Patient: zz502 with an MSD 8360 "ready to run" billet distributor with adjustable vacuum advance. Timing set at 18 initial, 36 total, coming all in at 2800rpm. MSD Blaster SS coil. GM Performance spark plug wires and plugs that came with crate motor.
Initial Condition: The motor was running great with this set up.
The Change: I have to pass emissions, and thought the multiple hit spark from an MSD ignition box might help at idle. I also wanted an easy to use, accurate rev limiter. So I got one of the new design MSD Digital 6AL ignition boxes. EDIT: This isn't the flat finned anodized aluminum Digital 6, it's the brand new minimal extra features unit that looks like the classic 6 box. The bell/whistle on it is a rev limiter (no start retart, etc).
The distributor has a weatherpack connector on it with power, spark signal, and ground pins. I wanted to make the system redundant, so interfaced the new 6AL box's wires with a weatherpack plug, too. That way, if the ignition box ever failed, I could disconnect it from the distributor, and plug in the original harness and be on my way running with just the distributor. I have the wires correlated exactly. I use the orange wire from the distributor to the white signal wire of the box. EDIT: I am not using the mag pick up with the purple/turquoise wires.
The Problem: The motor started right up, but was running really rough at idle and lower RPM. It sounded like a timing issue. I put my light on, and found at at idle, it was at 6 degrees. It was a 18 before I addd the box. I didn't even brush my hand by the distributor or spark plug wires, all I did was screw the box to the fender and plug it in.
So I changed physically moved the distributor to give me 18. Ah better. BUT, I revved the motor slowly, and at about 2500, it the timing flipped out and jumped up to about 50, bouncing around there. Lowering back to idle, it settled in at a steady 18 again. Yes, I had disconnected the vacuum advance line to be checking this. EDIT: I am using an Actron basic timing light, it's not digital and doesn't have dial back function. This light worked fine with the mulitple spark discharge old Digital 6 light I used to have with my other motor.
First Course of Action: I was totally stumped, so I called MSD. The first guy I talked to didn't have a clue. The second guy I talked to told me to put dielectric grease on the plug wires. I told him I had greased the wires when I put the distributor in, and it was running fine before I added the box, and didn't touch the wires during the process. He said to do it anyway. That was his answer. Sorrry, but that's "duh" response.
Questions: 1. Have you guys ever heard of this happening? 2. With a multiple spark ignition, with a degree range of firing, the strobe on the timing edge fires just once on the leading edge of the spark right? Just checking, I had one of the big red anodized Digital 6 ignitions on my old motor, and timing it looked normal. 3. Who is your favorite tech to try to get ahold of at MSD?
The good thing: I wired it redundantly so I could switch back to the distributor if the box gave me problems. Looks like I will be doing that while I sort this out
Initial Condition: The motor was running great with this set up.
The Change: I have to pass emissions, and thought the multiple hit spark from an MSD ignition box might help at idle. I also wanted an easy to use, accurate rev limiter. So I got one of the new design MSD Digital 6AL ignition boxes. EDIT: This isn't the flat finned anodized aluminum Digital 6, it's the brand new minimal extra features unit that looks like the classic 6 box. The bell/whistle on it is a rev limiter (no start retart, etc).
The distributor has a weatherpack connector on it with power, spark signal, and ground pins. I wanted to make the system redundant, so interfaced the new 6AL box's wires with a weatherpack plug, too. That way, if the ignition box ever failed, I could disconnect it from the distributor, and plug in the original harness and be on my way running with just the distributor. I have the wires correlated exactly. I use the orange wire from the distributor to the white signal wire of the box. EDIT: I am not using the mag pick up with the purple/turquoise wires.
The Problem: The motor started right up, but was running really rough at idle and lower RPM. It sounded like a timing issue. I put my light on, and found at at idle, it was at 6 degrees. It was a 18 before I addd the box. I didn't even brush my hand by the distributor or spark plug wires, all I did was screw the box to the fender and plug it in.
So I changed physically moved the distributor to give me 18. Ah better. BUT, I revved the motor slowly, and at about 2500, it the timing flipped out and jumped up to about 50, bouncing around there. Lowering back to idle, it settled in at a steady 18 again. Yes, I had disconnected the vacuum advance line to be checking this. EDIT: I am using an Actron basic timing light, it's not digital and doesn't have dial back function. This light worked fine with the mulitple spark discharge old Digital 6 light I used to have with my other motor.
First Course of Action: I was totally stumped, so I called MSD. The first guy I talked to didn't have a clue. The second guy I talked to told me to put dielectric grease on the plug wires. I told him I had greased the wires when I put the distributor in, and it was running fine before I added the box, and didn't touch the wires during the process. He said to do it anyway. That was his answer. Sorrry, but that's "duh" response.
Questions: 1. Have you guys ever heard of this happening? 2. With a multiple spark ignition, with a degree range of firing, the strobe on the timing edge fires just once on the leading edge of the spark right? Just checking, I had one of the big red anodized Digital 6 ignitions on my old motor, and timing it looked normal. 3. Who is your favorite tech to try to get ahold of at MSD?
The good thing: I wired it redundantly so I could switch back to the distributor if the box gave me problems. Looks like I will be doing that while I sort this out
