msd issues 6al and 8594 distributor

[FWB]

if i listened to MSD tech i would have 3,... 1/2 inch holes drilled in my cap to keep it from failing, i have two words.........Ford Duraspark....

[patrickt]

There is no shortage of mis-information on the 'net about dielectric grease. People think "hmmm, dielectric means it won't conduct, why should I put a layer of something that doesn't conduct in between my connectors? That would seemingly just prevent conductivity. Boy, that's really dumb." But that's not how it works. I've seen a zillion industry tech sheets that call for dielectric grease on connectors, both low voltage and high voltage. And, as the gold test, I think ERA put a dab of it on just about every connector I've monkeyed with. And God knows I've monkeyed with most of them....

[zrayr]

I'm all for using it on spark plug boots, but not metal electrical connections of any kind. There is a lot of misinformation about it, but you are on the wrong side of it this time around.

Z

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by zrayr

I'm all for using it on spark plug boots, but not metal electrical connections of any kind. There is a lot of misinformation about it, but you are on the wrong side of it this time around.

Z

Well think of it this way. If using it under the distributor cap caused a decrease in performance, would it not do so from the moment you put it on and fired up the car? Thus telling you it was an obvious mis-step? Of course, that doesn't happen....

[Jaydee]

The main rason for the dielectric grease is to keep the moisture out. So if you apply it to the spark plug boots, it prevents any moisture under the boot tracking the spark. If you were to coat your finger in grease, I think you would still get zapped with 50.000 volts.
Bit of topic. I'm considering using a crane HI 6 ignition module. Any thoughts on this?
JD

[vatdevil]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

The main rason for the dielectric grease is to keep the moisture out. So if you apply it to the spark plug boots, it prevents any moisture under the boot tracking the spark. If you were to coat your finger in grease, I think you would still get zapped with 50.000 volts.
Bit of topic. I'm considering using a crane HI 6 ignition module. Any thoughts on this?
JD

Keeps dirt, moisture out and prevents voltage leaks. Good practice to use on all boots.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

If you were to coat your finger in grease, I think you would still get zapped with 50.000 volts.
JD

Fifty volts is pretty low to be getting zapped... grease or not.

[olddog]

I always assumed the grease is to prevent future corrosion of the metal parts (seals out air and moisture). Also prevents the boot from sticking to a plug and some goon breaking the boot trying to get it loose.

It's not there to promote current flow.

On the other hand, a few molecules of grease has no significant impedance to current flow at ignition type voltages.

[olddog]

Double post

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

Personally I think MSD is a well designed product overall.

Yes,well designed product made with el-cheapo components in Mexico.......when one buys a top of the line after market distributor like an MSD unit for near 300 bucks, one should expect it to run properly and not rust up in 6 months to a year.......

Ford has made how many millions of DuraSpark distributors since the early 80's to 1995 that were used in the Mustangs/LTDs and F-150s?? and how many gazillion trouble free miles were put on them with no issues,especially rust??????
That's why last week I trotted down to the local O'Reilly's and bought a rebuilt Ford DuraSpark distributor for less than 80 bucks with warranty for my new 331..........I'm done with ALL MSD products!!!!!!!!

I have had their distributor/ignition box in 3 cars starting back in 1996,I can tell within 5 seconds when I start the car if I need to pull the distributor out and clean it again for rust,which is at least once a year....I've tried every thing MSD has recommended and few things they have not and nothing stops the rust or other problems.......

David

[FWB]

and the Duraspark doesn't sit way up in the air like the Eiffel tower because MSD was too cheap to design an actual Ford housing.

But i'm not bitter....really...

[DAVID GAGNARD]

As a side note:
I picked up a DuraSpark distributor out of a 1994 Mustang GT in a salvage yard a while back thinking I could convert it to use on a carbed engine,no go, but anyway,I took it apart and other than being dirty,it has ZERO rust inside and all it's internals were in perfect working order,in fact the engine I pulled it off of,was still running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[zrayr]

Originally Posted by DAVID GAGNARD

"..............I'm done with ALL MSD products!!!!!!!!

"..........I can tell within 5 seconds when I start the car if I need to pull the distributor out and clean it again for rust,which is at least once a year....I've tried every thing MSD has recommended and few things they have not and nothing stops the rust or other problems.......

David

I agree it is an aggravating problem. But if you are only inconvenienced once a year or so, it doesn't seem to be a deal breaker for me. After all it doesn't take but a few minutes. But hey, I have my own pet peeves where maintenance is concerned on classic cars so I do understand where you are coming from....

I've had better reliability from MSD products than any other ignition system, so I'm inclined to stay with what is working well for me. I especially like the combination of the MSD Digital 6+ box and their non vacuum advance distributor #8579. I've put about 55,000 miles over a 11 year period on those components. I did change out the dist. cap when it was new to a black cap, and replaced that cap after after 6 years.

Z.

[COACH MIKE]

This is typical of the MSD small dist. cap. You can get a "cap adapt", I believe it is part #8445. This will supply you with a cap extension, new larger cap and larger rotor. The new parts will space you contacts farther apart and, for the most part, stop the deposit build up and cross firing in the dist. cap. Hope this helps. In the summit catalog they will tell you there is no cap adapt for your dist, however, I did the research and have this same dist and same cap adapt on my Keith Craft 482. Hope this helps.