JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Tonight I installed my msd 6AL,

Hooked the orange and black wires to the leading coil, (nearest to the strut tower).

Hooked the ignition (red) wire to a switched 12v source (ignition).

The green and purple to the distrubutor.

I followed max7's how to.

I started the car and it was misfiring like crazy, and if you'd let off the gas it'd stall out.
Also my a/f and tach where going crazy.... my header turned glowing hot in a extremely short time.

-the green and purple distributor cable is running far from the spark plug wires

-the orange and black coil input and output are next to the main 12v cable (could this be what's ******* things up)

-white wire is taped off. (used for ignition kill)

-No wires were extended or cut short off the msd.

-main ground wire is attached to the chassis. (should it go directly to the negative battery terminal)
The ignition remote (red) wire, works cuz it's the activation on my relay for the electric fan.


So I unhooked everything and car runs perfect again.... so I need your help to solve this issue!!

Any suggestions would greatly be apprieciated!!

web777

Where did you hook up the thick red wire? Double your instal with this http://www.mazspeed.com/msd.htm

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

thick red is bolted right to the battery. I'll check out that link you attached.

thanks.... gotta figure this one out!

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

I looked over the attachment....

-my box is in the same spot.

-followed same distributer procedure

-only using the 2 coils. Not the 3 coil way (is it possible to use only the 2 coils when hooking this up?

-I still have all my spark plug wire in the same original configuration

I'm thinking that I may have a bad ground cuz my brother attached the ground to some bracket on the passenger side strut tower.

and also my coils were hot afterwards..... I have msd balster2 coils in the stock locations.

Thanks again....

I'll look at that ground, since I wasn't the one hooking it up. If it's fine then I'm really puzzled.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Also if I can't run only 2 coils then I'll get another one in the morning. so lemme know guys!!

thanks again

MyRxBad

Jimmy: I've had the MSD 6A hooked up, but w/3coils only without any problem. ... Never did it w/2 coils. I'd use the extra coil. I'll look for the diagram I had to hook mine up.. I think I still have it somewhere.

If you need an extra stock coil lemme know, as I have an extra at the house.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

MyRxbad,

I'll try the 3 coil way on the weekend. My engine bay is getting pretty tight so I wasn't crazy about 3 coils but I'll try it cuz the 2 coils were heating up.


Can it be done with only 2 coils? Max7 didn't I believe.

This is what I followed....

http://rx-7.org/1stgen/msd6a.htm

web777

If you are only using 2 coils you only need to hook up the MSD to the leading coil. It won't work hooking up direct fire with just 2 coils.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

web777,

That exactly what I did. However I bought another Msd coil just now and I'm gonna use 2 for leading and the 3rd for trailing and try the direct fire way. Seems like thats the way everyone goes about it.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Here is the final picture of max 7's set up..... is he using 4 coils in total...?

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like you're problems are with trialing. So you have power to the leading coil from the MSD - do you have power to the trailing coil form the stock harness?? You can't use the MSD to power both coils - I sure you know that. Also, check that you don't have your wires crossed at the cap (green/purple) and the connections are good - did you use crimp on's to connect to the old ignitor location? Also, check you're timing, especially the trailing. And go with the 3rd coil in direct fire - then you'll get your money's worth

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Northern 7,

Msd was only wired to the leading coil, and the distributor was also done right. as far as the green and purple go.

The crimped connectors were grinded to match the stock ingitor shape.

Timing is fine cause I returned it back to stock to drive around and it works perfect. So on the weekend I'm gonna try the 3 coil setup. I think that with 2 coils it won't work.

I'll fill you guys in.

Thanks!!

web777

If you are only using MSD for the leading, then wires to the distr and then to plugs should remain the same as stock.

Pedestrian X

just anbother vote for direct fire setup.

Tom

Just out of curiosity what does a 6al unit and 3 blaster coils usually run in price?

abeomid

Well this is not just a small problem, it seems like your car is firing the wrong plugs. Check everything agian and you have to approach this saying to yourself that everything you have done is WRONG. B/C if you don't, then you will not check some samll thing. good luck.

As for Max' setup it's only 3 coils, the 4th one in front is there so the bracket can hold the other one.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I'm gonna start from scratch.....

Tom, I bought everything in canadian dollars.

Msd ignition box $330 with tax
3 coils at 90 bucks each $270

A 600 dollar ignition system not including wires and cap/rotor or plugs.

I'm sure it's cheaper in the usa cuz it's all made there. I have more middle man costs.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Web777,

When It was hooked up, all the spark plug wires were in the original places.

Msd was only hooked to the leading coil along with the factory wires. Should I have removed the factory leading coil wires and just kept the black and orange msd leads controling that coil?

In theory if you remove the ignitor like I did, than the factory wires to the coil contacts shouldn't be sending any signals right...?

Gotta really try again and I'll post my results. Tomorrow is my second attempt. Bought the 3rd coil and just gotta get the holder to mount it somewhere.

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE]Msd was only hooked to the leading coil along with the factory wires. Should I have removed the factory leading coil wires and just kept the black and orange msd leads controling that coil?


Yes - you cannot run two power sources to the same coil - it's a wonder you didn't fry the coil - you may have already - check for fluid leaks (and check to see how hot it gets!) Use the MSD power source only on the leading. That was what I was getting at when I explained that the factory power source goes to trailing only

web777

Yeah, unhook the factory wires to the coil. I'm not sure about this but I think it is still sending power to the coil even w/o the igniter. Try that first (to satisfy our egos that we fixed your original problem ) before you go to the 3 coil direct fire setup . Thanks!

Tom

Is the new ignition system required for direct fire or will stock distributor unit (on an 85 GSL) work? Thanks

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

Is the new ignition system required for direct fire or will stock distributor unit (on an 85 GSL) work? Thanks

DIDFIS -

Do a seach on the duel ignitor set up - that would be yor alternative to MSD. Check for posts by Jeff20B

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

I'll be giving this a shot in a few hours from now, you guys have been a great help and hopefully togther we'll have figured this one out!

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

Heres my post about my DLIDFIS system. Its still direct fire, but without the cost of the box.

~T.J.

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=188907

Tom

Very clever!