I win!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,389
Likes: 535
After a few months of being down for the count, the vette runs again. This problem whooped my azz
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
Last edited by 1985 Corvette; Mar 30, 2007 at 10:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,270
Likes: 26
From: Winchester VA
Cruise-In V Veteran
When I wired in the MSD box in 1993, I ran a seperate harness to the interior of the car. Using weatherpack connectors, I made the harness to allow for swapping back and forth from msd to stock ignition. This way, if I had a failure on the road, it would be easily switched back and forth as needed.
Initially, the problem was very intermittant. This sucked up 1/2 the time.
A few years ago, I decided that the retard box would make a nice addition. It allows a predetermined amount of timing to be pulled back when the NOS is armed.
To be honest, I forgot about this box, and there is no known way to test it.
I suspect that there will (hopefully) be no next time. I have the bad msd boxes screwed to my garage wall of shame.
Initially, the problem was very intermittant. This sucked up 1/2 the time.
A few years ago, I decided that the retard box would make a nice addition. It allows a predetermined amount of timing to be pulled back when the NOS is armed.
To be honest, I forgot about this box, and there is no known way to test it.
I suspect that there will (hopefully) be no next time. I have the bad msd boxes screwed to my garage wall of shame.
Kudos for sticking with it.
My last experience with this was actually a tranny related issue where the car would stall when shifted into drive or when coming to a stop...sometimes. The TCC switch (whatever locks and unlocks the converter) and everything related were checked a hundred times. If we added up the hours spent, the diag time was more than the car was worth. It was the last car I worked on professionally.
PS. this is why there is a flat rate in auto shops...you win some, you lose some.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 45,861
Likes: 94
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
After a few months of being down for the count, the vette runs again. This problem whooped my azz
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
Educate a newb. What is an MSD box?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Multiple Spark Dishcharge box.
I had one that seemed pretty reliable but everyones MSD/Crane box that I knew of eventually left them stranded. Im sticking to a simple dist/coil setup.
I had one that seemed pretty reliable but everyones MSD/Crane box that I knew of eventually left them stranded. Im sticking to a simple dist/coil setup.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
After a few months of being down for the count, the vette runs again. This problem whooped my azz
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
I spent in excess of 40 hours diagnosing and rewiring the entire ignition system to discover the MSD spark/retard box was the problem.
Took it for it's first drive since the fall. Registration renewed, state inspection and emmisions exemption and it is legal once again.
Anyhow, glad to be back
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 2
From: Santa Teresa New Mexico
The msd wires into the stock ignition. It is a single box with no other changes needed. On my car, it improved the idle, improved hold and hot starts, and gave a slight increase in gas milage. It also has a rev limiter in it. The reason I bought one back in 92 was to help improve 1/4 mile time. It did nothing to help et or mph on my 87 coupe.
Excessive moisture, vibration or heat can help kill them. My units were mounted inside the car, and in my opinion(as well as the msd tech's), it was mounted in a best possible location.
Excessive moisture, vibration or heat can help kill them. My units were mounted inside the car, and in my opinion(as well as the msd tech's), it was mounted in a best possible location.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19