Hi, I had a very interesting experience and I like to share this including a question. I just finished my 65 GS with the 2x4 setup. It had the MSD Ready to Run Distributor 8524 on it. First start up and it barley runs with shaking terrible and loud "plopping" at the exhaust. I checked everything I found here in the forum...Flexpate, connections, valves, intake, carbs...etc. but no success. Long story short after some sleepless nights I got an original distributor from a friend and changed it with the right plug wires and...it runs perfect and smooth...(even with the not recurved distributor). On one side I'm really happy but on the other I would like to know what the hack it was... Does anybody had a similar experience? Do I need to recurve the MSD distributor as well or is it just defect? (If so do you think I can give it back? Unfortunately I already bought it 8 month ago at Summit...thought I will be faster...haha) Thank you for your comments! Andrew
Well,,,guy , at least you know the source of the problem.... It just bears out what I have always said, that a well set up stock dist. will work as well as the high dollar ones....if you recurve the stocker , you will be amazed at the cheap power that it gives the engine..... that mod is listed in my list of cheap tricks.... those custom distributers look pretty , but in most cases do not run any better than a detailed out stocker that Buick made......:grin:
I you are confident you had the MSD unit properly timed, I'd assume the problem lies in the wiring to the unit. With the MSD, you can't use the factory resitance wire. It needs to see battery voltage. When I first installed my Pertronix Ignitor III I didn't realize this, and experienced similar issues.
An MSD should be run with a multi spark box 6A or better and I would run an MSD coil. All of those components are wired directly to a 12 volt source. The modules on the "ready to run" distributors do go bad and are an easy fix for about $40. It sounds like you had the timing way off (you were getting spark, hence the popping). Try to reinstall on a slow weekend when you can mess with it and get aggravated ou: Good luck
Thank's guys, I guess I will do that on the next long weekend...:TU: Any other comments or ideas are welcome... Andrew
I agree, use the MSD box and be sure to bypass the resister wire... You need a full 12 V for any dist. other than points.
and,,,and,,, :laugh: I by passed the resister on my stock ford truck ign...(breakerless) and in about 5 minutes running time , the coil was so hot you could have fried eggs on it..... Went back thru the resister and it runs fine....:laugh:
An easy way to bypass the resistor wire is to use a standard 4 or 5 pin Bosch style relay. Use the factory resistance wire as the trigger, and take power from the battery.
According to the MSD Site, this Ready to Run Distributor doesn't require a MSD Box. It's supposed to be built into the distributor. You might read the instructions again though, maybe it mentions making sure the distributor gets a full 12V. If so, then you would just need to bypass the resistor wire and it should run just fine. Sounds like you might have had a combination of issues. I also agree with Tony, I would switch to an MSD Coil if you haven't done so already. I knew a guy who installed the distributor 180* off in it was either a Dart or a Road Runner. They figured that out real quick. Cause the car actually started but was blowing flames out the carburator.
Thank you for the awesome infos. I already used a MSD coil and I think my first try will be with the relay. That makes perfect sense. I will let you know how that works... Andrew
nice tip:TU: did sound like you had the firing order not right. sound to be fireing on the exhaust stroke with the exhaust valve open and that's why you heard the popping in the exhaust. Intake , Compression ,Power ,Exhaust;; make sure #1 cylinder is on top dead compression and the rotor is pointing the the brass tang for number one spark plug on the inside of the dist cap... sounded like you were 180 out or maybe a few teeth off... pull the valve cover and watch the valves and once that intake valve opens than closes you will see the mark on the crank and indicator lining up. good luck
I have had success with an Edelbrock B262 dual quad intake, MSD distributor and an MSD Blaster coil. I use a light silver advance spring, a heavy silver advance spring and the black MSD advance bushing. I am still fine tuning the total timing but 32 degrees total with everything connected works good so far. The MSD distributor comes with too-stiff advance springs in order to have a very conservative advance curve so that pinging is not an issue.
what I do is pull no one plug and rotate the engine untill air starts coming out of the plug hole and then line it up on tdc....:grin:
If you are sure the firing order was correct then it sounds like you had the dist. in 180 off. some cars will start like that but really just barely run shaking and popping in the exhaust and carb.
I've done that with my 65 and 73 GS's, I used a 4 pin - You might want to also section in a piece of fusable link from the battery to the relay in a replaceable section. It does work great, and the Pertronix ignitions LOVE 12-15 volts.
