MSD troubleshooting

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang....

Got my MSD 6AL for the ole' Daytona. I've wired it up and everything seems to be fine according to the schematics from MSD. The problem the distributor isn't triggering a signal. I have for now, a single point distributor that works perfectly fine and the motor idles and rev's up to rpm without any problems. I am using it as a trigger for now. Will eventually get a Prestolite converted to a Chrylser Electronic system and use that. But, for now, I wanted to get it in the car and running.

Based on the troubleshooting procedures with the kit, I have done:

1. Ignition on., ground the wire wire from the MSD box utilized for point triggering and snap, nice spark...... Sweet...

2. but when I hook it up to the distributor's lead, nothing....... Soo, I'm confused now. The distributor in it's "Natural state" with everything hooked back OEM works just fine...... puzzled.....

PS. I am using the recommended MSD coil when I'm trying to fire up the car with the MSD unit. 

For now, I am not utilizing the gray tach wire...... I just wanted to get the MSD system up and going.....

Cheers,
Troy

[cdr]

troy i could be wrong but i think you have to remove the condenser for the msd to work. not sure on that.

when you hooked up the white it should go straight to the points,,not to the - side of the coil

[hemi68charger]

troy i could be wrong but i think you have to remove the condenser for the msd to work. not sure on that.

when you hooked up the white it should go straight to the points,,not to the - side of the coil

Yeap, I have the white wire going to the distributor per instruction. The condensor not being in the unit is something to think about. But, nowhere does it say to remove the condenser......... I'll do some more research on the topic. If I don't get resolution by tomorrow, I'll call MSD Monday....

Thanks.. 

[hemi68charger]

Well,
Just got off the phone with MSD tech support. As some of you have eluded to, the condensor is supposed to be disconnected. Wish the instructions would have mentioned that. It isn't very intuitive to remove it if you have never done it before. Suggested to him to add it to the instructions... Unless I missed it somewhere, I don't recall reading anything to that...

So, when I get home, quess what I'm doing?

Thanks again to all that replied............ I'll yell back my results for future reference.

[hemi68charger]

Well no-go...

I took the condenser out...... It's freakin' crazy. I put a test light with the ground on the distributor lead and put the point on the positive post and crank, the test light flashes on and off as it should. I put the white wire on the the distributor lead and I get arching from the coil wire to metal.. I do notice the first rotation or two, the arch isn't there then it comes on. I put the cap back on, take coil wire back on and take out plug 1 and hook up the spark plug wire and crank.... I get spark at the plug.. !!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr,

but, when I put everything back, nada.. I moved the distributor advance ( thinking the timing is not the same with the MSD ), nothing.... Maybe I just need to go to an Chrysler Electronic distributor... Lordy...... This shouldn't be so complicated !!!

[A383Wing]

I got Chryslers electronic dist for my trigger.....I was gonna go out and look at my install instructions for my MSD system, but I can't find them

[hemi68charger]

I got Chryslers electronic dist for my trigger.....I was gonna go out and look at my install instructions for my MSD system, but I can't find them

That's easy ( according to the instructions ). I use the white wire to trigger for points and I use the other 2-wire harness for electronic distributors for triggering. I was just trying to stay with the points distributor for looks. The MSD tech today said the points should be just fine and actually last longer since there's really no electrical load on them......

[A383Wing]

the electronic dist is basically stock looking also on the outside, except for the extra wire...

here's a thought....take the 2 wires that come out of the electronic dist and put shrink wrap over both and heat it up so it looks like one...it may be "thicker" than stock, but I think it would look fine

or find a piece of wire that has "wire inside the sheath"....like an O2 sensor wire....

[hemi68charger]

From moparts and it makes total sense..

The problem may be you have the hot ignition wire for the msd hooked up to the hot wire on the ballast resistor. On the cars running points the hot wire goes dead when you turn the key to start and the second wire on the ballast resistor becomes hot 12 volts bypassing the resister to points for starting and the other wire goes dead. When you let go of the key the second wire (brown on mine) goes dead and the (blue on mine ) goes back to hot. The brown and coil wire are crimped together on the dead side of the resister.

I just made a jumper across my resister so it doesn't matter which wire is hot.

This was only on points cars and the other wire gets it power right off the starter.

Maybe you can pass this along. He's been trying for several days.

Thanks, Mike



Wow !!!! I may have been the next victim... I COMPLETELY understand were you're coming from. And to think, I already have a ballast resistor that was "bypassed" for my Pertronix I was running on the car. I just followed the instructions and disregarded the ballast all together, thinking, as it has been eluded to, the 12v feed to the ballast resistor was ALWAY hot. Sort of confused though on the triggering when I ground the white wire and it working. Is it because I'm not sitting in the driver's seat going to ignition 2 and thus initiating the starter and thus, power on the one blue ballast resistor goes dead........ Lordy, if this is the cast, then I knew it, it had to be an easy fix. Guess when I get home I will attempt this once again. I'll put the ballast resistor I have back on ( that's had a solid wire soldered into place for bypassing ) and just "t" off one of the leads for my red 12v MSD feed,,,,,

crossing my fingers.......


Now, of course, curiousity will cause me to experiment. When I get home, I will put a test light now on the blue terminal plug I had for the 12v MSD feed and watching ( with anticipation ), the light go off when I put the key into ignition 2 ( engaging the starter ).

[hemi68charger]

WooHoo !!!! I put my modified ballast resistor ( bypassed with a 12 gauge wire in the back ) on the car and plugged the 12v MSD ignition feed into it.....

One crank, VARROOOMMMM !!!! and purring like a kitten......

Thanks everyone....... Now I need to figure out where I want to permanently mount the MSD box ( probably in the nose somewhere ).

[A383Wing]

most put it under battery...or inside on top of heater box.

In nosecone on front of rad support would work also

[hemi68charger]

most put it under battery...or inside on top of heater box.

In nosecone on front of rad support would work also

Battery tray out of the question; vacuum can being this is a '69 Charger and a Daytona at that. Now, if it was my Charger 500, that would be a different story. Don't have enough empty slots in the bulkhead connector to run the wire through the firewall if the box was inside. So, I'll fabricate a bracket and install in the nose. I'll ask some of my Aero buddies what they may have done to conceal the box. I don't want it to be seen at all.....

[A383Wing]

ah, yea..fergot about the old vacuum can thingy....I guess pull the latch tray and find a mounting point in there....maybe hide the wiring along the vacuum lines