Sent it in the first time it puked and they said there was nothnig wrong with it .....got it back reinstalled it and it was fnine for about 5-6 mths now and then started cutting out intermittently at about 3k where it switches from multiple to single spark,,,,
tried it out again and now car cuts out etc ..while driving with the msd installed and have gone thru all connections and checked wiring....SO its definitely the box again :-(

Since im PO'ed now do i bother sticking with the MSD again or do i start looking at the crane system etc?

 

Why bother with all that high priced ignition stuff? Why don't you just use the HEI setup with a good coil, cap, wires etc.? It should be completely sufficient for your engine.

 

I don't see how a box full of semiconductors can "puke" but I guess it must be one those weird american expressions. I'd go with a Mallory Hyfire VI or Crane Hi-6.

 

Did you try running without it right now ?

Is your 6A overheating ?


Ron

 

Sir,

If the unit was sent back to you and said checked good, then there was nothing wrong with the unit, nothing needed to be done to it. The unit was run for roughly 7 hours at 7000 RPM being tested intermittently on a scope for out put, it was tested both hot and cold, completely disassembled and visually checked. The unit is tested from 1 RPM to 15,000 RPM, it is shook pulled, tugged to simulate in car vibration and that unit passed all tests with out missing, shutting off or failing. Hence "tested good" on the paper work. There is either a connection for power or ground to the unit, a plug wire going away, something to that nature. The unit is not going to create a misfire, if there is a problem with the unit it will generally just shut down.

Thanks,

Joe
MSD tech

 

i know you said you checked the wiring but just for giggles check the ground wire, maybe jumper straight to the neg side of the batter, i've seen a ground that was good just suddenly start flaking out more than once on the msd boxes

 

I've got a Crane, I like it for the rotary switches for RPM limit. I would also look at the Accell 300+, it did very well in the latest Car Craft ignition shootout.

 

Well, I would keep that msd. If you were going to replace buy the msd digital 6. It is one of the few parts on my car i don't regret buying! Plus no plug in chips. Plus I see more full on race cars using msd products.

I regret the posting of the above back in 2002. I no longer agree with my comments on that date. GFF 10-2005

 

Best suggestion I can offer is get rid of the POS MSD system altogether and get Mallory! Several of my friends, with hotter cars than I, have had both and the MSD is worse than the stock 18 year old HEI stuff that I had.

Talk to Sam at www.centuryperformance.com he's had both as well and will not sell MSD for those reasons. Great guy to deal with too!

I think he even has a special on systems right now.

Later, and hope this helps!

 

You know guys, failures unfortunately occur, I wish I could say otherwise. This was not the case when the unit was sent in last time as I stated before. We can check it out again that is not a problem, send it in and I can check things out personally. As for our units being a POS, if that is the case then why are our components used by more racers in NHRA, IHRA, NASCAR, NMRA, NSCA, SCORE, NIRA, World of Outlaws and others then not one but ALL other manufactures combined! 3.8TransAM, if you have not rectified the problem e-mail me at msdtech@msdignition.com and I will give you the information on how to get the unit to me to be checked out.

Thanks,

Joe

 

Yeah, no kidding. The tech just outlined what's wrong with his wiring, and you guys are still going off about how the box should be replaced...
What's the deal, 3.8? Is it the wiring?

 

Joey is currently not able to view any posts on this website, or any website at all for that matter. Hopefully this is temporary. If you need to ask him, talk to him, rag on him etc., you will need to email him directly at: jlapille@msdignition.com
Jerry

 

A friend of mine was recently at wits end over a pesky
igniton problem with a 6AL. After "checking every thing"
I was even convinced it was the boxes fault.
Turned out to be a bad wire(not ignition wire). Shorting to ground. The MSD6AL was not at fault at all. But seemed that way till we finally tracked down the real problem.
Apparently these boxes need real good wireing of ample
guage thickness to pass the current required. They also need a real good ground wire.
As with all amplifiers, any fault, anywhere in the whole ignition
system will be AMPLIFIED by the MSD 6AL.

 

I've used, and abused, wired backwards, and totally beaten all my MSD stuff. And it still works great..

-- Joe

 

hmmmm i would swear by msd stuff......the only problem i ever had was my own fault when i rushed the install to get to it on the road and didn't put the diode inline with the charging light wire....went to shut the car off and it kept running.

 

After replacing the entire ignition system during two fun filled days I still had the mysterious intermittent misssing that starts at 3000 rpm.It was the damn msd6al boxI pulled it and put the stock stuff back in the distributor,now the car runs great.THE MONEY IS BETTER SPENT ON WIRES AND A GOOD IGNITION COIL!!

 

I doubt it.

 

anesthes... it never occurred to me that my two yr old msd6al box was the cause of my problems,but after replacing virtually every other d**N thing that was what I was left with.It was the culprit NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!Anyone else out there had this misfiring that starts at 3000 rpm?Is it just me or should these ignition boxes last longer than 2yrs?!?

 

One word......" Jacobs"

 

Did you have any intermittant idle problems? It sounds like the rev limit circuit has a problem, like one of the leads is intermitantly not making contact, or the resistance of the pill/dial has gone bad..

-- Joe

 

It idled perfectly,around 2950 major misfiring would occur, occasional misfiring above 3000 rpm.With the stock pickup coil and condenser inplace The car runs great.I cleaned the box up and hooked everything up again yesterday with a new power and ground wire,same misfiring...I still think these boxes lack durability.just my .02

 

I've had the same MSD 6AL since 1991, and it has worked great. In 1996, I had to send it back to have a couple of power transistor replaced, but other than that, it has done the job. The main problem for the unit's failure was engine bay heat, even though I had the unit far away from the direct heat and mounted over by my left front fender, the unit would experience a good amount of heat. The product works well if you use it correctly and your wiring is SOUND.

 

it seems some have good luck with these boxes and some dont

 

Bro,
You have a 3.8. Stop wasting time and money on things that are unnecessary. Go back to stock ignition and save yourself the trouble. By the way, I'll bet the box is fine.

 

I WAS WRONGGG!!!

 

Anyone else have an MSD box fail that quickly......We've got ONE so far.

 

I had an Accel ignition start to cut out after a year. Sent it in and Accel replaced it, no problem. It's been fine since. Just in case I carry the wires to convert back to stock.

I refuse to let my TBI ever leave me stranded on the road. (where's some wood?)

 

I've had my MSD box on for 2.5 years, absolutely no problems. Maybe the 3.8 guy mounted it in a bad spot (upside down, right next to a HOT heat source like the exhaust or turbo, etc)? I have a feeling something was wrong with the wiring; whether it be how the box was wired to power, or how the box was wired to the factory harness- or a problem with the car's wiring (bad ground straps, faulty HEI ignition module, etc).

If MSD tested the box, it had to be good. Why would they send back a faulty product??

Like AdmiralNahohkta, I used the MSD plug-in harness to adapt the box to my remote HEI system. If I ever suspect the MSD box failing, I can plug in my original coil, and be able to drive away. I did the same thing when I had an Accel remote comptuerized HEI coil on the car. (Now I run an MSD Blaster SS coil.) For future ignition system buyers, don't be so quick to rip your stock coil out. Get a regular remote coil so you can always plug your stocker back in if you have to.