coil volts?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Neither. The MSD feeds hi voltage to the primary side of the coil - I can't remember the exact number, but I believe it's in the 200-volt range. Some of the other guys can correct me on the exact number, but you're not running battery voltage to the coil when running an MSD... the primary side can knock you on your butt...
Last edited by lars; Feb 13, 2006 at 01:01 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by lars
Neither. The MSD feeds hi voltage to the primary side of the coil - I can't remember the exact number, but I believe it's in the 200-volt range. Some of the other guys can correct me on the exact number, but you're not running battery voltage to the coil when running an MSD.
and a lotta meters will not / cannot measure voltage at coil supplied by CD ignition ... careful ... it'll knock yer bic in the dirt!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 764
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From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
Originally Posted by MSO
i should've been more specific.........what i'm talking about is the volts on the possitive side of the coil, not what the coil actually puts out.
12 volts is what ya want to shoot for 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Originally Posted by jackson
and a lotta meters will not / cannot measure voltage at coil supplied by CD ignition ... careful ... it'll knock yer bic in the dirt!
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,379
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Originally Posted by MSO
i should've been more specific.........what i'm talking about is the volts on the possitive side of the coil, not what the coil actually puts out.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,379
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
I just found the info: On the MSD 6-series ignitions, the voltage supplied to the coil from the MSD (that's going to the "+" side of the coil) is 460 to 480 volts. The stock setup is about 7 volts when running, and battery voltage when starting.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Yep ... hopefully, we all know about the amps being worse than volts thing ... but beware. And I didn't misunderstand either ... I'm talking about high coil primary voltage/current w/ CD ign ... it'll hurt you! I've tried but never measured it because I've never been able to get a reliable reading on several meters ... BUT ... several years back ... up around Gaston SC ... a local racer was working on car w/ his 12 year old son ... CD box & coil inside cockpit ... somehow son got 'hold of it ... IT KILLED THE BOY! I wasn't there, I don't know the medical examiner ... but it was reported locally. Most of us have been bitten by secondary (plug wires) ... not fun but usually not life-threatening. But I've also been bitten by CD ign coil primary voltage/current ... it's STRONG! By the way it felt, I believe the current (amps) was high.