short update on the cap and rotor issue Larry. I was at the local speed shop this morning getting the cap and rotor. he told me msd has a specific procedure for setting the distance between the rotor and the center button. apparently it's in the instructions that no one reads. he said when set properly its a non issue.. MSD has started sending out a cardboard jig to set the height with the new kits. maybe that will solve some problems.
Yeah, that makes sense Joe, I've seen a lot of melted center buttons. First thing I check with an MSD no start. Can you scan the procedure? Hasn't been an issue with my stock cap, so I guess the distance is OK.
update on the situation. went to the track yesterday with a new cap and rotor. while in the staging lanes with the engine off and key on the problem happened again. the tach went haywire. it started ranging from 0 to 3k just sitting there with the engine off. I started it up and sure enough it was idling high like the timing was way advanced. crap. there is some good news though. I installed an autometer shift light at the track. its a stand alone unit with a digital tach in the middle. this didn't need a tach adapter, it was plugged direct into the msd box. obviously this eliminates the tach adapter as the culprit and points the msd itself. it is 15 yrs old.. after scrolling through the msd forum i found one guy with similar symptoms. rather than give the guy the normal diag talk ( check connections, battery voltage, etc.) they asked for the box back. so I guess that's my next step. forums.msdperformance.com/showthread.php?27382-Tach-is-acting-erratically-Tach-or-MSD-box-the-problem
I, for one, when following a thread, appreciate it when the OP follows up and lets everyone have some closure! Thanks 436.....Jim
yet another update.. I called msd today to start the repair process. the tech guy swore the failure was either with the coil or the trigger. he said the box couldn't cause my symptoms. the 6al could not manipulate timing. i suppose i can throw the points distributor back in and fire the msd that way and carry a spare coil around. i would lean towards the magnetic pick up over the coil i guess.. any thoughts Larry?
I was going to suggest the magnetic pick up, but could not explain the tach going nuts with the engine off. what kind of coil do you have? That doesn't sound likely either. Throwing the points distributor back in will eliminate the pick up at least. One thing I know is that if you reverse the polarity of the pick up, it will make the engine run very advanced timing. Found that out when I was running my MSD box off my Stinger distributor. The Stinger used a Chrysler magnetic pickup, and I was unsure of the polarity, so I just hooked it up. Of course Murphy's Law says you will hook it up wrong first., and I did. Just reversed it and the engine ran fine. I used the Stinger distributor until I got the Dave Ray (Ignitionman ) distributor.
Larry, You use a stock style cap and rotor on an msd billet distributor? I was told a great coil for these set ups was the mustang 5.0 solid state Get the bracket and install No i have not tried it yet Still running stock ignition as msd put a 350 cam gear on my 455 distributor. Have to order new one from ta
No, I have a stock distributor converted to MSD trigger by Dave Ray, The Ignitionman. I use a stock socket style points distributor cap with brass contacts. Have not had any wear on the center button, and I check it often.
Maybe that style cap is longer lasting than the other MSD bright red HEI type cap. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8442/overview/
short update. I have the blaster coil, maybe a 2? anyway, I've got a stock points unit in it at the moment. I just drove it 450 miles to Buffalo Friday night. I'm hooked to that coil. I'd have to say the coil is ok.. if i get a chance I'll power up the msd box and hook it back up to the tach for the drive home. that way ill have 8-9 hours with the box on and I can observe the tach. I'll run the car without the box hooked up to the distributor.