MSD coil was the root of engine mis-firing.
11-08-2010, 05:11 PM
#21
Le Mans Master
At least Pertronix acknowledges the problem and customer service is eager to resolve.
With MSD,ACCEL,Pertronix coils failing. I don't have confidence in any of them now.
With such a high failure rate, I want to know why they aren't pulling them off the shelves ?
I guess I have to stick with my low power GM coil.
With MSD,ACCEL,Pertronix coils failing. I don't have confidence in any of them now.
With such a high failure rate, I want to know why they aren't pulling them off the shelves ?
I guess I have to stick with my low power GM coil.
11-08-2010, 08:52 PM
#22
Race Director
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: northern california
Posts: 13,613
Received 6,530 Likes
on
3,004 Posts
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
Interesting thread about MSD.
Several years ago I bought an MSD rev limiter for my Grand Sport vintage racer. Instructions said I had to use resistor plug wires or the rev limiter would get confused by the radiated electrical noise. No mention was made of the minimum wire resistance or, for that matter, any wire specification at all..... except that they had to be resistor wires.
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
They could NOT tell me. Even when I spoke directly to their engineer (and, bear in mind that I'm an engineer so I speak the language), I could not get a straight answer. They didn't know. Oh, but they were sure that their suppressor wires met the spec and that I should buy them.
I sent the rev limiter back, kept my solid core wires, and trained myself to keep an eye on the tach.
To this day, none of my cars have any MSD electronics in them.
Jim
Several years ago I bought an MSD rev limiter for my Grand Sport vintage racer. Instructions said I had to use resistor plug wires or the rev limiter would get confused by the radiated electrical noise. No mention was made of the minimum wire resistance or, for that matter, any wire specification at all..... except that they had to be resistor wires.
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
They could NOT tell me. Even when I spoke directly to their engineer (and, bear in mind that I'm an engineer so I speak the language), I could not get a straight answer. They didn't know. Oh, but they were sure that their suppressor wires met the spec and that I should buy them.
I sent the rev limiter back, kept my solid core wires, and trained myself to keep an eye on the tach.
To this day, none of my cars have any MSD electronics in them.
Jim
11-08-2010, 11:18 PM
#23
Team Owner
Member Since: Jan 2007
Location: cookeville tennessee
Posts: 28,846
Received 1,762 Likes
on
1,529 Posts
Interesting thread about MSD.
Several years ago I bought an MSD rev limiter for my Grand Sport vintage racer. Instructions said I had to use resistor plug wires or the rev limiter would get confused by the radiated electrical noise. No mention was made of the minimum wire resistance or, for that matter, any wire specification at all..... except that they had to be resistor wires.
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
They could NOT tell me. Even when I spoke directly to their engineer (and, bear in mind that I'm an engineer so I speak the language), I could not get a straight answer. They didn't know. Oh, but they were sure that their suppressor wires met the spec and that I should buy them.
I sent the rev limiter back, kept my solid core wires, and trained myself to keep an eye on the tach.
To this day, none of my cars have any MSD electronics in them.
Jim
Several years ago I bought an MSD rev limiter for my Grand Sport vintage racer. Instructions said I had to use resistor plug wires or the rev limiter would get confused by the radiated electrical noise. No mention was made of the minimum wire resistance or, for that matter, any wire specification at all..... except that they had to be resistor wires.
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
They could NOT tell me. Even when I spoke directly to their engineer (and, bear in mind that I'm an engineer so I speak the language), I could not get a straight answer. They didn't know. Oh, but they were sure that their suppressor wires met the spec and that I should buy them.
I sent the rev limiter back, kept my solid core wires, and trained myself to keep an eye on the tach.
To this day, none of my cars have any MSD electronics in them.
Jim
11-09-2010, 01:00 AM
#24
Melting Slicks
Interesting thread about MSD.
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
Jim
At the time, I was running solid core plug wires and really didn't want to convert to energy absorbing resistor wires.
I called MSD to ask for a spec for the wires I should use. Essentially, how many Ohms do I have to have to get into heaven?
Jim
Amazing that stock HEI's can last for 20 yrs with little maintaince
11-09-2010, 03:48 AM
#25
Drifting
Not at all the case here, but MSD has some ignition boxes that will burn a street coil up in a short while. The 7AL series being one of them. MSD will (or would) tell you in short order that you can anticipate coil failure. I haven't talked to them in a while. Apparently their good guys have moved on. I used a Jacobs box and ultra-coil in my 454SS for years without a single problem. Hated to see them sell out. Their top ignition box included an anti-theft / hijack system, an infinitely adjustable rev limiter, a tuning mode that turned off the multiple discharge for use of a timing light, and a full throttle system that would boost output at full throttle. They also offered plug wires with ceramic boots for use with headers plus other neat electronics. RIP Jacobs.
Last edited by Vogie; 11-09-2010 at 09:25 AM.
11-09-2010, 08:59 AM
#26
Race Director
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: northern california
Posts: 13,613
Received 6,530 Likes
on
3,004 Posts
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
They would have no effect on capacitive coupling and, save for the reduced current due to the resistive element, look to have no effect on inductive coupling either.
My take-away from the encounter with MSD was that the spiral core wires represented a significant marketing breakthrough.
Jim
11-09-2010, 10:54 AM
#27
Cartoon Character
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Can't be more than 114... Arizona
Posts: 1,440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been through a couple of 6AL boxes in the past due to failure and currently have a dead miss at 3200 rpm on my 66 Mustang track car with an MSD setup . Take a guess what the rpm is for the speed limit in my area
. I will come up with a different spark solution going forward.. I also notice that the rev limiter chip is not very accurate - I have to use one that is 500 more than I desire because it cuts out early. This used to be really good stuff 
11-09-2010, 12:44 PM
#28
Burning Brakes
So what electronics and coil set up are you guys using when you get fed up with MSD? As Vogie mentioned, I really liked the Jacobs stuff before they changed hands. In fact I still have that setup but I suspect it has begun to fail. I'll miss the anti-theft feature which I have integrated into my other systems and some of Jacobs other unique features but opted to try the MSD Digital-6 Plus setup with the matching Blaster coil. If I have problems with it, I am wondering what is the better route to go. I have an older MSD billet distributor which has been pretty solid though the first one corroded pretty bad this unit has not. I'm not fond of Accel or Mallory as I have had bad experiences with both. Never tried MSD back when everyone seemed to think they were at the top of the game, as the Jacobs stuff was so solid.
11-09-2010, 07:47 PM
#29
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Sep 2008
Location: Lake Minnetonka, Mn
Posts: 5,072
Received 1,729 Likes
on
811 Posts
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Called MSD Tech today. Explained problem and solution. I got a virtual shrug of the shoulders and a gaze at the sky and switched to a sales clerk named Hope. She did not know what to do for me to get warranty support for the bad coil except to tell me to send it back, they would test it and if defective send me another coil. I suggested that I did not need another coil as I had just bought one and this was how I knew that I had a bad one.
She said would have supervisor call me. She then called back a few minutes later and gave me choices.
1. Send coil back and they would send me MSD clothing,,,I don't need another coil. They will not refund money.
2. Or I could have merchandise of equal value.
3. Take it back to merchant where purchased. Have them call MSD for approval to refund money. If they are willing to do this, and it's up to their option, then MSD will reimburse the merchant. Likely will not even waste the time to do this.
She said would have supervisor call me. She then called back a few minutes later and gave me choices.
1. Send coil back and they would send me MSD clothing,,,I don't need another coil. They will not refund money.
2. Or I could have merchandise of equal value.
3. Take it back to merchant where purchased. Have them call MSD for approval to refund money. If they are willing to do this, and it's up to their option, then MSD will reimburse the merchant. Likely will not even waste the time to do this.
11-09-2010, 08:15 PM
#30
Race Director
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: northern california
Posts: 13,613
Received 6,530 Likes
on
3,004 Posts
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
11-30-2010, 01:34 PM
#31
Burning Brakes
so far so good with my MSD digital-6 plus and blaster coil....
Seems to have cured the problem (high speed miss) that I was having with my vintage jacobs setup. Only complaints are:
1. the box is huge and has wires on both ends which complicated installation.
2. wish the two-step rev limiter had the ability to be set below 2k
3. wish the retard on start was 10 degrees or adjustable, it is fixed at 20 degrees which is too much for my engine, so I don't get to use that option and I kinda expect some others will be feel the same....too bad to0, it was nice to have it built in.
Seems to have cured the problem (high speed miss) that I was having with my vintage jacobs setup. Only complaints are:
1. the box is huge and has wires on both ends which complicated installation.
2. wish the two-step rev limiter had the ability to be set below 2k
3. wish the retard on start was 10 degrees or adjustable, it is fixed at 20 degrees which is too much for my engine, so I don't get to use that option and I kinda expect some others will be feel the same....too bad to0, it was nice to have it built in.
11-30-2010, 03:00 PM
#32
Pro
Thread Starter
so far so good with my MSD digital-6 plus and blaster coil....
Seems to have cured the problem (high speed miss) that I was having with my vintage jacobs setup. Only complaints are:
1. the box is huge and has wires on both ends which complicated installation.
2. wish the two-step rev limiter had the ability to be set below 2k
3. wish the retard on start was 10 degrees or adjustable, it is fixed at 20 degrees which is too much for my engine, so I don't get to use that option and I kinda expect some others will be feel the same....too bad to0, it was nice to have it built in.
Seems to have cured the problem (high speed miss) that I was having with my vintage jacobs setup. Only complaints are:
1. the box is huge and has wires on both ends which complicated installation.
2. wish the two-step rev limiter had the ability to be set below 2k
3. wish the retard on start was 10 degrees or adjustable, it is fixed at 20 degrees which is too much for my engine, so I don't get to use that option and I kinda expect some others will be feel the same....too bad to0, it was nice to have it built in.
11-30-2010, 03:45 PM
#33
Melting Slicks
You guys had me scared with all the stories of Chinese BLASTER II coils going bad. I checked on mine, HECHO IN MEXICO! I feel so much better now...
10-08-2022, 09:19 PM
#36
Administrator
Member Since: Jul 2000
Location: About 1100 miles from where I call home. Blue lives matter.
Posts: 51,422
Received 5,331 Likes
on
2,775 Posts
