Gordonm

Good one!

gatorbcn

I put mine there as well.

Retro78

Why?

JoeRags

I've heard a bunch of stories about MSD boxes failing. I personally have had 1 6AL box fail on me, but MSD fixed it free of charge.

Would I buy another MSD? not too sure.

Bullshark

carl That make no sense to me, I would love to hear his rational I do think that mounting it in a place that keeps the leads as short as possible is worthwhile. which is probably out under the hood.

Bullshark

JoeRags

Ohm's law backs up that statement. The box feeds the ignition coil with upwards of 425 VDC. Expect a significant voltage drop for leads that are long... say, if you mounted your box behind the seats (which I have seen on this forum before). Yea, it will work... but you wont be supplying your coil with nearly the voltage level as if it were within 2 - 3 ft.

Less voltage = less spark

cchristo

I understand that shorter leads = less resistance, no arguments there. I don't understand the logic behind warming up electrical components to increase their efficiency. Heat is the mortal enemy of electonic components.

IF, and I stress IF, I decide to get one, it would probably be the digital one.

Has anyone tried to fit it under the lip inside of the wiper bay?

Seems like it would fit pretty well, be protected from the elements, isolated from engine compartment heat and only be inches from the distributor.

Gordonm

The Crane HI6 is digital. I have had one behind my map pocket for 6 years now with no problem. MSD also now has digital ones. I have made the leads as short as possible.

GrtDanes

Put mine in storage compartment behind passenger seat.

Roughrider

In my '69 I mounted the MSD6 behind the passenger side of the dash. Only a couple of screws to pop the panel and map pocket off and there's plenty of room.

From Summit Racing I got a universal CD box mounting kit and it fits very easily behind the dash. Away from all the engine heat and it's invisible to the naked eye!

jackson

Or in a true race carMSD/other CD boxes work great in a race car. But unless you've got a true race car, they're not worth the expense-trouble of install or hassle if they fail. A well maintained & adjusted OE ignition system works very well & is plenty adequate for all but the most radical street motors. While it's true MSD will repair for little or no $ ... but that ain't gonna get you home if & when it pukes hours from home ... you ain't gonna find a local mechanic who can actually fix internal CD box problem. Stock/OE ignition parts are usually available at most any local parts store. BTW ... next time you see nascar cup on TV ... look at incar camera view looking out across dash ... look close & you'll see there are TWO MSD (or Crane) CD boxes on a plate atop dash ... twin coils too ... redundant. Now why do you suppose they ALL have two boxes?.... I promise cup rules do not require two.

Now ... for those that chose a new MSD distributor with tach drive ... those distributors require a CD box ... no way 'round it except some more custom ignition mods (ie add in an OE-type HEI ignition module).

Twin_Turbo

I totally agree, for the operating conditions of most cars here the stock HEI is pretty much unbeatable, good spark current for the majority of the rpm range, good at igniting fouled plugs, firing under cold startup and all... there's more to ignition systems than just bolting on a bunch of gizmos.

I now have a crane Hi6 & dial in boost retard..but only for that reason.

Bullshark

TT, jackson;
I would love to go with a GM HEI type ignition control rather then the bulky MSD on my Project Ramjet /Acell DFI conversion, but my problem is I want to have the ablility to go with sequential injection. A dual sync distributor forces an external ignition control. Anyone know of a small, simple ignition control coil driver module that could be used in place of the MSD 6a? The GM modules all have VR / hall effect pickup integrated into thier circuits. Not knowing the internal module circuit details makes me leary about their use, if I wanted to package one of them externally.

Better be careful here so I don't hijack this thread

By the way, the main reason for keeping the MSD leads as short as practical is EMI pickup on the sense lines. Not so much IR drop if adaquate gauge wire is used. There is not that much current in the primary coil circuit. HV coil output on the other hand is a different story,.....keep it short for many reasons.

Bullshark

sray454

In the trash can also ... After mine fried on a hot summer day, mounted on the wheel well right beside the passenger side vent ... left me stranded on the side of the road ... a couple of fellow forum member happened by, stopped and rewired my ignition back to stock ... I'll be damned if I could tell the difference without it ... and I had a DAMN good time taking a sledge hammer to it ... never again !!!

jackson

I don't KNOW the answer ... but ... perhaps an external ignition module as found on late 90's GM 4.3 or 5.7 iron head motor (iron vortec that uses funky $$$ crabcap & external coil)... their modules are mounted atop intake manifold on passenger side & has fins ... take a look. Heck, dunno, even the venerable 4-pin HEI module might be wired in ... dunno , I'm NOT an EE. FYI ... food for thought ... if I understand the concept behind his work ... I believe Dave's Small body HEI converts old GM small points distributors using an msd/ford pickup (trigger) coupled w/ an externally mounted 4-pin HEI module. Some old small cap Accel's were made about same way until Accel came up w/ their own 4-pin SMALL HEI module-board that mounts inside small dist.

carl a

the coil could be the reason your msd box burned out, i mounted a oil filled blaster coil on the stock intake location,,a air bubble formes at the top of the coil it causes the windings of the coil to burn out and backfeed the msd box,,it fried my 6a box,,, msd told me to use a dry type coil if i wanted to keep it mounted at the angle on the intake,,you cant run a oil filled coil any other way than level... this is why commonwelth edison mounts transformers on sides of buildings on a level slab,,there oil filled and all the windings must be kept in the oil bath or the transformer burns out

carl a

read the post i replyed to above, thats the first thing i learned after i blew my first m s d ,,,then i called msd they said #1 run a dry coil if its gonna be mounted at a angle,,dont run a oil filled coil at a angle or it will burn out,,, and they said they did tests and the msd like warmer locations,, they found that they work best mounted under the hood,,and your wiring will be at a minnum if under there, no voltage drop.. this came from the tech at msd..and the coil makes sense not to mount it at the angle it burned out my box now i run a dry coil mounted at the angle bracket on my intake and so far no problems

norvalwilhelm

Since I don't drive in the cold weather I wanted to remove the heater. I can quickly pull the dash cover on the passengers side . I then made an aluminum plate and installed 4 msd boxes along with a bank of relays and fuses, a ignition coil and a ford solenoid for the starter. If I have an electrical problem I pull this cover and everything is right there. I can quickly jump a relay, switch wires or check fuses.

cchristo

That's insane! (in a good way) Heck, it reminds me of my guitar stomp box board I used to use.

Bullshark

Norval, I wouldn't worry about the cold weather without your old heater, I don't think you will miss it!

Bullshark