Distributor Issues, any advice appreciated

[Pauls68]

Hi Team B Body,

Its been a wet winter down here in Australia and good moments to get the coronet out have been rare. I have a 68 coronet with plugs that were fouling too often. after having a close call with the cops after a fast start at the lights to avoid stalling, I went down and got myself a MSD ignition box and coil. happily installed and working as per the MSD test. I can't seem to get any fire at the distributor. There is spark from the coil to distributor wire on test. but the distributor is not passing it on. I have ordered a new distributor but really out of my depth in replacing that (inc tools). Is there any tests you recommend before pulling the existing stock distributor?

 

[texas69bee]

I just recently bought an MSD RTR distributor. Installed it correctly, double checked everything far as wire layout and voltages. Turned out it was bad right out of the box. I couldn't get a spark at all. I ended up contacting Don at http://4secondsflat.com. They won't even work on the stuff anymore. The housings are made in Elpaso, Tx but the electronics are made in China. I ended up calling the factory in Elpaso to verify what Don said. She did verify that not all parts are made at there plant but would not tell me where the other stuff comes from. I ended up getting a full refund and bought from http://4secondsflat.com
Sorry, not much help in fixing your problem.

 

[440beep]

Might be a silly, Capt Obvious comment, but how's the reluctor gap in the distributor? 0.007-0.010?

 

[dryheat]

Don't ask me how I know this ... make sure you put the rotor back on.

 

[Mike67]

How old is your cap and rotor? Contacts might be worn... Also how are you checking spark to the plugs?

 

[Daves69]

So do you have a hot spark out of the coil through the coil wire to the distributor center tower or not?
Is the spark from the coil at steady intervals to indicate the reluctor or points are functioning when cranking?
The rotor and cap link the coil spark to the cylinders. A bad coil wire, wet plug wires, wet or carbon tracked distributor cap, or severely worn rotor can cause weak spark, intermittent spark, and plug fouling.

 

[Pauls68]

Thanks for the advice here gentleman, this gives me plenty to work with and check on. Rotor is definitely on. But age of cap and rotor are an unknown. I have new ones being shipped, so will check each out. I definately have spark through the coil wire. And the connection to msd to distributor look to be correct. The reluctor gap looks to be bigger than 440beep suggested, I will look up how to adjust that. Thanks and will update you all soon

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I suggest you double check your wiring. The MSD installation diagrams are only "so-so" in my opinion. Also, make sure you have BOTH the blue & brown wires that used to go into your ballast resistor connected to the MSD (red?) wire.

 

[coloradodave]

I suggest you double check your wiring. The MSD installation diagrams are only "so-so" in my opinion. Also, make sure you have BOTH the blue & brown wires that used to go into your ballast resistor connected to the MSD (red?) wire.

I don't agree. If you look at page 4 of this MSD6-A (&AL) manual it's very hard not to get the wiring correct. As I've said before, I've sold and used their CD boxes, distributors, coils and wires on race cars and my street cars for over 40 years and never had a problem...
http://documents.msdperformance.com/6425.pdf

 

[ray230]

Sorry to jump on your thread, but I am having an issue with my MSD setup too. RTR and 8222 Blaster coil. Wired as per instructions without ballast. 13.5v at the coil positive terminal with car running. I have had 2 coil failures each after about a year and 1,000 miles. Coloradodave, PM me if you have any advice. Thanks

 

[condor74]

if you have solid spark out of the coil wire but not on the plug wires then you either have a missing or damaged rotor dead short in the cap. Changing all the wiring in the world will not help if the coil is already firing and it just isn't getting to the plugs. Check the cap for carbon tracking . I am not familiar with what cap and rotor you are using but the rotor should have a metal tang that touches on the coil terminal and extends to the tip of the rotor to send spark to the plug terminals.

 

[Shorthorse]

Is your engine well grounded?

 

[miller]

I have a 68 coronet with plugs that were fouling too often

Original problem could have easily been caused by a bad distributor cap, or bad plug wires.

 

[Pauls68]

Ok, so in the end it was my distributor but I can't put my finger on exactly what was causing the issue, I hook up the MSD box through to the distributor when I take it out and spin it by hand and it sets off the coil to distributor wire sparking like it should, but not consistently like it fails also. Put the new distributor in and happy days.
Thanks for all of the advice through here, you guys a wealth of knowledge.

 

[hangn0ut]

Sorry to jump on your thread, but I am having an issue with my MSD setup too. RTR and 8222 Blaster coil. Wired as per instructions without ballast. 13.5v at the coil positive terminal with car running. I have had 2 coil failures each after about a year and 1,000 miles. Coloradodave, PM me if you have any advice. Thanks

If your coil is laying on its side it may be leaking oil through the tower causing failure. Mount it vertically.

 

[ray230]

If your coil is laying on its side it may be leaking oil through the tower causing failure. Mount it vertically.

Thanks. The 8222 is an epoxy filled coil that you are supposed to be able to mount in any position.

 

[hangn0ut]

Thanks. The 8222 is an epoxy filled coil that you are supposed to be able to mount in any position.

Then all you can do is mount it in the coolest spot you can.