365BB Owners:Need your long term experience w/MSD ignition box

I installed an MSD unit on my 365 BB in 1987. It is still working fine. You have to use a different coil, which we painted to look like an original. The only problem I have had was a Distributor Cap failure in about 2009. I am guessing the failure was due to the higher spark energy from the MSD unit eventually eroding the cap.

 

My neighbor has an MSD unit in his Cobra. He keeps a spare in the car as he has had numerous problems with the unit frying itself. Don't know the model.

FWIW...I use a Crane XR700 unit on the V12 XKE.

 

Good day Patrick,
I installed my MSD in my 512bb in 2006 and it started acting acting odd (misses) in 2012.
Doing some web research, it would seem that my experience is not uncommon. Secondly, there are some who state that the earlier versions where much better for longevity/reliability than the ones that they make now... presumably because the manufacturing is now done offshore.
Cheers,
Sam

 

I was told by someone in the know, Made in Asia $17 cost.


Ago

 

Patrick: We used a MSD 6A (that was all they had back then).

 

I used an msd 6AL on a hot rod FIAT. Lasted well. burned out after I foolishly ahd a bunch of arc welding done on the car-without removing the unit. Later I did observe a cheapening of their items.

I have two suggestions, one, there are many companies making good aftermarket ignition boxes that these days draw less power, easier to set up etc. smaller. check out summit racing's website. Also many of these manufacturers offer marin versions of their boxes for a couple extra bucks if you are concerned about moisture. You might ring the manufacturers tech lines to ask them about this concern and their recommendations.

 

Patrick: The original coil was NOT designed to work with a MSD type of CD ignition system. I would not use it. We used a Delco D511 coil.

 

the original coil can not be used because it has 2 plus inputs from the ECU plus ground and the MSD has only 2 outputs ( orange plus and black ground )

 

Good day Patrick,

A little off topic... but offshore manufacturing is not necessarily all bad. It depends on the Product's owner and the offshore manufacturer. Some owner's simply give the manufacturing files to the manufacturer and the manufacturer then sources all the parts, etc and builds (and possibly tests) the product. The problem here is the manufacturer may substitute similar parts and/or use parts of questionable origins (i.e. counterfeit parts), as any part savings are extra $$$ in the manufacturer's pockets.

Other owners will "kit" up the parts themselves and then forward these to the manufacturer and at times actually go and monitor the offshore assembly to ensure no component substitutions... So, offshore does not always mean bad products... It entirely depends on the owner/original manufacturer and how much effort and $$$ they wish to spend to make a quality product.

As for the original coil... All I can say is that the original coil was probably not designed for the much higher output voltage produced by the MSD system. Internally there are materials which are rated at some maximum voltage which will be (easily) exceeded by the MSD or similar system. That is not to say that the original coil will not work... it is just that it may not work as well or for very long once the internal items become damaged and/or electrically stressed. If you are planning to use a MSD or similar system, simply get a properly rated ignition coil. If the replacement coil does not look exactly like the original, simply do what you need to do to make it look original (paint, stickers, etc.).

Cheers,

Sam

 

My understanding is that the MSD box is old tech analog. There are are newer boxes for sale that are digital. maybe something to consider.


Ago

 

Good day Ago,

MSD or any other Capacitive Discharge Ignition (CDI) use the same principles of operation...which are a blend of Analog and Digital (switching) technologies. The MSD units I have seen use a small processor for various things, but in general adding a newer or more powerful processor will not substantially improve CDI. Improving or increasing the efficiency of the Analog portion will increase spark output/duration and perhaps using a faster processor with increased feedback may make things better. That being said, one has to be somewhat careful, as increasing the spark output while using existing distributor cap, wires, etc may actually cause issues... as you increase the voltage the electric field will also increase to a point where you could start breaking down the dielectrics of the insulating materials causing the energy to find another (unwanted) path to ground... i.e not via the Plug, but through the plug wires, cap, etc. Another issue with increased spark voltage is the possibility of inducing an unwanted spark in adjacent spark plug wires.

Cheers,

Sam

 

FYi, the output of a MSD 6A series is similar to the factory Dinoplex AEC104BK, there should be no problem with wear on the distributor cap or ignition rotor.

Here is a wiring diagram for exchanging the Dinoplex against an MSD 6AL-2 setup:
http://www.dinoplex.org/PDF/Wiring_MSD6AL2_for_AEC104.pdf

I've attached a picture of such a conversion, which uses a mounting plate in the shape of the factory Dinoplex footprint for easy installation.

Good luck,
Adrian
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