put about 55,000 miles over a 11 year period on those components. I did change out the dist. cap when it was new to a black cap, and replaced that cap after after 6 years.

Z.