MSD! Inform me!
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Vauge description of what it does.
http://www.mpsracing.com/products/MSD/ig02n.htm
This mod is qouted from thirdgen.org:
"MSD Ignition Amplifier- This mod is a real good boost for getting that last 500-1000 rpm out of the TPI system a lot quicker than it can do stock. It also is a plug in deal if you buy the harness adapter. But it is a fairly large box, and requires finding an appropriate remote location somewhere inside the engine compartment. It's well worth the effort, however. "
http://www.mpsracing.com/products/MSD/ig02n.htm
This mod is qouted from thirdgen.org:
"MSD Ignition Amplifier- This mod is a real good boost for getting that last 500-1000 rpm out of the TPI system a lot quicker than it can do stock. It also is a plug in deal if you buy the harness adapter. But it is a fairly large box, and requires finding an appropriate remote location somewhere inside the engine compartment. It's well worth the effort, however. "
Last edited by ~Cobra Killer~; Jul 9, 2007 at 01:55 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,153
Likes: 1,731
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Stock engine would get almost nothing from one. You'd really need something like a MR to get a real benefit from running one.
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 325
Likes: 2
From: Chattanooga TN
dont expect any performance gains on stock to moderately modded
L98`s.... the stock HEI system is fine to a little over 5,000 rpm with NA V8`s
as for MSD`s 6A/AL series boxes, IMO, they have an unacceptably high failure rate...
if you think you really need a CD ign. system, i would recomend the Crane HI-6 box. its digital, has switch adjustable rev limiter, and from personal experience, is a much higher quality piece, for about the same, or less money than the 6AL....
L98`s.... the stock HEI system is fine to a little over 5,000 rpm with NA V8`s
as for MSD`s 6A/AL series boxes, IMO, they have an unacceptably high failure rate...
if you think you really need a CD ign. system, i would recomend the Crane HI-6 box. its digital, has switch adjustable rev limiter, and from personal experience, is a much higher quality piece, for about the same, or less money than the 6AL....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake Va
The one problem we have seen, is the chips for the rev limiter are sometimes off by a good bit. Change em a couple times and you usually find a good, accurate one.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 0
From: JUPITER FLORIDA
dont expect any performance gains on stock to moderately modded
L98`s.... the stock HEI system is fine to a little over 5,000 rpm with NA V8`s
as for MSD`s 6A/AL series boxes, IMO, they have an unacceptably high failure rate...
if you think you really need a CD ign. system, i would recomend the Crane HI-6 box. its digital, has switch adjustable rev limiter, and from personal experience, is a much higher quality piece, for about the same, or less money than the 6AL....
L98`s.... the stock HEI system is fine to a little over 5,000 rpm with NA V8`s
as for MSD`s 6A/AL series boxes, IMO, they have an unacceptably high failure rate...
if you think you really need a CD ign. system, i would recomend the Crane HI-6 box. its digital, has switch adjustable rev limiter, and from personal experience, is a much higher quality piece, for about the same, or less money than the 6AL....
What it is supposed to really do is instead of the plug sparking once, it will spark multiple times up to a certain rpm (I think 3000-3500 or so).
After that it is supposed to just put out a bigger spark. So I can see a little better gas mileage and the car running a little better.....until it breaks like mine did for no reason.
Maybe a better coil would be cheap easy. If that does anything either.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 325
Likes: 2
From: Chattanooga TN
This, on the other hand, I wonder where all these failed boxes come from. I/we have installed literally dozens of 6ALs over the years, plus all the other cars we work on that already have them, and can only think of one, single box going bad over a period of 5 or 6 years. I personally know people with boxes older than that.
The one problem we have seen, is the chips for the rev limiter are sometimes off by a good bit. Change em a couple times and you usually find a good, accurate one.
i dont know what to tell you, other than i have personally experienced at least 2 failures with them, and more failures with other people i know, than i care to count over the years...
yeah, i know you see more MSD 6A/AL`s out there than just about all others combined, but still, it it seems to me that about one out of four or so end up failing within a year or two.some were repaired by MSD, including one of mine, others were sent back marked "unrepairable"...
i know of at least four Crane boxes, all of which have at least a couple of years of regular service on them, including one i bought over 8 years ago, and still working on a friends car... failure free.
and the convienence of the rotary switches... beats the daylights out of those rpm modules, anyday....
i havent heard of any failures with MSD`s "Digital 6" series, but i only know of a few of them in use.
they are considerably more expensive than a comparable Crane HI-6 though...
Last edited by BigLee; Jul 10, 2007 at 02:43 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 7
From: Metairie Louisiana
Which one works better with the MSD opti? I thought I have heard of some compatibility issues with the Crane box and MSD's opti. I am running a 125 shot of nitrous. My timing is retarded about 5 deg in the tune which works fine for now. I have thought about upgrading to an igntion box in the future. I also have an MSD coil and wires and will be moving to an MSD opti soon. I probably won't want to use the opti to retard the timing. I'll either continue to use the tune or try out one of the ignition boxes.
Do they both come with a sticker?
Do they both come with a sticker?
Last edited by rickneworleansla; Jul 11, 2007 at 11:39 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 7
From: Metairie Louisiana
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,140
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati Ohio
i dont know what to tell you, other than i have personally experienced at least 2 failures with them, and more failures with other people i know, than i care to count over the years...
yeah, i know you see more MSD 6A/AL`s out there than just about all others combined, but still, it it seems to me that about one out of four or so end up failing within a year or two.some were repaired by MSD, including one of mine, others were sent back marked "unrepairable"...
i know of at least four Crane boxes, all of which have at least a couple of years of regular service on them, including one i bought over 8 years ago, and still working on a friends car... failure free.
and the convienence of the rotary switches... beats the daylights out of those rpm modules, anyday....
i havent heard of any failures with MSD`s "Digital 6" series, but i only know of a few of them in use.
they are considerably more expensive than a comparable Crane HI-6 though...
yeah, i know you see more MSD 6A/AL`s out there than just about all others combined, but still, it it seems to me that about one out of four or so end up failing within a year or two.some were repaired by MSD, including one of mine, others were sent back marked "unrepairable"...
i know of at least four Crane boxes, all of which have at least a couple of years of regular service on them, including one i bought over 8 years ago, and still working on a friends car... failure free.
and the convienence of the rotary switches... beats the daylights out of those rpm modules, anyday....
i havent heard of any failures with MSD`s "Digital 6" series, but i only know of a few of them in use.
they are considerably more expensive than a comparable Crane HI-6 though...
In regards to the MSD digi.... Your experience is the complete opposite of mine.
Ive ran a MSD 6al for almost 4 years now with no issues...
I mounted it in the compartment behind the pass seat... It gets hot but I guess not hot enough to hurt it
Have seen and read about enough digi-box failures to warrant (IMO) avoiding them like a disease..
MSD 6al box, Blaster coil, 4 years old
MSD 8.5 wires 2 years
MSD opti been over a year with no issues...
Noticable improvments?
Well being over 4 years for the box , I cant really say I remember for sure, but I think it did idle smoother...Maybe its all in my head, I dunno
It was done at the same time as a tune up..... Well new plugs and wires anyway, I didnt mess with the cap & rotor.
I noticed a huge diffrence after bolting the MSD opti on.
Before install my car didnt run...... After install it fired right up.
Thats the biggest diffrnce I noticed..... Other than a new (now 4year old) sticker on the toolbox
Last edited by Powerdrive; Jul 10, 2007 at 06:42 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 7
From: Lahaina Hi
I was left stranded too with mine several times. I also always had radio interference. It was a constant buzz throught the speakers that annoyed the crap out of me.
If you use the MSD wires ,that is supose to cure the radio noise and not using the MSD wires can cause the box to fail.
I had a 6al reverse polarity and the ground became hot ,I was *** holes and elboes ripping wires out before it burnt up the whole car.
I do run msd 6al boxes in both cars even though they do fail from heat.
The boxes also fail from vibration.
If you use the MSD wires ,that is supose to cure the radio noise and not using the MSD wires can cause the box to fail.
I had a 6al reverse polarity and the ground became hot ,I was *** holes and elboes ripping wires out before it burnt up the whole car.
I do run msd 6al boxes in both cars even though they do fail from heat.
The boxes also fail from vibration.
