MSD Problem

[John Place]

Has anyone had any problems withe MSD units.
Cobra has done just over 3,000 miles and on a trip to Stockton in fast lane the car just died. On the freeway trying to get across to the side I can vouch many people have horns.

I had it trucked to a shop in Beta Ct. He stated fuel pump was fine, but the MSD was the problem. It was wired hot, not through the ignition.

John

[ERA 626]

The first blaster coil I had caught on fire!!! I was lucky not to have a total loss. The second one seems to be OK

[Rick Parker]

The action of an electric tachometer can help trobleshoot your ignition system quite often.

If you can remember the way the tachometer acted at the time you had you problem it will give you a clue as to where to look. For instance:

1 Did the engine just die flat (as if you turned the key off) while running down the road?

2. Did the tachometer drop to "0" or was it bouncing around OR did it continue to register as the RPM's continued to fall?

If the Tach fell to "0" it would indicate a failure in the primary side of the ignition. look at the trigger wire connections to the distributor and the small red wire that goes to the switched 12 volt source of the ignition. Assuming you are using a MSD distributor, or Ford OEM magnetic trigger type; disconnect the distributor and measure the resistance of the module within the distributor module should be between 400-1300 ohms. If it is within this specs it is ok. Next consider the coil. MSD's step up the voltage to the coil an this can be hard on a coil. Be sure the coil you are using is designed for and compatible with the MSD box.

Rick

[Tom Wells]

What Mike said!

@ 11K my Blaster died. No flames, just engine suddenly quit as if the key was shut off; I coasted to side of road.

I substituted another coil & all is well.

I did learn something, I think: if you mount the coil to the engine as I did, spend the extra $10 and get the MSD "Vibration-Proof" model. The regular oil-filled MSD Blaster is the one that died from being shaken to death on the intake manifold.

Tom

[G.R.]

Regarding coils like the MSD Blaster's, etc. A friend of mine that road races Formula Fords and a Mustang in open track and Auto-X recommended moving the coil from the block to the inner fender panel to reduce vibration on the coil. He uses all MSD ignition on both of his cars, box, distributor and coil. All 5 of his buddies with FF cars have their coils remote mounted some with, some without MSD or other electronic ignition.
He told he had experienced coil failure in the past as had many of his racing buddies due to the vibration of the coil with it mounted on the block.
Sounded like good advice from someone that has far more experience than me ,so I removed mine from the block and mounted it to the inner fender panel on the drivers side...it isn't "Cobra correct" but I've had no problem so far with MSD failure.

[RedBarchetta]

I experienced the same problem (driving along and the ignition goes dead). Thought it was the coil, so I changed the coil. No fix. Thought it might be the ignition pick-up on the MSD billet distributor. No fix. Sent the MSD box back to the factory for a diagnostic. Nothing wrong with it.

Turned out the ground wire (which was run through the firewall and snugged up to the windshield frame) had backed out of the crimped connector. Re-fastened the ground and she fired right up.

Look for the obvious first. Check the wiring, THEN swap out the coil.

-Dean

[RodW]

Twice I lost fire and the car died after driving about 1/2 hour. The MSD box was very hot but once it cooled off the car would start again. Change out the box and have not had a problem. Rod

[bushwhacker]

Had exactly the same problem. Sometimes I would drive a couple miles and the engine would just die, somtimes a couple hundred miles and kazamm! it would happen again, I would sit for awhile on the side of the freeway and it would start up, pull onto the freeway again and Bingo! it would stop again.
First the in line fuel filters wre checked, then we changed out the fuel pump,
then put in a new coil.....zip..the same thing happened again, all of this over a period of a couple months. Finally pulled the MSD and sent it back to the factory to be checked..........ta da! that was it ....they found a short in the MSD box. We replaced it and it's perfect....problem solved! ......p.s. also relocated the box as well......hope this helps............Bush.

[decooney]

Pick-up coil in the distributor. They go bad. I keep a spare. Diconnect the lead and measure the resistance.

[gary289fia]

Wondered where you went. I thought you pulled off at Vasco, but no one saw you. That part of the mystery is solved, now for the MSD issue.
I wonder if there is any prevention that can be done to make sure it doesn't happen.
Gary

[John Place]

I expect Tom of Competition Autowerks in San Ramon will have isolated the problem and I will list it for you.

Certainly got to discover the real issue as it could be a real problem if this type of thing can happen to any of us, say on the Coast or halfway to reno.

John

[Allan A]

John,

That's what happens to these replicas. Just drive the GT with its warranty and have a good time.

[John Place]

Hi Allan;

BUT the MSD was not a replica........

Ha Ha

John

[Bill Wells]

sometimes msd stands for Might Sorry Device...they are heat sensitive as well as vibration prone on occasion to failure. be sure to use some rubber washers for help with vibration . you didnt say where your msd box was located, but if your msd box is in the engine compartment , move it to the passenger footwell area in the cockpit.

don't rule out fuel pump intermittent problems, some have overheated and letting them cool or tapping them lightly will restart them. i dont want to mention the brand in question but something blue comes to mind. ie, might not have been msd but fuel pump related...or both.

msd failures, like other electronic devices, can of course go bad at any time. many last forever, and others have a short life. kinda like light bulbs, 1000 hours for some and 10 hours for same brand on another. bill.

[ERA 626]

all of this makes me want to carry a spare MSD does any one else do this?

[Rick Parker]

Mike: I've been using the same MSD box since '87. MSD6T mounted on provided rubber insulators on firewall inside engine compartment, Small Block. Granted, they don't like heat or vibration but every other OEM mounts the electronic ignition box under the hood, and most of them run hotter than us???? I wouldn't get too paranoid.

Rick

[John Place]

Problem resolved;

It is hardly believable to me and the Performance shop that the brass gear on the distributor only last about 3,500 miles.

The brass gear broke up.

They now fitted a stell gear.

John

[John Place]

We fitted a steel gear (not stell)
I was informed that MSD previously used brass, then changed to iron gears - and are now using steel gears.

Beware if you have brass carry a spare or change it to steel for a roller cam, not iron.

It is not just so easy as changing a gear on the road. You need to flush out the engine(thru the distributor hole), change oil and then after about 100 miles change the filter to get rid of any brass gear residue.

Hope this problem helped many of you avoid the same problem.

John

[Tom Howland]

Ask Jamo about his Handy Dandy Distributor Gear Replacement Kit. It really works.

[badrich]

Since I wanted the best for my beast, I had a billet MSD distributor installed on my Shelby motor. The thought of a distributor gear breaking on the road isn't very comforting. I'll have to check with those folks to see if they know what material my gear is made of. Anyone know when MSD changed over to steel gears? Rich