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MSD Tach Drive is junk

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Old Feb 22, 2017 | 03:30 PM
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Default MSD Tach Drive is junk

New Member, Just wanted to relay my latest experience with MSD. Tech gave me a RA# for a 100% completely rusted out dizzy, told me to send it back and they would rebuild, no charge.


Now they are holding it hostage for a rebuild fee. Guy who called me was rude and obnoxious. Told him where I would like him to put the dizzy...


Went back to HEI...will never own any MSD products again.
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Old Feb 22, 2017 | 04:48 PM
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Never had a problem with mine and I can't see how it could "rust" as it's made out of aluminum. The only thing could be the advance arms but mine are coated black.
Been running one since 2000.
Sorry your having problems. Whenever I have issues with customer service I take it up a notch and ask to speak to a supervisor or higher.
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Old Feb 22, 2017 | 04:54 PM
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If you google it, they had a big problem with that for a long time. Apparently a non vented Cap was part of the cause. Who knows. I had one and it rusted a little bit but not too bad. Some I saw pictures of were absolutely junk.
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Old Feb 22, 2017 | 11:16 PM
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Default Mine rusted terribly also....

Never failed but it rusted terribly.




Originally Posted by Big Mongo
New Member, Just wanted to relay my latest experience with MSD. Tech gave me a RA# for a 100% completely rusted out dizzy, told me to send it back and they would rebuild, no charge.


Now they are holding it hostage for a rebuild fee. Guy who called me was rude and obnoxious. Told him where I would like him to put the dizzy...


Went back to HEI...will never own any MSD products again.
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Old Feb 23, 2017 | 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by 69ttop502
If you google it, they had a big problem with that for a long time. Apparently a non vented Cap was part of the cause. Who knows. I had one and it rusted a little bit but not too bad. Some I saw pictures of were absolutely junk.


So I see. Switched from an HEI originally, regret that decision now. Trigger and all steel components, including screws were rusted. Spark scatter could have damaged the engine. All is well that ends well though, no more MSD though.
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Old Feb 23, 2017 | 11:43 AM
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I agree, I went to a locked out Crane distributor and a programmable box from Daytona Sensors. Much better quality in my opinion.
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Old Feb 23, 2017 | 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Big Mongo
So I see. Switched from an HEI originally, regret that decision now. Trigger and all steel components, including screws were rusted. Spark scatter could have damaged the engine. All is well that ends well though, no more MSD though.
DUI makes a nice tach drive HEI, curved any way you want.
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 08:43 AM
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Default I should emphasize that my MSD never failed me..

But, I was disappointed that it was so terribly rusty. I cleaned it up, scraped off the majority of rust and then sprayed it WD-40 fairly liberally.



Originally Posted by carriljc
Never failed but it rusted terribly.
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 09:11 AM
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I've seen FAST multipoint system 2 years old, that was VERY rusted.

Here is my 8572, it is 8-9 years old I think.




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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 09:13 AM
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Default Yep, mine was worse....

I'm only using it as a trigger for my FAST EZ EFI 2.0 nowadays. I should take a look at it to see how it's doing.... haven't looked it in a couple of years.

Just FYI, I had a Mallory in my car for 12 years and it looked wonderful up to the day I replaced it with the MSD. If anything, my car spent more time outside when it had the Mallory than it has since I installed the MSD.


Originally Posted by c3_dk
I've seen FAST multipoint system 2 years old, that was VERY rusted.

Here is my 8572, it is 8-9 years old I think.





Last edited by carriljc; Feb 24, 2017 at 09:18 AM.
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by carriljc
I'm only using it as a trigger for my FAST EZ EFI 2.0 nowadays. I should take a look at it to see how it's doing.... haven't looked it in a couple of years.

Just FYI, I had a Mallory in my car for 12 years and it looked wonderful up to the day I replaced it with the MSD. If anything, my car spent more time outside when it had the Mallory than it has since I installed the MSD.
BTW.
The 8572/AL-6 is on its way out of the EZ-EFI car/engine.
Going for HEI instead.

The 8572 is going in my SBC 427
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 02:55 PM
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Same issue here with an MSD8366 (small cap HEI). Only ran it for a short time before converting to crank trigger and made the MSD into a cam sync. Here's what I found when I took it apart:




Cleaned it up, got rid of the reluctor wheel and made it into a 1x camsync using a Holley hall effect sensor.

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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 06:57 PM
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I been playing with primarily GM cars for decades, and never once seen a GM/stock dizzy rust.....not points, not HEI, but those are the only two systems they made, for us old car farts that is.....

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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 09:04 PM
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Present for you all.


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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 09:24 PM
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That is just fricken ridiculous that they send out a product that will do this then try to charge $120 for a rebuild. When I was researching it, it seemed that it was mainly stuff produced between 2002-2009. Maybe it is still an issue. Done with MSD anyway!
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 10:24 PM
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Default It's a longer period than just 2002 - 2009

I bought mine in 1996.

I should have gone to an electric tach then since now I don't even use the tach drive. It's locked out, vaccum advance removed, and just using it with the EZ-EFI.

I have never seen any other distributor, on any other vehicle, corrode like this. It's appalling. I must say though -- it always worked.



Originally Posted by 69ttop502
That is just fricken ridiculous that they send out a product that will do this then try to charge $120 for a rebuild. When I was researching it, it seemed that it was mainly stuff produced between 2002-2009. Maybe it is still an issue. Done with MSD anyway!

Last edited by carriljc; Feb 26, 2017 at 09:18 AM.
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Old Feb 24, 2017 | 10:27 PM
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Default make sure you inspect it and clean it first...

Before you put it in the SBC 427. Maybe consider something to mitigate the corrosion issue.


Originally Posted by c3_dk
BTW.
The 8572/AL-6 is on its way out of the EZ-EFI car/engine.
Going for HEI instead.

The 8572 is going in my SBC 427
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To MSD Tach Drive is junk

Old Feb 24, 2017 | 11:42 PM
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Is this rust/corrosion issue just in the MSD's with tach drive or prevallant in all their Distributors? Mine was purchased in 2006 and still looks new inside. But it does have the larger Ford cap-a-dapt HEI style on it.
I'd be pissed too, if I pulled my cap and it looked like those! I run a MSD Digital 7plus locked out 38deg. with a 20deg. start retard. I cant't imagine running the small cap on a locked out dist., posts a little too close...

Dave
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Old Feb 25, 2017 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by carriljc
Before you put it in the SBC 427. Maybe consider something to mitigate the corrosion issue.
I will, have a great day
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Old Feb 25, 2017 | 11:09 PM
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Default So, I went and looked at it......

Looks like crap and I cleaned about 3 years ago and sprayed it with WD-40. Not as bad as it was then, but still.....

For today I blew it out with compressed air and then sprayed some more WD-40 throughout.

I wonder if I can scrape the loose rust, clean it up, and apply POR-15? Anybody have any guesses on that?
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Last edited by carriljc; Feb 25, 2017 at 11:11 PM.
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