I run an MSD 5 box on my '71 GS350 triggered by the stock points as an HEI wouldn't clear the air cleaner cups. The points carry very little voltage and wear is minimal. I have a Davis Unified Ignition HEI going on our '70 Skylark 350, really like their product. As far as problems I have had horrible luck with MSD's ready to run series of distributors. I bought one for my shop truck('76 Ford F100 390) it quit within weeks..sent it back 3 times to get repaired, would not last more than a month and quit again! After 3 times of trying to fix it they sent me a new one, it lasted 300 miles and quit! I sent it back and purchased a DUI HEI for the 390 and it has ran better than it ever did before. I was doing a tuneup on a friends Mustang and he had bought a MSD Ready To Run for it, guess what? lasted maybe 20 miles and quit, sent it back and it started once after being repaired and quit immediately!! He sent it back to Summit for one of their in-house brands and never looked back. Not sure what is up with MSD but will not touch their line of Ready To Run stuff!
MSD Pro Billet distrib (new 1 year old now), MSD blaster 2 coil (10 years old), MSD 6AL (10 years old), (hidden) under glove compartment (chipped at 6800rpm for now), Taylor 8mm wires. Used to run a mallory conversion distrib unit (10 years old), it still works and sold it with my 464 engine.
Ditto. With a 5200 chip for the limiter, + a '75 HEI distributor with MSD internals, an Accel Supercoil, Accel cap and rotor and Taylor wires with AC plugs. I plan on replacing the cap/rotor with MSD parts when the time comes, and maybe some non-solid core wires so I don't get so much whine over the radio.
Mallory Comp S/S 42 Series (part #4264311), Mallory "chrome" coil and Accel wire set. Distributor features adjustable mechanical advance, plus vacuum. Fits my 350 perfectly, works great. My only gripe: if you want to alter the mechanical advance curve, you have to completely disassemble the whole distributor to get to the weights and springs. It comes from the factory with a "2-step" advance curve that gives 24* max at about 2500 rpm, which worked fine for me (stock 350). The vacuum can had about 14* max, which was too much, so I made a "limiter" device to cut it back to 10*. The vacuum advance runs off "manifold" vacuum, not "ported". I run the initial timing at 11*, plus the 24* degrees mechanical gives me 35* at full throttle, and 45* (including the vacuum) at light throttle cruise. Engine cranks easy even when hot (with fresh battery and mini-starter), idles smooth, and runs great!
I put the Petronix Ignitor II back in with an Accel points coil. The car idles better (more consistently) compared to the points.
Stock points and condenser. Had a Pertronix in it and did not run right at all. Maybe I got a bad one, but with points I know what I've got.
Useing a Accel Billet Dist. gutted use as a trigger ,with Mallory Hifire 6 Programable Box .hiden in the glove box .works great , and was way cheaper than a MSD set up
Bad distributor caused me to remove the unit and my Petronix ignition and coil. Replaced with ProForm performance HEI unit. Perfect fit and car runs well. Gonna list the Petronix ign and coil on the For Sale thread as it can no longer be used and maybe can be of use to someone else.
Points. Stock curve. Guess I'll have to curve it at some point. Accell 7 MM wires, stock coil. Never misses a lick.
I have been using point dist converted to pickup with Stinger S4 and this one is hard to start now so thinking about Summit brand since it has a retard. My initial timing is set at 42 at 3500 so I need retard. They are out of stock on their coil so I'll probably go Mallory coil. Has anyone tried Summit 850700?
No, that is your total timing at 3500 RPM. The Stinger S4 retards the timing 1 1/2-2* continuously, every 1000 RPM. Your initial timing is at idle, and that is what is causing your hot crank problems. You can modify your distributor to run more mechanical advance so that you can run less initial timing, and that will solve your problem also. That would require you to disassemble the distributor. That Summit box lists a 3 stage timing retard. Not sure if that includes a crank retard, which is what you need to solve your hard crank problem.
No I was saying that is where I set my total timing at 3500. I have a kill switch to kill the coil until engine cranks but it wont spark enough to start it unless I cycle the switch alot during cranking. It has 12 volts when I turn on the switch every time at the coil and at the module. Before that it started every time. I had another S4 redone by lesley Long for hotter fire and after 5 years it started not firing and shutting off. Do you have an extra S4 to sell? This car and the other one I raced always ran 10.75 to 11.0s. Always had Stinger on them but you cant buy them anymore so it's time to change but I have to be able to retard the timing the higher the RPMs go.
