MSD ignition box help please
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 707
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From: St. Petersburg Florida
MSD ignition box help please
I have the MSD Streetfire ignition box and MSD distributor.. I ran it in my 1979 for a couple years and just swapped it over to my 1975. The engine will start and immediately cut off and the led will flash 3 times repeatedly. It will not restart until I turn the key off for about 5 seconds and then it cuts off immediately again. I have the heavy red wire connected to the battery cable on the starter and the smaller red wire connected to the wire that was connected to the battery terminal on the hei distributor that I removed. That wire does have continuous power while cranking and when the ignition is on.
The manual doesn't help and MSD's tech line is closed for a couple days so I'm hoping someone here can help. Thanks.
The manual doesn't help and MSD's tech line is closed for a couple days so I'm hoping someone here can help. Thanks.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
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I found this...it says you have the convertor off...its a iginition issue??? Maybe you installed a wire that you didnt need or vice versa
https://static.summitracing.com/glob...s/msd-5520.pdf
https://static.summitracing.com/glob...s/msd-5520.pdf
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 147
From: St. Petersburg Florida
I found this...it says you have the convertor off...its a iginition issue??? Maybe you installed a wire that you didnt need or vice versa
https://static.summitracing.com/glob...s/msd-5520.pdf
https://static.summitracing.com/glob...s/msd-5520.pdf
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
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Did you verify your wiring??? The three lights is an ignition issue so it's in your car, not the box
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 707
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From: St. Petersburg Florida
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2011
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Possibly the box or the distributor went bad. Put it back in the first car and see if it still works. Or if you are brave, try a test.
Turn on the car in the run position
Disconnect the trigger lead harness
Get out your spark tester
Hook it up to the coil output
Short the trigger leads together
See if you get spark
Are you sure you have full voltage at the trigger wire? Wasn't there some kind of resistor in the ignition circuit or was that earlier cars?
Turn on the car in the run position
Disconnect the trigger lead harness
Get out your spark tester
Hook it up to the coil output
Short the trigger leads together
See if you get spark
Are you sure you have full voltage at the trigger wire? Wasn't there some kind of resistor in the ignition circuit or was that earlier cars?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 147
From: St. Petersburg Florida
Possibly the box or the distributor went bad. Put it back in the first car and see if it still works. Or if you are brave, try a test.
Turn on the car in the run position
Disconnect the trigger lead harness
Get out your spark tester
Hook it up to the coil output
Short the trigger leads together
See if you get spark
Are you sure you have full voltage at the trigger wire? Wasn't there some kind of resistor in the ignition circuit or was that earlier cars?
Turn on the car in the run position
Disconnect the trigger lead harness
Get out your spark tester
Hook it up to the coil output
Short the trigger leads together
See if you get spark
Are you sure you have full voltage at the trigger wire? Wasn't there some kind of resistor in the ignition circuit or was that earlier cars?
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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they do that for some odd reason
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Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Yup, I like the HEI design. No box to mount somewhere. Everything is self contained.
And they work really well!
And they work really well!
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
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If you clean the rust up it should be fine. Mine is always just surface rust
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
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From: North tonawanda NY
Ive read a lot of comments about the mds distributors rusting and even folks comparing them to the titanic's remains... Not exactly something one would expect from a rather expensive american made product. Unfortunate.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 9,354
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
It has to be bad venting in the cap