Is MSD Install worth it?

[brads70]

Well, Don't know bout all this, but I ran 7 Mopar orange boxes out the box brand new, and every 3rd week, they'd backfire out the exhaust and shut down. Checked and triple checked my wiring to the box and components, wired properly. Couldn't be a bad ignition set up right? So, tried yet another under warranty, Same thing. Even tried running an aux. ground. No help.. Switched to MSD, wired, been on the same car now for over 15 years. Hmmmm, Dumbass it is...

I agree, that and the ballast resistor.... not the brightest Mopar creations... I've been running MSD boxes since the 80's and never had one go bad or have an issue with them, just wire it in and forget it.

[dodj]

Remember back in the day when everyone was putting Accel Super coils on their cars? Well, the dirty little secret that no one told anyone - was that your factory stock electronic ignition is just fine. You only need to upgrade if you are flat out drag racing. The electrical system is only going to use what it does. IE, the system is only going to use what volts it needs to jump the spark plug gap and travel through the wires. If you gap your plugs at 1/4 inch", then the coil will have to build much more voltage to overcome that gap. If you gap your plugs at 1/8", less voltage will be needed to overcome that gap. People that say that they can feel a difference are usually just saying that to cover up the fact that they spent hundreds of dollars on a part that will NEVER ever see race conditions, and NEVER out perform the factory ignition- but they have to justify the hundreds of dollars spent by saying "oh - it feels better, or oh it idles better, or oh it starts better" BULL HOCKEY! Electricity takes the path of least resistanse. If you gap your plugs way out their to get a hotter spark, the electricity may just find another path to ground through your wires or boots. THIS IS BASIC ELECTRICITY! NO MSD or accel super coil or any of that, Jacobs, it's all BS to get your money, show me a true dyno test where any of these systems have ever made a difference. PROVE ME WRONG! The factory stock set up is more than you will ever need. Any one else that says different is a liar or doesn't understand basic laws of electricity. ANYONE. Unless you are racing in a very high rpm enviroment all the time, the aftermarket systems are not worth the money as far as you can spit. GM HEI is far superior to Mopar, But, Mopar electronic is just fine. Just because a coil says it can produce 50,000 volts, doesn't mean that it does that! The volts only are used as your engine needs them, and I bet you never even see over 10,000 volts at Wide OPEN Throttle! SAVE YOUR MONEY! Research this if you don't believe me. And for all you people that say you can see/feel a difference.... PROVE IT! There is NO difference! except a lighter wallet and bragging rights. People that brag different are dumba$$$es and want to cover their butts by saying they can feel a difference. They are merely saving face. Factory is fine. Unless you are spinning 7500 rpm and higher.

So why isn't the original Chrysler ignition still featuring on new cars? Cuz in the last fifty years we have learned how to make ignitions systems better. The original Chrysler ignition was fantastic for it's time. So was the propeller driven biplane. But we have learned how to make things better. If you like originality, great, stick with it. If you want to take advantage of what we have learned and improved in the last half century, put in the new stuff. 

[drewcrane]

Can you install a timing retard/advance dial on a stock system?  you can with an MSD 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

So why isn't the original Chrysler ignition still featuring on new cars? Cuz in the last fifty years we have learned how to make ignitions systems better. The original Chrysler ignition was fantastic for it's time. So was the propeller driven biplane. But we have learned how to make things better. If you like originality, great, stick with it. If you want to take advantage of what we have learned and improved in the last half century, put in the new stuff. 

  That post is like saying a Thermoquad is all you ever need because it was cutting edge at the time. 

[1970 RT Challenger 1970]

Lets go back to 6V batteries and throw away the 12V ones! lol

[ragtopdodge]

MSDs has been known to have problems.

I dunno, 5rwhp by switching from an MSD to a DUI makes a believer out of me.  Plus don't need to mount that big ugly MSD box:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_installing_a_hemi_dui_distributor/viewall.html

[Chryco Psycho]

From a HP standpoint I see no gain if everything is in top condition  , for add ons like rev limiters & adjustable timing there are gains , I doubt the same transistors etc in the Mopar ECU are the same as the ones used in 72 either , internal components can be upgraded without changing the looks . Assuming I was spneding the $$ to upgrade I have had too many failures with MSD & would look at Crane or Mallory or similar digital igns for 1/2 the cost + you do not have to buy sets of $50 resistors to adjust the rev limiters when you only need one resistor , & a dial is more efficient .

[Cooter]

Lets go back to 6V batteries and throw away the 12V ones! lol

 You may have just answered why most MSD systems have problems...Most systems I've run up on where the MSD "Box burned up" had too little voltage.

[brads70]

MSDs has been known to have problems.

I dunno, 5rwhp by switching from an MSD to a DUI makes a believer out of me.  Plus don't need to mount that big ugly MSD box:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_installing_a_hemi_dui_distributor/viewall.html

Interesting read! Hood clearance is an issue though in my combo.

[Cooter]

MSDs has been known to have problems.

  Plus don't need to mount that big ugly MSD box:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_installing_a_hemi_dui_distributor/viewall.html

Wow, and here i thought that GIANT HEI distributor (GM Style, hmmm..Wonder why nobody's running the GM one wire alt. but willing to run this?), was ugly. I can hide the "Ugly" MSD box and doesn't require hood scoop to run, that big, honkin' distributor is there for life.

[Gumby]

I did put a Davis Unified Ignition on my Bronco, to get rid of all the ford clutter. Simple one wire hookup. MSD has had a few issues, but nothing like what is read about the Mopar boxes. If you have a good operating Mopar setup, you likely will not see any increase by adding an aftermarket setup. Many times, race parts get added to essentially daily/weekend drivers at great cost and little benefit. Apparently, quality control of the Mopar boxes does suggest that maybe an aftermarket system could be more reliable. I would switch to one of the dist. that run a GM style module mounted underneath. You get stock appearance, and solid state HEI endurance. Parts can be had anywhere, and you lose the ballast resistor. As far as high performance coils, your system is only going to use the electricity needed to fire the plug. No more, no less. If it says 100,000 volts on the coil, more than likely you are only using 15,000 at max. That's all.

[thertgarage]

THE REV-N-NATOR WILL RUN WITH AN MSD! IN FACT IT AVERAGES BETTER NUMBERS THEN MSD! SO IF YOU LIKE THE STOCK LOOK WITH A SIMPLE TO USE ADJUSTABLE REV-LIMITER. ALSO THE LEDs ACT AS A TACH FOR UNDER HOOD TUNING!

[Sonnythebull]

It's worth it just for the less stinky idle

[Tonefiend]

I was told by a local Mopar guru you can expect better mileage, smoother starting, and better performance over a stock setup. He said you'll be burning more of the gas with a longer and stronger spark. In my case my car is plagued by electrical problems, so I am planning on trying it out.  The 6a is under $200.
 

[HP2]

I've run the stock system with a chrome box and jacobs coil, an all MSD Digital 6 system, and a Crane system with the stock dizzy. All ran in my bracket car with identical set ups other than ignition. Net result was that there was no appreciable difference in e.t. and mph between the three that was any different than driver or atmosphere would produce.

Stock system had no advance/retard/rpm  limit capability. MSD and Crane had it all but the MSD flaked out after a couple years and wouldn't monitor revs accuratly. Crane seemed to work well until it was swapped.