This is topic Is MSD Worth It ? in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by highofftiresmoke (Member # 2159) on :
 
OK iam basically stock, as u can see from my list of mods below. Would adding a 6AL box and the msd distributor with the master blaster coil help me at all? Would i even notice it?
 
Posted by st5150 (Member # 51) on :
 
no, people have ran 10's with the factory 5.O ignition. Get the 6AL for the rev limmiter and nothing else.
 
Posted by shade-tree (Member # 298) on :
 
the rev limiter has saved my bacon more than once [Big Grin]
 
Posted by highofftiresmoke (Member # 2159) on :
 
i thought there was a 6,500 rev limiter in the stock computer ?
 
Posted by shade-tree (Member # 298) on :
 
6,250, and it pulls fuel, causing a dangerous lean out condition right when you most don't want it.
the MSD rev limiter drops spark at cylinders and really works well, you here a cool dtdtdtdtddtdtdtd sound when you hit it [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Blown Mystic (Member # 476) on :
 
if you drop it into the wrong gear the MSD can save your motor.
 
Posted by theguywhoknows (Member # 2148) on :
 
My experience with MSD, or any after market distributors and ignition control systems is, the distributors themselves are built great, with billet housings, roller bearing shafts, etc. BUT the control boxes suck royally! They can go out at any given time and for no real rhyme or reason and the only two options you have is either buy another one to replace it or send yours back to MSD (Tennessee), wait 2 weeks and they'll send it back saying there's noting wrong with it.

I can't tell you how many times I have had those darn things just burn-out. Ever see a Nascar? Notice they have TWO ignition boxes with a toggle switch to switch from one to the other when one burns-out? Notice I said the word "when" and not the word "if". They run two boxes for a reason. besides, with true Multipul Spark Discharge (MSD), it rwally makes no difference unless you are blown and running a lot of boost and/or nitrous because once the fuel in the cylinder lights, it burns AWAY from the spark plug and you can't light a fire twice.

There is absolutely NO power difference between a stock ignition system and the most elaborate system out there as long as it is igniting the cylinders, it is working. This is not true for supercharged or nitrous engines though, where theyt can get what is called "flame-out", from such a dense, wet air/fuel mixture and extremely high cylinder presures that a standard ignition might not be able to light.

I have more on this on my TECH TIPS page at www.BadAssCars.com if you feel like reading.

I also run stock HEI ignitions on extremely high horsepower engines running in Super gas, Super Comp, drag boats and so on that spin way up in RPM's and never spit, sputter or pop and what's funny is, after someone see's one of these cars peel off a 150MPH pass and I say it has an HEI ignition on it, they'll usually come back with, "man, you can't run an HEI on a car like that. It'll sputter on the high RPM". Well, they just watched it run with no sputtering... duh!

I would recommend the MSD distributors and get the ones that are self contained that use a GM HEI module in them. This eleminates the need for the 6AL box and if you want a rev limiter, you can plug-in a dedicated MSD rev limiter to the distributor, or just do what I do when I'm driving... don;t worry about it and "shift it when it shakes"! Ha-ha-ha!! Have a good one!
www.BadAssCars.com
 




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