where is your msd box?
 

Hey guys. Im installing the msd ignition box setup and Im not sure where or how to mount it. I took the cd box out and the msd box is like twice the size of the cd box. SHould I just drill into the metal bracket? Should the wiring harness be on top or bottom of the box? Id love to see some pics..

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

mine is in the stock position...wire harness faces down. i am at work, so if nobody else posts up a pic, i can get you one tonight.

were you able to mount all 4 bolts? Also what do I do with the old plug? Do I just stash them away somewhere?

yea, i mounted all four corners. those rubber threaded bumper things are really nice. makes taking things on and off really easy.

I have the MSD box 6AL. Its alot bigger and there is no way it will mount onto the bracket.

i have the 6AL also. i guess i have to post up some pics later.

please do. Thanks so much. Does anyone else have pics? A search for MSD doesnt work.

hahaha. called my wife to see if she could snap a pic..i could feel her eyes rolling over the phone.

i will get them tonight.

haha, sorry if you get a bad tv dinner tonight Vash

Does the regulator mounted next to the cd box have to be trashed also?

ok, next question. Where did you install your power wires? DO I have to go under the car to locate the starter cable?

Here's a picture of my installation. The MSD box is larger than the stock CD box, but it can be mounted in the same location. The upper forward corner hits the wheel well, but if you space it out just 3/4 of an inch, it will clear. Vash used rubber spacers, I just used a 3/4 inch hunk of plywood painted black. It has held up just fine for about 10 years.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230931731.jpg
I got power from the top engine compartment fuse as shown. Since this picture, I have run the wire behind the electrical panel for a cleaner installation.

Thanks Walter. I was able to mount the box sideways. I removed the regulator. I'm pretty sure I have the alternater with the built in regulator. Atleast Im crossing my fingers. Now as for the power wire, the book says it has to be a constant hot wire. None of those fuses are constant hot. Does it matter if its constant hot or not?

Hope this helps...
 

got this from a fellow pelican...wanted to pay it forward.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230932521.jpg

I mounted mine where it would get max air flow. A good place is in front of the engine. MSDs get hot.

not my setup





http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230932555.jpg

Mack6820,

If none of the engine compartment fuses are hot, I'd go for the starter next.

Thats a nice setup Ronin but I dont have carbs. I have the spaghetti of a CIS.

Not a street solution, but on my race car, I mounted it on the other side (inside) of the firewall from where Ronnin has it. I wanted to keep the electronics away from the heat. Works great for me.

some guys around here add a section to the electric panel that extends it so it'll mount the MSD. It's not hidden behind the panel cover.

I built a seperate panel that sits between the electric panel and front cabin bulkhead, but I don't think you'll have room for that?


I'd try to find a pic of the MSD mounted on the extended elec panel so the box is able to see some cooling.

now my pain is to figure out how to route the power wire to the starter.

Go around the left side of the engine to the back and through the rubber grommet or just shove a coat hanger through the rubber piece and go under the car and thread it back through.

It would be extremely hard to go along the wire harness and the starter wire unless you remove the CIS.

You can see on the picture belowwhere the wires go through to the starter.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230934878.jpg

Here is how my box is mounted with one screw and a plastic wire clamp

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230935389.jpg

ok guys. IM finally done. NOW the car wont start! I checked all the connections. Im getting power to the box and the ground is good. geez! any ideas?

Msd
 

Here is mine - Fabricated an .080" aluminum "platform" for it to fasten to. EPShttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230935921.jpg

Do you have power to the coil? Are you getting spark?

Im not getting any spark. When am I supposed to get power to the coil? How do I check it? I checked the power wire on the coil as my neighbor turned the engine over. I got nothing.

How did you connect the MSD to the old wiring? I simply connected in to the 6 original plug. The purple and green wires (if I'm remembering correctly) connect to the "green wire" to the distributor.
Look in this thread http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/440999-msd-magnetic-pick-up.html
for info on connecting, I have an image of how I connected the msd. (Provided by Fred Cook, you can search his name for info on his setup.)

Jay

I thought the purple and green wires dont get used? I dont have points.

On my set up the purple and green wire go to the "green wire" "pig tail" on the distributer as stated by Jay.

Jay your link to your thread didn't show up could you post it?

MSD Mounting Location
 

My SC has an internal regulator alternator, so I simply rotated the rear window defrost relay 90 degrees and mounted the MSD box horizontally. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230939229.jpgIt fits under the electrical panel cover (almost) so that all you see is a small amount of red. I ran the ground wire to the mounting bracket and to the engine to make certain that I had a complete ground. Good luck with your project!

Edited the post with the link which is

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=440999

Jay ( not Jah!, can't even get my own name straight at time :) )

Thanks Jay!

So the green and purple wires go to the distributer green wire which is a has an outer sheild.

The green wire connects to the sheild
The purple wire goes to the green wire

well I re-ran the green and purple wires and then the coil wires iaw the diagram by Fred Cook. She still wont start. I think the green and purple wires are only for earlier cars with points. But I wired it anyway.
I'm still not getting spark at the plugs. I think tomorrow Im gonna rehook up the old cd box and see what happens. Thanks for the inputs guys. More to follow tomorrow.

The Purple and Green wire are for the magnetic pickup which replaces the points that were on older cars. The pickup tells the box when to send spark where as in older cars the points did this.

The SC Distributer has a magnetic pick up that is detected and transmitted via the green wire.

Best of luck,

Shane

Try reversing the purple and green wires;

The green wire connects to the shield
The purple wire goes to the green wire

It seems a lot of people get this wrong. It wont hurt anything, try changing them from whatever current configuration you have.

MSD mounting
 

Here's mine. I made an aluminum plate that bolts to the stock mounting holes and then used rubber, threaded spacers to mount the MSD to the plate.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1230943892.jpg

I removed the sound insulating pad off of the firewall and made a carbon fiber sheet to hold my voltage regulator and MSD box. I can take pictures if you want

yes, please - pics of the CF sheet and msd box...

I mounted mine in a similar location to the picture RoninLB posted, but about inches to the left. I just screwed right into the firewall, and it's held no problem, even through track days.

Sorry can't help with the wiring - I can't remember at all, and my car's away for storage. I do remember having to just keep trying one or 2 connections until I got them to work.

i'm back. mine is mounted like al's.

i used the purple and black. the PO snipped the factory harness out and wired the MSD permanently. it should be easy to go back.

run the power wire to the starter. if you look, you can see where the large AC hoses go. follow them down and you will be right next to the starter. i used an inline fuse for added peace of mind. i cannot remember the amps. our cars need the purple/black trigger wire. no sparky without it.