Installing MSD Ignition

I don't have any pictures right now, but I mounted MSD6AL on the firewll, Passenger side near the top, the coil below it and the tach adapter next to it. Ran the wires through plastic coil tubing. Neat and tidy.

I too mounted mounted my MSD 6 on the firewall the first time. I mounted the tach adaptor where the ballast resistor was and the coil a Blaster II in the stock coil holder. I then built a bracket directly under the that electrical original bracket to hold the MSD 6 using the holes of the factory electrical bracket. My MSD failed twice and MSD replaced it with a NASCAR box NC. MSD felt either too much heat (too close to the motor or too much vibration). I then placed the box directly behind the battery in the front trunk leaving the other stuff on that factory original bracket in back. The NASCAR box has its electronics encased in an epoxy like material but we all know they carry 2 boxes as well. Jack warned me of this failure problem but I went ahead and bought it anyway. I do in MSD's defence have to say my engine runs much cleaner (I use a torker intake) at low RPM's with the plugs gapped wider. The last time my car broke down the tilt loader guy cinched my car down so tight I beleive my suspension got tweaked on the one side.
I'll try yo take a pix but I lent my digital camera to someone.
Frisk

I had 0.125" aluminum cut to size (10x13 I think). I had an old model 6A that came with the car (no rev limiter). I sent it to MSD who updated it for $35 to a 6T (which allows connection of a separate rev limiter). I mounted the 6T, Rev Limiter, Blaster 2 coil, tach interface and starter solenoid to this panel, then attached the whole thing to the existing firewall bracket. Believe it or not, I tossed the cardboard template out last night! It's easy, though. Just make cutouts of the components and the panel with cardboard. I'll snap a picture of it for you and post it.

Swen

I too, like frisk, mounted mine in the front trunk due to heat considerations - coil & tach adaptor are still back on the firewall.

Bob

I mounted my 6A & tach adapter above right rear inner wheelhouse brace in front of & above right rear splash shield. I drilled holes & put little bolts thru the upper wheelhouse, nuts on underside, at each corner of the 6A. Not very noticeable since it ended up forward of the water bottles, as I recall. I put coil in stock location on the firewall. I would have looked into the 6T for greater vibration resistance, but got a deal on this 6A somebody changed plans on so went with it. Time will tell, but works well so far.

I mounted the Blaster 3 above the original bolted to the firewall with bolts from the inside through the firewall. This location allows the coil wire to reach the dist. Then I located the tach adapter on the orig plate mounted to the firewall (bolt it don't just stick it with the existing 2 sided tape). The volt. reg and solinoid are in the original location, I kept the balast resitor bolted to plate but did not use. The 6A box is mounted below the original plate with 4 screws that go through the firewall from inside out. Seems to work good so far even with a few HOT times with the swiril and over flow tanks. Make sure that you get the right dist #8577 (the smaller one) or your cover won't fit. Sorry no pic's yet.

Sorry, the coil location was not clear. It's above the existing plate as close to the bottom of the cover as I could get. sorry for the confusion.

You scared me for a second! My dist is an MSD-8477 Pro-Billet with vacuum advance. Just tested the cover screen... it still fits.

I think I might try to fabricate a new mounting plate for the firewall. Something a little larger to allow placing the coil closer to the dist (the wire is 2 inches too short).

Does anyone think that a heat shield between the overflow bottles & the 6AL could be beneficial?

GR8,

A heat shield shouldn't be so confining around the MSD unit as to impede any air flow around it. I'd put the heat shield around the overflow tanks.

Michael (head still shining) Elio

quote:

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Originally posted by Cyboman:
GR8,

A heat shield shouldn't be so confining around the MSD unit as to impede any air flow around it. I'd put the heat shield around the overflow tanks.

Michael (head still shining) Elio

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Hehe, Hope you're still smiling too

I am now!

My coil, like many others, is in the stock coil location. That seems like a no-brainer.

My 6-AL is inside the passenger compartment, behind the passenger seat, on the floor. I'm nervous about the heat and vibration issues, so have it simply lying on the floor there. It is held in place by the passenger seat.

I mounted the 6AL unit onto an Alum. plate and then mounted the plate assembly just under the original bracket that mounts the starter solenoid using the isolators supplied by MSD. I mounted the coil in it's original position and the Tach adaptor is mounted under the console just aft of the gear selector.My engine bay has a Stainless Steel shield between the headers and the area where the electronics are mounted this shields the heat away from the one coolant bottle and the electronics. I have had no problems with heat or vibrations with this mounting.

I have mine mounted on the firewall and have not experienced any problems. What do you do about the radio interference from the MSD?

I don't use mine very often but I had to disconnect it after installing the MSD due to the interference.

fmazda,

Go to your local auto parts store and pick up an RF noise suppressor. It's cheap and it's easy to install inline with your radio. It will eliminate 'noise' coming from your alt too (if you can hear it).

Michael

Thanks Michael I will try to get one this week.

Smokey

I've finally finished a "1st stage" install. The car is running again. I still have to install the "Tach Adapter" and it looks like I'll have to also install an RF noise suppressor as Cyboman suggests.
The funny thing is I can also hear the buzz (albeit faintly) when the radio is off! I think it is coming directly from the MSD box on the floor behind the passenger seat.
Tomorrow I'll take it out for a test run & make some more adjustments... so far I've only had it idling in the garage and adjusted the timing by hand without a timing light.

So far, so good

Now if I could only figure out which wire on the car is the Trigger Wire for the Tach, so I can hook up the Tach Adapter.

GR8,

On my '74 the BLUE with BLACK stripe wire was the tach lead.

I mounted my MSD on the engine side of the pass firewall just over the metal strip where the coil and regulator were mounted. I remounted the coil there, but went to a one wire (internal regulator) alt. The MSD has been mounted there for years with no problems. I heard no buzzing or whining coming from the radio, so I didn't need a noise suppressor, but I did need a tach adaptor.

Michael

Here is a pic of another alternative installation assuming I did the attachment correct. Actually, there are two boxes with driver ability to switch between the two on the console.

Second try at delivering a pic