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Optispark: Dynaspark Questionable, MSD has the market

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Old May 5, 2007 | 05:05 AM
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Default Optispark: Dynaspark Questionable, MSD has the market

Called several venders to try to buy a Dynaspark Opti and they all sang the same tune. I'm afraid Dynaspark Optisparks are gone. ThunderRacing said they have had nothing but trouble with the company after it changed hands. They didn't recommend the purchase as for one thing, they could not guarantee when the thing would be sent.

So, with much research and many phone calls, it looks like the MSD LT1Pro-Billet Dristributer is the only one that is available that exceeds OEM equipment in quality and longevity.

I would have preferred a Dynaspark if their company was going strong but it appears otherwise. So, be forewarned that Dynaspark may not be the same today as they were last year.

Billy

Last edited by wilsonbh; May 5, 2007 at 01:54 PM.
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Old May 5, 2007 | 08:26 PM
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Just installed a MSD Pro Billit on my 94 vette Very happy with the results so far
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Old May 5, 2007 | 08:46 PM
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I had ordered a Dyna Spark about a week ago & they said it was back ordered.

Hmm...i may have to try & contact someone about that.


Thanks for the heads up
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Old May 5, 2007 | 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by islandcruiser
Just installed a MSD Pro Billit on my 94 vette Very happy with the results so far
I have a 94 & I was looking at MSD. They show two different listings.

What exactly is the difference between the two? Is it wiring and or vacuum lines?
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Old May 5, 2007 | 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by rg951
I have a 94 & I was looking at MSD. They show two different listings.

What exactly is the difference between the two? Is it wiring and or vacuum lines?
Unless your '94 has been modified to the '95 or later with the deeper timing chain cover, then you need the original '94 or what MSD calls the early version. All original '94s were actually the early version.

EDITED: If yours has been modified, you shouldn't need a new one anyway since the unfamous early opti with water damage problem was fixed with the later version.

Last edited by Eddie & the Cruisers; May 5, 2007 at 09:07 PM.
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Old May 6, 2007 | 05:26 AM
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Originally Posted by islandcruiser
Just installed a MSD Pro Billit on my 94 vette Very happy with the results so far
Where did you purchase your Opti from? I'm thinking about ordering mine from "Thunder Racing" along with an electric water pump. Did you do the water pump at the same time?

Also, did you do the work yourself?

Billy
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Old May 6, 2007 | 05:32 AM
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Originally Posted by rg951
I had ordered a Dyna Spark about a week ago & they said it was back ordered.

Hmm...i may have to try & contact someone about that.


Thanks for the heads up

I too attempted the Dynaspark purchase. Talked to someone named Eric and he said that they actually did not know when their "back order" would arrive. Since he couldn't provide me a date, and the comments from other vendors about Dynasparks customer service, I backed off.

It's my opinion that once a company changes hands, who knows what will happen and from how this looks, I believe the Dynaspark Oti won't be the same one everyone wails about.

I've heard good things about the MSD so I decided to buy one of them instead. Still looking for where to get it and I've even seen a couple of them on eBay being sold as brand new at about $50 cheaper than the vendors, and with free shipping.

Would be nice to get it locally but can't find it.

Billy
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Old May 6, 2007 | 12:32 PM
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Let us know how the MSD works out, since a lot of their other products fail so much, it will be interesting to see how long these last.

I still have the original type on my '95 and went with the LTCC on my other. So I have no opti problems to worry about for a long time.
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Old May 6, 2007 | 03:20 PM
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This is both disturbing and not very surprising.

DynaSpark has been slow to respond since they took over. I wonder if they will have the ***** to post in this thread.

It seemed like a strange transaction... selling a manufacturing intensive product to a group of folks that seemed inexperienced in the business. It also seemed perfectly timed so as to arrive about the same time the MSD part did... double whammy. All it did do was get that jerk from Dyna-Tech off the forum.
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Old May 6, 2007 | 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by bogus
This is both disturbing and not very surprising.

DynaSpark has been slow to respond since they took over. I wonder if they will have the ***** to post in this thread.

It seemed like a strange transaction... selling a manufacturing intensive product to a group of folks that seemed inexperienced in the business. It also seemed perfectly timed so as to arrive about the same time the MSD part did... double whammy. All it did do was get that jerk from Dyna-Tech off the forum.
I would prefer to buy the Dynaspark but only if I could be convinced it was/is the same quality as before the new owners took over the company. But talking to several vendors, it appears they have some problems getting started out the gate.

I want to buy the absolute best Optispark I can buy and am hoping the MSD is a good quality product despite the other MSD products that seem to fail before their time.

Billy
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Old May 6, 2007 | 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by wilsonbh
I would prefer to buy the Dynaspark but only if I could be convinced it was/is the same quality as before the new owners took over the company. But talking to several vendors, it appears they have some problems getting started out the gate.

I want to buy the absolute best Optispark I can buy and am hoping the MSD is a good quality product despite the other MSD products that seem to fail before their time.

Billy
I agree with you.

Personally, I never had a problem with my OEM but when I put my Radiator hoses back on, I failed to have one 100% tight thats right above the Opti. 2 minutes running...it shut off dead. I then realized it was dripping directly on it & killed it. Starts now but misfiring.

If I go through the process of replacing it, I just want a good-reliable unit.
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Old May 7, 2007 | 12:49 AM
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Ive been runnin the MSD opti for about a year now with no problems

Also runnin a 6al box thats 4 years old.
Ive got the Blaster coil and 8.5 wires never had a problem outta any of it.

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Old May 7, 2007 | 09:10 AM
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I just installed an MSD on my '92 this weekend, but when I got to the point of plugging it in, the electrical plug did not match up with my factory plug from the cars wiring harness. I am waiting for an e-mail or call back from MSD. I will be very disappointed if I have to pull the MSD out. Needless to say, I was not able to finish the job because I did not want to mount the new water pump in case I would have to pull it off again. Anybody have this experience?

I just talked to the MSD tech rep. He said that some '92 plugs will not match the MSD plug and I will have to cut off the plugs and hard wire the MSD to the '92 harness. I have no choice at this point but I suggested to him that MSD should cover this in their Installation instructions and have a pigtail plug adapter available. For a $500 unit, to supply a pigtail plug to a few customers at no extra charge should not be a big deal. I hope that I never have to unwire the distributor since there will be no plugs now.

Last edited by Jerry9202; May 7, 2007 at 10:09 AM.
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:13 AM
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Interesting post on MSD's forum:

http://www.msdignition.com/forum/sho...highlight=8381



Originally Posted by Jerry9202
I just installed an MSD on my '92 this weekend, but when I got to the point of plugging it in, the electrical plug did not match up with my factory plug from the cars wiring harness. I am waiting for an e-mail or call back from MSD. I will be very disappointed if I have to pull the MSD out. Needless to say, I was not able to finish the job because I did not want to mount the new water pump in case I would have to pull it off again. Anybody have this experience?

I just talked to the MSD tech rep. He said that some '92 plugs will not match the MSD plug and I will have to cut off the plugs and hard wire the MSD to the '92 harness. I have no choice at this point but I suggested to him that MSD should cover this in their Installation instructions and have a pigtail plug adapter available. For a $500 unit, to supply a pigtail plug to a few customers at no extra charge should not be a big deal. I hope that I never have to unwire the distributor since there will be no plugs now.
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Jerry9202
I just installed an MSD on my '92 this weekend, but when I got to the point of plugging it in, the electrical plug did not match up with my factory plug from the cars wiring harness. I am waiting for an e-mail or call back from MSD. I will be very disappointed if I have to pull the MSD out. Needless to say, I was not able to finish the job because I did not want to mount the new water pump in case I would have to pull it off again. Anybody have this experience?

I just talked to the MSD tech rep. He said that some '92 plugs will not match the MSD plug and I will have to cut off the plugs and hard wire the MSD to the '92 harness. I have no choice at this point but I suggested to him that MSD should cover this in their Installation instructions and have a pigtail plug adapter available. For a $500 unit, to supply a pigtail plug to a few customers at no extra charge should not be a big deal. I hope that I never have to unwire the distributor since there will be no plugs now.
You should not have to cut it off and hard wire it. If you look inside the factory harness connector you will see a pair of index tabs that keys the mating connector. All you need to do is to cut these away with a sharp exacto knife. Or you can swap it out with a pair of 4 way weather pack connectors. However the knife trick works well.
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by tjwong
You should not have to cut it off and hard wire it. If you look inside the factory harness connector you will see a pair of index tabs that keys the mating connector. All you need to do is to cut these away with a sharp exacto knife. Or you can swap it out with a pair of 4 way weather pack connectors. However the knife trick works well.
Thanks for the info. I don't think that the pin spacing is the same and the plug shells are different sizes. I think that I will look for the weather pack connectors so I can have a factory looking installation. By the way, I will be in Portland in early June.
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:30 AM
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I dont know why someone would buy a business and downgrade their product. Sometimes taking over a business and getting things in line takes time.
I personally would not buy another MSD product, too many failures, and when it comes to ignition components Im not willing to risk getting stuck. My .02
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To Optispark: Dynaspark Questionable, MSD has the market

Old May 7, 2007 | 01:37 PM
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I hear the Accel Optis are ghetto garbage, too. Do they still even market them?
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Old May 7, 2007 | 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Jerry9202
Thanks for the info. I don't think that the pin spacing is the same and the plug shells are different sizes. I think that I will look for the weather pack connectors so I can have a factory looking installation. By the way, I will be in Portland in early June.
Jerry,
An alternative may be to hardwire your OLD connector to the MSD harness?
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Old May 7, 2007 | 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Carpenter
Jerry,
An alternative may be to hardwire your OLD connector to the MSD harness?
You are correct but I think I will just get a set of connectors in case I need to change the MSD out for some reason in the future.
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