Thread: How Do You Like Your Msd Ignition??

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We run a full MSD system on our VW drag car. Billet Dist, Blaster coil, plug wires, 6AL box, three step launch control and a retard box for the nitrous. It's been a great and trouble free system.

Here's a couple of things we found through actual use. We run the plug gaps wide, around .040" to .045" because of the strong spark. In fact, when we first started runing nitrous our tune up was "too lean" and we completely burnt the ground electrodes off of the plugs and the engine never even missed a beat at 7800 RPM with the strong spark. The distributor is easily tuned for advance curve.

You might need to install a "one way" diode in the alternator wiring to prevent engine run-on, its included in their kit and clearly explained in their instructions. By the way, they have all of their instructions and trouble sheets "on line" which is great for us late night racers.

In our race VW group, it is the opinion of everyone that their 6A and 6AL systems are bullet proof. But, everyone that has tried their "digital boxes" has had problems.

If you can afford it, I see no reason not to run the best.

"You do know the only difference is the 6A does not come with a rev. limiter and the 6AL does.
Why don't you want to run a rev. limiter??"


Yeah I know the primary difference is the 6AL has a rev limiter and a $50 higher price tag. The 6A runs just fine in my Olds and highly unlikely that I would ever get the revs high enough to damage anything. The engine is an original 57 371 Olds J2, like to keep it around for while longer so never really push it to the limit. Just driving normally,trying to keep it under 70, burns thru premium gas at a rate of 6 miles per gallon. Probably would go bankrupt if I pressed it harder.

As for the 34, other than lack of mounting space, the HEI unit works very well and improvement offered by adding an MSD 6A or 6AL probably wouldn't be worth the time or expense. Neither of these cars are used for racing, street or strip. Just fun!

Originally Posted by thesals

depends on what kind of ignition you have it on matt... my buddy put one on his 4cyl nissan pickup, and since its got an internal coil on the distributor, the way the MSD box hooks up, it completely bypasses the coil

it has to fire on the coil in some way, otherwise it wouldn't do anything

anything is better than points. whoever had the car before me stripped out the screws to set them so i had to buy new screws...not a big deal.... but i went out and bought a set of blue streak, i think thats the name, points and i was going through a set every month becuase they were burning up. no matter how tight i got the screws on the points they still slipped it drove me nuts but i was trying to save up for the 6AL box so i had to deal with what i had. my friends dad gave me a pro billit dist that needed a cap so i got the cap and was planning to save up some more money for the box. well later that night i was on a date with my girlfriend in atlanta when the points slipped and i had left my spare set on the dresser next to my bed....great.....we ended up riding home with AAA she was cool with it but the next morning we got up she drove me to the store and i bought the 6AL from Advance Auto put it in along with the blaster coil and dist i had and it has never missed a beat. im sure the reason for the points going out so much was something i did maybe the blaster coil but im not sure i just know what i have now works and the points didnt. i dont know why i didnt buy it sooner it works great its just expensive.