which distributor for 440-6 with MSD 6AL

[351c4v71]

Hi guys,
I just bought an MSD 6AL wanting to upgrade from my orange box and old distributor (#3690432).
I have a 71 cuda clone with 440-6 mild cam stock heads and headers. This is for street use.
Which distributor would be an upgrade from the old one and fit easily with MSD 6AL?
Should I get with the vaccuum advance? I read about the MSD #8546 but it doesn't have vacuum adv and I think it needs an additional connection for the tach...
I don't want to spend more than the #8546 (320$).
Your recommandations are welcome, thanks!
JS
Montreal

[angelo78]

I run the msd pro billit with no issues but i did require the tach adapt box.  There is a electronic conversion that you can do to the tach which i wish i did.  Then youre tach will be accurate as well.

[734406pk]

I am running the MSD Pro Billet distributor, no issues at all!

[xtopfuel]

 

[Beekeeper]

Hi guys,
I just bought an MSD 6AL wanting to upgrade from my orange box and old distributor (#3690432).
I have a 71 cuda clone with 440-6 mild cam stock heads and headers. This is for street use.
Which distributor would be an upgrade from the old one and fit easily with MSD 6AL?
Should I get with the vaccuum advance? I read about the MSD #8546 but it doesn't have vacuum adv and I think it needs an additional connection for the tach...
I don't want to spend more than the #8546 (320$).
Your recommandations are welcome, thanks!
JS
Montreal

JS, I ran the same box and one of these distributors in my 64 Vette. It was an amazing change. I cringed at the price initially but now I see it as money well spent. I am definitely doing this in my 70 Challenger when the engine goes back in. The engine fires up hot or cold in a fraction of a second and idles beautifully without ever loading up at idle.

By the way, for some reason on the Vette, it always tried draining the battery with key off and I hooked it up precisely as the instructions advised. In the end, I put a battery disconnect on it and life is good. I can go over a month with zero drop in voltage.

[351c4v71]

Looks like most guys use an MSD pro billet when they have an MSD 6AL. But i think there are two, one with the vacuum advance and the other wihout. Which one is best suited for street use?

[734406pk]

Looks like most guys use an MSD pro billet when they have an MSD 6AL. But i think there are two, one with the vacuum advance and the other wihout. Which one is best suited for street use?

The MSD distributors with the vacuum advance are "Ready to Run" type and don't need a 6AL. The amplifier is inside the distributor with these RTR units. The Pro-Billet distributor is mechanical advance only as far as I know. This type needs a 6AL since it's a trigger only distributor.

[Beekeeper]

Looks like most guys use an MSD pro billet when they have an MSD 6AL. But i think there are two, one with the vacuum advance and the other wihout. Which one is best suited for street use?

Mine has a vacuum advance but still needs the box. I never run vacuum advance and I love it. Other guys will probably disagree but I tend to think of them as smog equipment. I set my engines up to have no more than 36-38 degrees of total advance. This distributor is very adjustable (and super easy) on how much mechanical advance you can run. Factory setting is 20 degrees (I think) and I dial in the initial advance around 16 degrees. No issues whatsoever and it works great.

If I ran the vacuum advance, I would be forced to reduce the initial advance down to 4-6 so that I wouldn't get too much total advance. I have played around with it many times but I always come back to running no vacuum advance and it's runs better, runs stronger, starts easier, idles better, etc.

[734406pk]

Quote: I have a 71 cuda clone with 440-6 mild cam stock heads and headers. This is for street use.

The base timing is mainly determined by your cylinder pressure at idle speed. Do you know what your lift/duration specs are for your camshaft?

[351c4v71]

The cam in it is very mild, it's a 270H comp cam:
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=700&sb=2
This is the distributor I have now and want to upgrade to fit with my MSD 6AL that I'm about to install:
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/dcc-3690432/reviews/
It has the vacuum advance and needs the orange box.
I'm trying to learn here because I still know very little. An accountant trying to understand his mopar you see!
2 things I don't get #1 = why do I need a convertor box for my rallye dash tach to work if I install MSD 6AL and pro billet distributor? I have the orange box and regular vac adv dist now and no need for a special convertor box.
#2 = 734406pk, you're saying that if I have a vac adv dist then no need for MSD box...but I need the orange box?why? And yes they do make RTR pro billet msd, found it at summit's link.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/msd-8387
Can I use the accell coil I already have with this pro billet MSD set-up or do I need to change that to MSD as well?
Thanks

[dodj]

I run a Mopar Performance dizzy with the MSD. Seems to work fine. What advantages does the MSD pro-billet give you over the MP piece?

[351c4v71]

dodj, not sure what the advantages are. But all the guys whi responded to my post said they were using the MSD pro billet.
So you run the MAS 6AL box , correct? with a mopar dist? Does your original tach work and did you need a special convertor box for it?
I'd like to start with such a set-up before dishing out the dough for a pro billet.
Thanks

[HP_Cuda]

MSD 6AL and Pro Billet - easy setup and good combo. (Well as long as the box stays alive).

The only time you need a converter is if you are using an older tach you will need the adaptor to make it work.

That's it!

[351c4v71]

hp_cuda
What do you consider an old tach? Is the original tach in my 71 barracuda rally dash "old" ?

[xtopfuel]

47 years old