Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane
(Post 5286833)
Autotronic Controls Corporation warrants MSD Ignition products to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and if properly installed for a period of one year from date of purchase. If found to be defective as mentioned above, it will be replaced or repaired if returned prepaid along with proof of date of purchase. This shall constitute the sole remedy of the purchaser and the sole liability of Autotronic Controls Corporation to the extent permitted by law, the foregoing is exclusive and in lieu of all other warranties or representations whether expressed or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness. In no event shall Autotronic Controls Corporation be liable for special or consequential damages.
Service
In case of malfunction, your MSD component will be repaired free of charges according to the terms of the warranty. When returning MSD components for warranty service, Proof of Purchase must be supplied for warranty verification. After the warranty period has expired, repair service is charged based on a minimum and maximum charge rate. (Contact Customer Service for current rate).
When returning an MSD product for repair, leave all wires at the installed length. Cutting wires close to the unit will void the warranty. Also, include a detailed account of any problems experienced and what components and accessories are installed on the vehicle.
Send the MSD component prepaid to the attention of:
Customer Service Department
Autotronic Controls Corporation
12120 Esther Lama, Suite 114
El Paso, Texas 79936
The repaired unit will be returned as soon as possible after receipt (usually 10 - 14 working days) COD for any charges. For more information on repairs, call our Customer Service Line at (915) 855-7123. Our trained technicians are available from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, mountain time, Monday - Friday.
from MSD:
Check all wires to ensure they are not loose
Check for loose connection or a wire that is only making contact with a minimal amount of wire strands. Sometimes this is caused by over stripping the wire insulation and or by a bad crimp. A test that you can perform to see if that is the case is to attach a handheld volt meter to the small gauge red wire of the msd and then drive the vehicle with the meter on so that it indicates that 12 volts is present. When the vehicle acts up look over and see if the 12 volts is still present.
To test the MSD unit follow the procedure below.
IF TRIGGERING THROUGH THE WHITE WIRE
Disconnect the white wire from the points or amplifier wire.
IF TRIGGERING THROUGH THE VIOLET/GREEN WIRE
Disconnect the two-pin connector with the Violet/Green wires from the distributor.
Disconnect the coil wire from the distributor cap and lay 1/4 from ground, this is where it will spark.
Turn the ignition key to the "ON" position, do not crank.
Take the white wire of the MSD 6 Unit and touch and release from ground, every time you touch and release from ground it will spark at the coil wire.
Take the Violet/Green wire and touch them together and then release them. Every time the Violt/Green wires are shorted together you should get a spark from the coil wire.
If you do not get a spark, make sure there is 12 volts at the small red wire of MSD. Check for 12 volts on the small gauge Red wire with a volt meter. If you have 12 volts on the Red wire, swap the coil with a different coil, it doesn't have to be new, as long as it is a good working coil.
Do the same test, if you get a spark then it was a bad coil, if you still do not get a spark then you know it is a bad MSD unit, but double check that all connections are good and tight.
Disconnect all wires going to the coil and then check the primary resistance between the coil positive (+) and Coil negative (-) terminals. The resistance should read 0.02 ohms when cold. Next, check the secondary resistance between the coil positive (+) terminal and the high tension terminal (coil wire attachment point). Repeat the same check using the coil negative (-) terminal. The secondary resistance should be approximately 1.38K ohms.
If you are triggering the MSD through the Violet/Green wires then make sure that those two wires are not run near or along side any of the spark plug wires or the coil wire. You may be getting a false trigger through the magnetic pickup input which is causing the miss-fire. Also, make sure the green wire is twisted around the violet wire all the way from the pickup to the MSD box. The green wire acts as a shield for the violet magnetic positive wire. Try moving the wires to see if it makes a difference. Also, try looking for signs of arcing when it is dark. Start the engine and rev it up in the evening without any lights on and look for signs of a spark. If you see any that is a good place to start looking for a problem.
(I have a 1974 Porsche 911 with the MSD 6A. I have had the car for 3 months and typically not had difficulty starting. It is difficult when hot.)
I take it that you are triggering the MSD through the White wire of the MSD. Here is how you test the MSD unit using the White wire.
1. Disconnect the coil wire from the distributor cap and place it approximately 1/4" from ground.
2. Disconnect the MSD White wire from the distributor or amplifier wire that it is connected to.
3. Turn the ignition key to the on position (not cranking).
4. Tap the White wire against ground and then remove it. Each time the White wire is touched and released from ground you should see a spark jump from the coil wire.
5. If no spark occurs, check to make sure you have 12 volts on the small red wire going to the MSD unit with the ignition key in the run position. If there is no 12 volts trace the ignition key wire back to determine why there is no 12 volts. If 12 volts is present, continue to step 6.
6. Check the coils primary and secondary resistance to make sure they meet the coils specifications or replace the coil with a known good coil and repeat the White wire test above.
Since the engine cranks easy but does not start, make sure that you have a ground from the engine to the chassis. Poor ground could cause hard starting. Although if you are not getting any spark you will have to perform this spark test, but has to be perform when the engine does not fire.
Checking The MSD Ignition For Spark
The following test will determine if your MSD is producing a spark.
Magnetic Pickup Trigger:
If you are using the 2-Pin Magnetic Pickup of the MSD to trigger the ignition, follow these steps.
1. Make sure the ignition switch is in the Off position.
2. Remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and position the terminal so it is approximately 1/2" from a good ground.
3. Disconnect the MSD Magnetic Pickup connector from the distributor.
4. Turn the ignition to the On position. DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE.
5. With a small jumper wire, short the Green and Violet magnetic pickup wires together then pull the jumper off. Each time the short is removed a spark should jump If spark is present, the ignition is working properly.
If there is no spark:
A. Inspect all of the wiring.
B. Substitute another coil and test again. If there is now spark, the coil is at fault.
C. If there is still no spark, check to make sure there is 12 volts on the small Red wire from the MSD when the key is in the On position. If 12 volts are not present, find another 12 volt source and repeat the test.
D. After inspecting the test procedures and inspecting all of the wiring, there is still no spark, the Ignition is at fault.
If the MSD Unit produces spark when it does not want to start, do the following test on the distributor.
The magnetic pickup in MSD Distributors can also be checked with an Ohm meter to make sure it is within operating specifications. Once again, connect the Ohm meter's leads to the two terminals of the pickup. The resistance should be within 400 - 1,300 ohms. If the resistance is out of this specification, inspect the condition of the wires leading to the pickup for abrasion, shorting or opens. If the wiring is okay, the pickup is at fault.
NOTE: The Ignition will check good if the pickup is at fault.
The only test that can be done to the coil is resistance check, but if it is firing this test may show good, there are other test but have to be on a load bench with test equipment. You could use any coil it doesn't have to be new, even one that is running on a vehicle, as long it is a distributor type vehicle. Here are the specs for the resistance anyways,
Primary side is .7 ohms (coil positive to coil negative)
Secondary is 5000 ohms (coil positive to center tower)
Using a Digital/Volt/Ohm meter tests this.
Just some random information from MSD on testing their equipment. I hope something from above is helpful...
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