MSD ignition upgrade on 930. How to?

[DSPTurtle]

Wow... that is tedious work. When I was the R&D manager there were a few times that the budget would not allow for us to get a real technician so I got a microscope and did a little hand soldering of some of the larger SMT pieces. Doing that whole board... wow. Are those 010's? That has got to take lots of steady hand.

[356-930]

Originally Posted by Compulsive

Very helpful post
I am still a bit fuzzy on how it would all tie into the car.From the links you provided the MSD 6462 would appear to be the best choice for a mild six plug 930. It gives good a spark, rev limiter and built in boost retard. Am I correct?

How does this work with the 930's distributor? You somehow adjust the MSD box to advance the timing over and above the factory setting before boost sets in? While in boost the distributor is trying to advance the spark and the MSD is trying to retard it
How does one connect and install all of the MSD parts? What original 930 parts are removed when doing the MSD upgrade?

“From the links you provided the MSD 6462 would appear to be the best choice for a mild six plug 930. It gives good a spark, rev limiter and built in boost retard. Am I correct?”
MSD 6462 is not the best. It’s a compromise. The intent of switching from stock CDI to MSD is more spark power, more control of/over timing. The best is MSD 8977 with 6AL followed by MSD 6462 with 6AL followed by MSD 8762. The 6462 choice limits control over timing to the boost retard rate. The 8762 lets you dial in boost retard start pressure threshold and retard rate. The 8977 module adds several more levels of timing control. Read the specs to learn control and control limits for each unit.

“How does this work with the 930's distributor? You somehow adjust the MSD box to advance the timing over and above the factory setting before boost sets in? While in boost the distributor is trying to advance the spark and the MSD is trying to retard it.”
Stock distributor is used to trigger any/all of the above MSD systems. Whatever the MSD does with/to timing is additive to vacuum advance/retard and centrifugal advance built into the stock distributor. Porsche built lots of different advance/retard rates into the 930 distributors over time. Some models retard spark under boost. If your distributor has two ports on the ‘pot’ or two ‘pots’, you have some boost retard built into your distributor. You need to test yours to see what it’s doing/not doing and if it’s doing what you want.

“How does one connect and install all of the MSD parts? What original 930 parts are removed when doing the MSD upgrade?”
Installation instructions supplied with whatever unit you choose will show what needs doing to install. Anything related to the present CDI must be disabled or removed.

If you choose to use the MSD ignition system, be sure to cut out the carbon resistor in the rotor (buried in the black epoxy) that runs from the coil/center pickup to the spark discharge arm, solder in its place a piece of 12awg solid copper wire and re-epoxy. The MSD’s spark power will eat the carbon resistor for breakfast.

Lastly, while I have not seen test results for the J & S Safeguard system, I would not discount its use in place of the MSD. Looks promising and hugely beneficial if it works as intended. Hopefully someone on this forum will purchase/install/test and report.