MSD and Spark plug cables
 

Ok Guy's ,here we go again !!
After my cold start warm up problem , the engine is back in the car !!!
During my test drive my ignition control unit blew up !!!
So today i installed MSD 6420 with a MSD coil !!!
Engine starts ,runs on idle but as soon as i push the throotle i get backfire as if there is a war going on !!!

Do i need to change also my spark plug cables ??

I want anyway new spark plug cables because i still use the one with the steel around for the ground !!

Thank's

What is the MSD 6420? That is the 6A or the 6AL. Check your ignition timing, spark plug firing order and fuel mixture. Begining with the firing order, the check the timing and for last the fuel mixture.

you don't have a 3.0 in something by chance and have the wires installed "normal" did you :)

some pelicanheads have said that the MSD will will toast old Beru wires and the rev limiting rotor, especially if the plug gaps are set to .040 as many MSD users do.

MSD is not compatible with copper core ignition cables like your stock shielded Beru.

Beru's are only rated for a 0.028" plug gaps which would be a big waste of money after going to the trouble of adding a high energy MSD ignition that is capable of plug gaps of 0.060".

Even my 3.2 motronics are good enough to fire a 0.060" gap, but not with the stock Beru cables.

Cheers,

Joe
74 911 w/ 86 3.2

Ok guy's
Timing , firing order checked everything !!
I got some Clewette high performance cables here !!! Would they work ??

We as a company are currently working with msd to produce 911 specific ignition cables. I am awaiting some more samples but hopefully soon they will be done. I can tell you that my msd with beru wires works well except you do get signals on each wires causing the msd to misfire. So Thats why we are looking at the msd super conductor wires to resolve this. We are very close to a final product

I have an upgrade to 3.2 l with 98 mm JE Pistons !!
I found that when i disconnect the Vacumn line from the distributor that the backfire is gone ,on low rpm !! Backfire comes back around 5500 rpm !!
AAR is ok!!
Now the engine does not idle constant ,so i can't set the timing proper !
I got also a small Computer to adjust the mix ! if i messure on idle i get something around Lambda 0.8 ,during acceleration the mix gets leaner and around 5500rpm i got somethig like Lambda 1.15-1.20 !! then i also get backfire !!
Can someone please tell me what to do !?

I just put an MSD on my car w/ a 3.2L conversion. My mechanic recommended 7.5 mm MSD Chevy wires. There seems to be a consensus that the OE wires are no good in this application. You don't need to worry about not using the braided steel wires--they were incorrectly thought to be a fix for airbox blowups.

What kind of erratic idle are you getting? Is it a low rpm stuttering ( which often means too lean) or a rhythmic fluctuation (too rich)? Is this when the engine is warm or cold?

Have you checked your control pressures/WUR?

Is your dizzy/advance working correctly?

Why not try those Clewettes and see if that helps?

great management imo

Same exact thing with mine thats why We are going to produce the MSD wire sets for porsche. Its the only answer when running this ignition

3.2 ss MSD
 

OK Guy's !!
I got now also MSD Sparkplug Cables on my 3.2 SS
Firing order 153426
Mixture Lambda 0.95
Engine idles now steady on 1100rpm but i can't set the timing My vacumn advance is disconnected and i see instead of Z1 the 35 mark ! And if i connect the vacumn the engine does not idle at all and i only get Backfire !!
What now ????

hum...maybe the inner distributor springs and weights are rusted, dirt, etc and can not move freely.

What vaccum advance? 3.2 Carrera engines never came with that.

Check and make sure you don't have the green and violet MSD wires reversed. Having these connections reversed will cause the symptom you described.

Green wire from distributor is 7 and connects to MSD magnetic pick-up green wire
Shield wire around distributor green wire is 31D and connects to MSD voilet wire
7 and 31D are the connections ID's for the 6 wire CDI plug.

Thank's !
I'll check this also !
Any ather ideas ????

IT IS DONE !!!!!
 

Jim
Do you work a lot with MSD or did you make the same mistake i made ?? I did what you said and now the car run's perfectly smooth on 1000rpm!! Timing 5deg BTDC and my mix.is exactly Lambda 0.95!!!
I checked with my old harnes and on this one the shield wire is 31d !
Anyway ,finally the car runs great and thank's a lot to all of you guy's specially to Gunter and Jim !!!
And if someone is planing to go on holyday ,consider Aruba for a test drive !!!

Jesus,this thing is flying !!!

I made the same mistake when installing my 6A last summer.

Just curious of which P car you installed this MSD on.
And was it worth it?

I'd like an MSD.

:)

KASI

Glad you have it back on working condition...!!!

Merry X MASS

VicSmileWavy

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF THE HELPFULL PELICANS !!!!

So fare it runs like a Rocket I am very pleased now, I also install the Headers and the Bursch WOOOHHHHHWW What a sound .

Merry X Mass to you all from Aruba
Kasi

I tried to get MSD to package a set of wires for the 911 a couple of years ago. They will do it.

Good luck MB911!

I'm using some FORD wires on my car with an MSD 6AL. These wires have the long connectors and are of the construction type that MSD likes to use. They work very well and the use of them blows up the skirts of the average Porsche only types.

David Duffield

Hey KASI

Let see some PICs of your Car

VicSmileWavy

OK here we go.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1135377635.jpg

steviee 7
I installed the Msd on my 78 Targa 3.0SC
But i got an upgrade to 3.2L with JE 98mm Pistons and a 964 cam!!
About the MSD : i feel that the car has a better acceleration and the car turns easier up to 6000rpm !! I put the gap to .060 thats what MSD recommend's for engines with compression up to 10.5:1!! To me it make sense :Bigger,stronger spark>better combustion >more horses !! I use also MSD cables from a chevy V8 8.5mm
istallation was actually easy but don't mix up the trigger wires !!
Merry Christmas

KASI
Very Nice Targa Similar to mine but mine is a 82SC.
Glad you have your Targa is working ok.
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year 2006.

Ah! just notice that you are a Master Cheff .
Is that Building part of your facilityes in Aruba? Glad we can share not only the mechanics aspecs but our culinary inclinations too..!

VicSmileWavy

Vic
No the pic is a old one befor the transport to Aruba go here that's my place
http://madamejanette.arubahost.com/

Greetings
Kasi

here is my other stuff and my workshop in the backround ;) :D :D

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1135467756.jpg

some P car Toys :D :D http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1135467899.jpg

one more ;)

One owner car total original 40K,km only 911 S from 74
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1135468102.jpg

WHOA! That firing order looks weird! Off the top of my head I think that mine are 1-6-2-4-3-5. Let me know if Porsche changed something!

Diverdan

MSD 6AL and Solid Core Spark Plug Wires
 

Has anyone hade experience using the Jacobs Energy Core 8.5mm Spark Plug wires with a MSD 6AL?

The MSD has a warning sticker to not use with solid core spark plug wires.

I quess my question is - Does the Jacobs - which is a combination of fiberglass and Kevlar stranded inner core wraped with a ferrite suppression element, wraped with a CONTINIOUS HEAVE GAUGE STAINLESS alloy conductor and a conductive coating.

Does that stainless wrap constitute a solid core?

Bob

I was waiting for someone to catch that firing order.
Congratulations, Diverdan.
Kasi fixed it in the mean time, he didn't realize that the distributor on an SC runs ccw and wired it up for cw.
Wire mix-up happens a lot along with the Beru connectors not sitting properly on the plug meaning: the spark escapes to ground. It confirms again that most problems are simple.

That SS 3.2 with 964 cams should be just flying now but, Aruba is only 30 miles long and 8 miles wide!
Will he ever get out of 4th gear? :confused:

SmileWavy

I too have an MSD on my 2.4 MFI engine and am getting backfiring. It will start and idle but if you give it any gas you can see a small flame shoot out of the MFI stack.

does someone have a wiring diagram or a picture of how to setup the MSD?

Thanks.

Cire:
Check your timing, firing order ignition cable orientation, correct mixture setting.
I think MSD has a website with instructions???