Msd 6al-2 failed - Page 2

PoppyMod · #21 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charles roybal

Went out for a ride...2 miles from home motor dies. Carb has fuel....turns over ..no go. MSD 6AL-2 has small red LED light that turns on when key is turned on...no red light. 2,455.6 miles on odometer....paid $75.00 towe fee to get home...guess will run the tests tomorrow on box and coil..think it's the box. My confidence is back to driving around the block.

This thread seemed to drift on to dizzy issues, so I'm pulling it back to your question.
Do you know about the company in NC, that fixes and modifies MSDs for NASCAR. They will test a unit and offer suggestion for correction.
Google: tech west racing

Hope this helps!

Tom Wells · #22 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 04:45 AM

Ken and Charles,

Here's the MSD repair place URL: http://www.techwestracing.com/

Tom

Excaliber · #23 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 05:08 AM

No thread drift!

The problem IS a broken dizzy gear, not an MSD failure.

...moving on.

patrickt · #24 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmaxx

... but now MSD has a steel gear to go with the billet steel cam.

Well that would seem to make a lot of sense, I guess. Back 5+ years ago when I looking at the cam/distributor gear issue, a steel DG was not available. The iron gears didn't last on the rollers, the bronze gears were better, and then the composite gears were, supposedly, better still. I opted to ignore the issue and go with the old school iron/iron combo. Making a distributor gear out of the same steel that's on the end of the cam would seem to make a lot of sense. Too much sense, in fact... there's probably some sort of flaw in what appears to be common sense reasoning.

madmaxx · #25 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 06:22 AM

MSD makes a steel gear for a "steel billet" cam and it has been proven for years.

Excaliber · #26 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 06:28 AM

I've been hearing these new "plastic" gears for awhile now and curious as to how they would play out. I think this is the first thread we've had about a failure of one? I guess there not a magic bullet after all.

patrickt · #27 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmaxx

MSD makes a steel gear for a "steel billet" cam and it has been proven for years.

You ought to include a link to the MSD steel gear product that fits their FE distributor so future searchers can find it easily.

Bobcat · #28 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 06:34 AM

You might also check out Nelson Specialties in Mooresville , NC at 800-494-7532 . I just used them to check out my MSD unit and was very happy with the service . Turns out there was nothing wrong with the box and all I had to pay was a $55 test and inspection fee . They also repair/modify MSD boxes for the NASCAR teams .... whether you use Techwest or Nelson , either is competent and will do quality work .... NASCAR teams don`t deal with incompetent companies .
If the box is under warranty , then neither com[any can do warranty work .

Bob

charles roybal · #29 (**permalink**) 11-21-2010, 09:07 AM

KC class act...quick responce from KC..will send dist. to him replace gear...gave me tech. on flushing motor. Here are some pics.

Ray Russell · #30 (**permalink**) 11-25-2010, 12:51 PM

I feel your pain...same thing happened to me. Left me high and dry on I-35. KC was good about replacing the gear with a bronze one. Mine lasted 5000 miles. Also replaced the cheezy dist. hold down (which had cracked) with a billet MSD. Will see how long this gear lasts.

Gaz64 · #31 (**permalink**) 11-25-2010, 04:50 PM

I can't see any plastic gear surviving driving an oil pump.

Run a steel gear compatible with your steel roller cam.

PANAVIA · #32 (**permalink**) 11-25-2010, 05:37 PM

We actively are NOT using MSD boxes , due to their failure rate and BS support system, MSD has cost me thousands of dollars in replacement parts , labor and good will with our customers.

There are alternate boxes out there , use them.

Steve

Ant · #33 (**permalink**) 11-26-2010, 04:16 PM

I am running MSD 6AL and an MSD 351 dist part #8578, as this distributor has the ignition module inside and uses a Master Blaster 2 coil, I carry a spare module, cap and rotor, I am interested to know if the MSD 6AL Box fails can I rig in another backup system without buying another 6AL or is the car out of action until I get the box sorted?

timsullivan · #34 (**permalink**) 11-26-2010, 05:56 PM

The smartest thing I did yet with my new Superformance 351W based stroker was wiring my MSD distributor (Pro Billet, Small Diameter, Magnetic Trigger) directly into the existing (and Superformance factory stock) Ford DuraSpark ignition module situated in the passenger footwell, underneath the glove box area. Since it’s a normal Ford factory part installed literally on 100’s of thousands of Fords I don’t carry any spares with me. The wiring took all of 5 minutes to orchestrate.

I intentionally avoided using the MSD box with my distributor because of the reputation they have for high failure rates and myriad problems.

madmaxx · #35 (**permalink**) 11-26-2010, 07:04 PM

You have a very valid point. A NEW ford duraspark with lifetime warranty from autozone is $20.00 and is plug and play on a SPF. They dont have a rev limiter but other than that perform very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by timsullivan

The smartest thing I did yet with my new Superformance 351W based stroker was wiring my MSD distributor (Pro Billet, Small Diameter, Magnetic Trigger) directly into the existing (and Superformance factory stock) Ford DuraSpark ignition module situated in the passenger footwell, underneath the glove box area. Since it’s a normal Ford factory part installed literally on 100’s of thousands of Fords I don’t carry any spares with me. The wiring took all of 5 minutes to orchestrate.

I intentionally avoided using the MSD box with my distributor because of the reputation they have for high failure rates and myriad problems.

Excaliber · #36 (**permalink**) 11-26-2010, 07:12 PM

A Ford OEM box is pretty much "plug and play" for any engine ignition system. It's not substantially different than the wiring required for an MSD box. I used to run BOTH, with them wired in such a way that it was easy to swap "plug in connectors" to change from one box to the other. I wanted a rev limiter so the Ford box was my backup.

Ant, the model MSD dist you have will not run "stand alone", as is typical for MOST MSD dist's, they require an ignition box of some kind. A quick and easy well to tell if your MSD dist is a "ready to run" version (no box required) is by the vacuum advance. If you DON'T have a vacuum advance, it's almost certain you DON'T have a "ready to run" (stand alone) MSD dist.

Ant · #37 (**permalink**) 11-26-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excaliber

A Ford OEM box is pretty much "plug and play" for any engine ignition system. It's not substantially different than the wiring required for an MSD box. I used to run BOTH, with them wired in such a way that it was easy to swap "plug in connectors" to change from one box to the other. I wanted a rev limiter so the Ford box was my backup.

Ant, the model MSD dist you have will not run "stand alone", as is typical for MOST MSD dist's, they require an ignition box of some kind. A quick and easy well to tell if your MSD dist is a "ready to run" version (no box required) is by the vacuum advance. If you DON'T have a vacuum advance, it's almost certain you DON'T have a "ready to run" (stand alone) MSD dist.

No vacuum advance on the 8578. Is the OEM Ford box available aftermarket or Ford dealers only, I would like to know the part # if possible as I reckon what you and Tim have done is exactly what I need for this machine!