MSD Distributor
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,874
Likes: 68
From: Rochester Hills Michigan
MSD Distributor
Does anyone have any experience with the new E Curve MSD distributor (p/n 8394)?
The rev limiter is an internal adjustment and no box is required. Anyone using one?????
Thanks
The rev limiter is an internal adjustment and no box is required. Anyone using one?????
Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,593
Likes: 173
From: Clayton NC
Changing the curves involve removing the cap and turning a couple of pots.
When you install it, you set the max timing you want with the vaccum line disconnected, and tighten it down. No matter what you do with the curves it won't change the max timing. You just change the initial timing and how quick it all comes in, with the pot settings. It has 10,15,20, and 25 degree curves. The designation is the difference between max timing and initial. For example if your max timing is 39 degrees like mine, and you select a 20 degree curve, your initial is going to be 19 degrees. Select the 25 degree curve and you have an initial value of 14 degrees, but the max doesn't change. A 34 degree max with a 20 degree curve selected also gives you 14 initial... so on and so forth. Each curve 'size' has 4 different variations of when it comes in, from 2000-3500 rpms. I have mine coming full in at 2500.
You can also set the amount of vaccum advance and how much it gives you based on the vaccum reading. It took me a little while to figure it out, but once I did it is a piece of cake to tune.
Another really cool feature is a built in rev-limiter that you set using another pot under the cap. I set mine at 6500 and had a couple of 'encounters' with it at the track due to inaccurate shifting .
Wiring is a breeze. You hook up their supplied harness to your coil and power supply, etc, and the it just plugs into a 4-prong connector harness on the distributor. There is a seperate green wire for the tach. If you need to remove it you just unhook the tach wire and the connector harness, no need to undo all the wires on the coil, etc. Makes removal/installation painless, so long as you don't re-install it 180 degrees out like I did (DOH!).
I also considered the Crane equivalent, but was turned off by it because you have to buy their ignition box to use with it. The MSD version requires no ignition box. I use a stock canister style MSD Blaster coil. Makes for a cleaner look without the ignition box, particularly for a street/strip car where I don't really have a need for a box.
My only complaint, the dials on the little pots are rather fragile, and the numbers on them yellow and fade a little due to heat after you put some miles on it. I boogered mine up a little with the screwdriver, not being careful. Other than that it's worked great.
I painted the cap for mine black, and it takes a second look to realize it's not a stock points style distributor. "
When you install it, you set the max timing you want with the vaccum line disconnected, and tighten it down. No matter what you do with the curves it won't change the max timing. You just change the initial timing and how quick it all comes in, with the pot settings. It has 10,15,20, and 25 degree curves. The designation is the difference between max timing and initial. For example if your max timing is 39 degrees like mine, and you select a 20 degree curve, your initial is going to be 19 degrees. Select the 25 degree curve and you have an initial value of 14 degrees, but the max doesn't change. A 34 degree max with a 20 degree curve selected also gives you 14 initial... so on and so forth. Each curve 'size' has 4 different variations of when it comes in, from 2000-3500 rpms. I have mine coming full in at 2500.
You can also set the amount of vaccum advance and how much it gives you based on the vaccum reading. It took me a little while to figure it out, but once I did it is a piece of cake to tune.
Another really cool feature is a built in rev-limiter that you set using another pot under the cap. I set mine at 6500 and had a couple of 'encounters' with it at the track due to inaccurate shifting .
Wiring is a breeze. You hook up their supplied harness to your coil and power supply, etc, and the it just plugs into a 4-prong connector harness on the distributor. There is a seperate green wire for the tach. If you need to remove it you just unhook the tach wire and the connector harness, no need to undo all the wires on the coil, etc. Makes removal/installation painless, so long as you don't re-install it 180 degrees out like I did (DOH!).
I also considered the Crane equivalent, but was turned off by it because you have to buy their ignition box to use with it. The MSD version requires no ignition box. I use a stock canister style MSD Blaster coil. Makes for a cleaner look without the ignition box, particularly for a street/strip car where I don't really have a need for a box.
My only complaint, the dials on the little pots are rather fragile, and the numbers on them yellow and fade a little due to heat after you put some miles on it. I boogered mine up a little with the screwdriver, not being careful. Other than that it's worked great.
I painted the cap for mine black, and it takes a second look to realize it's not a stock points style distributor. "
