MSD Ignition Control Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Coquitlam BC, Canada
MSD Ignition Control Question
I was just wondering how many horsepower the MSD actually gives the corvette. It seems like a cheap way to get a little extra hp. Thanks guys.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,268
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
On mine, about 330HP LESS above 5000rpm! Replace, replace, Warranty replace.....you can spend the rest of your life sending their junk back to them, only to get another one that will go bad six months later. I've had their stuff on 3 different (brand) cars and all of them developed problems that went away when I went back to stock ignition. I'll never buy any of their junk again.
For me MSD= Made a Stupid Decision
For me MSD= Made a Stupid Decision
Last edited by Klondike; Apr 8, 2009 at 06:52 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Is there something wrong with your brain that you don't understand how the spark ignites the fuel air mixture in a cylinder? A higher energy spark has insignificant increase in odds of igniting the mixture. If the odds were so bad, don't you think GM would have increased the spark energy? The only increase in HP you could possibly get is from the slightly better increase in odds of the spark igniting a cylinder and you not losing that one power stroke. I would bet you wouldn't see any difference in HP between two runs of the OEM and the MSD spark system.
All the aftermarket go faster stuff advertise increased HP so they can drive Ferrari's instead of Cavalier's. Apparently THAT part works, I doubt the HP increase works.
All the aftermarket go faster stuff advertise increased HP so they can drive Ferrari's instead of Cavalier's. Apparently THAT part works, I doubt the HP increase works.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,861
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
If your going with boost or nitrous then upgrading the ignition is worth it.
I've seen racing ignition have fits when driven daily, especially the 1st time it rains
I've seen racing ignition have fits when driven daily, especially the 1st time it rains
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 18,346
Likes: 1
From: D / FW
I have a couple MSD multi spark W/ Rev Limiters. Run one on the LT 4 hot rod.
The old one has been around and on several vehicles and still works well.
On the other hand my Accel Distributor went south after about 500 miles.
On a stock or lightly Modded eng. multi spark is not necessary and at RPM's below 7500 the stock OPTI is as good as the aftermarket.
Only when you get to full race high HP engines is more hotter spark necessary.
The OEM factory OPTI is equal to or better than aftermarket , 160,000 miles and often go 250,000 .
It's not the OPTI's fault it was put in a bad position on the engine.
BUY OEM or quality ICM [ Ign control modules ] too not discount suppliers.
Bryan I was reading up on my ACCEL GEN 7 computer and it recommended quality wire not the cheap Chinese crap I usually buy.
I went to Radio Shack and bought quality butte connectors made of silver and used them on cheap a$$ed wire. Oh Well !
Redoing wiring again and getting coil wire away from ICM and MSD 6 A and IAC stuff.
Going to get it right one of these days.
The old one has been around and on several vehicles and still works well.
On the other hand my Accel Distributor went south after about 500 miles.
On a stock or lightly Modded eng. multi spark is not necessary and at RPM's below 7500 the stock OPTI is as good as the aftermarket.
Only when you get to full race high HP engines is more hotter spark necessary.
The OEM factory OPTI is equal to or better than aftermarket , 160,000 miles and often go 250,000 .
It's not the OPTI's fault it was put in a bad position on the engine.
BUY OEM or quality ICM [ Ign control modules ] too not discount suppliers.
Bryan I was reading up on my ACCEL GEN 7 computer and it recommended quality wire not the cheap Chinese crap I usually buy.
I went to Radio Shack and bought quality butte connectors made of silver and used them on cheap a$$ed wire. Oh Well !
Redoing wiring again and getting coil wire away from ICM and MSD 6 A and IAC stuff.
Going to get it right one of these days.