MSD Ignition Help.
Posted by 716econoline@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 13 comments
So, I'm trying to troubleshoot the igntion on my small block chevy powered driftcar. Does anyone know if you can use the stock R2R pro billet pick up with an msd box?. I've been trying to Google it but the answer isn't real clear. The box blinks once with key on, then nothing on crank.
The car actually ran for 2 seasons with this setup until the coil melted down during a rain event. The pickup tested at 850 ohms and .125vac during crank.
The car has the following ignition setup:
Distributor: R2R pro billet module deleted stock pickup plugged into green/violet wires. Coil in cap.
Msd box: 6al2
I'm leaning towards the pickup being incompatible. But, in trying to see if someone knows something I dont.
The videos just for fun.
nickp123456@reddit
drive doesn't work, but 3rd does. Neutral is park, reverse is 2nd. If you want to reverse, put it in drive.
smthngeneric@reddit
It's probably the distributor. Those r2r distributors are absolute junk anymore. The last 3 I've gotten have been junk out of the box or only lasted a few months and I know quite a few people that have had similar issues.
716econoline@reddit (OP)
Ya, my module only lasted a couple events before it burned out, too. But, the engine setup is built out of alot of other cars. So, I didn't put much thought into it
75International@reddit
Ricky! Is that you?
716econoline@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the responses. We figured it out, something is wrong with the box.
Just in case someone has a similar problem, you can manually trigger the box by shorting the green/ violet and see if the coil throws a spark. which, in my case does blinks status light but no output.
crankshaft123@reddit
Just call the MSD tech line, ffs.
Street_Mall9536@reddit
It's because you have no power to whatever on "crank" it fires when you release to the "run" position.
Usually the ignition switch has coil output in start and run, either the switch or how it is wired is only giving coil output on run and not start.
716econoline@reddit (OP)
I actually thought that, so I bypassed heavy red and black direct to battery. Small red wire direct to battery. Status light blinks once. Then nothing during crank. I'm 90 % sure its not getting a trigger signal. The Status light blinks if green/violet is shorted.
Street_Mall9536@reddit
There's a bunch of MSD specific wiring diagrams you'll need to look up. They had a tech book/on the website but it's been years since I've needed them.
Heavy red and black should be wired to constant power and ground, I think they recommend straight to battery, want to say the orange and white wires come into play with non true msd pickups, (99% sure) the violet and green are strictly for actual MSD pickups in the kit distributor.
716econoline@reddit (OP)
Is the one on the back of the box. What's throwing me is the car did run fine like this before the coil melted right through the cap.
Street_Mall9536@reddit
I'm not familiar with the RTR let alone with a bypassed module.
I did a Google search and the RTR has instructions to run with a 6AL and it uses the white as the trigger wire and piggybacks the red, and states not to use the magnetic pickup leads.
So I mean it does run, but there's obviously an electronics glitch, whether that is after it flamed out or unrelated.
jollyjava7@reddit
The clearin stick. Critical tool for taking your project car out of storage mode.
716econoline@reddit (OP)
All that stuff is still laying on the floor, belongs to the ground now.