MSD experience ???

[Thomas C Potter]

I installed a new MSD ignition and coil on 68 XL, ran better. The other day it just died driving down the road. Once cooled down, it restarted and I made it home. Is not MSD suppose to have a good rep?? It could be somehting else, but it died so quick. Any thoughts?? Are they super sensitive to voltage level, ???

TP

[cyclone03]

Are you running it with a points type distibutor or a Dura Spark type?

[Blue03]

This probably won't help much but once upon a time I added a MSD to a 74 V6 Capri I used to autocross in the late 70's. It would also die all of a sudden but get me home after it cooled off. I originally left the stock coil in and it went out in fairly short order. Maybe I didn't address the real problem (coil fluid, insulation or whatever it was) but a new heavy duty coil lasted a lot longer. It seemed to be a "wear" part as I still had to replace em once a season. I believed the multiple sparking action just cooked normal coils. Ended up always carrying a spare. Still, I liked how it seemed to help the rotor and points system from back then. Good Luck!

[Marauderjack]

I don't know about MSD but my Accel system has a very specific low resistance coil that operates without a ballast resistor or circuit!!:cool:

Sounds like you may have issues in this area??:confused:

Good Luck!!:beer:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[Wags]

TP,

Like cyclone03 asked, are you running points, or did you change to transistorized? I'm assuming transistor. New distributor, or modification to the original one? It makes a difference in the set up. You typically do not need the ballast resistor in the transistor set up, like in the old points type ignition. With my Chevy's, when going from points to an HEI setup, the ballast resistor gets removed. But, there are also coils with resistance built in, some without. Also coil wires with built in resistance or not (affecting gap). Also, remember to widen the gap on your plugs, because you have increased the energy that you are sending to them greatly. I will typically go from .035 to .045 when changing over. Points need ~9V to work, while the HEI needs ~13.5V. So it is very important for the resistance to be there or not if running points. They will burn out. Also, at least on Chevy's, the resistor wire looks just like a regular wire, so when doing the swap, all wires should be replaced.

Wags

[Thomas C Potter]

New points when MSD was installed about 1000 miles ago. No ballast res per MSD instructions, plug gap still at .035, which MSD told me is ok to run. Plugs and good Taylor wires 3000 miles old. Thnx for your replies.

TP

[Wags]

Thomas,

When I say the resistive wire looks like a regular wire, I don't mean the spark plug wires, but the wire used to connect the new ignition system, if Ford even used this type of wire. If it is a resistive type wire, than when it heats up, the resistance goes up even more, and it could be bring the voltage level to low for the new HEI system to work. I have seen this happen with other cars, and replacing the power connections to the system fixed it. When you say new MSD ignition, what was it replacing? Just the coil pack, or getting rid of the old points and replacing with a solid state pickup? If I'm telling you stuff you already know, sorry, I don't know what you have tried already to solve it, and what MSD system you have.

Wags

[Thomas C Potter]

Thnx for replying Wags. New 12v source wiring w/o resistive element. Still using points. Unit is the 6AL and the MSD coil.

TP