Will this work?

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mopar56

mopar56

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Ok, this isnt a body but the wiring is the same more or less, I'm hooking up ignition to my 318 in my 56 Dodge truck I have a used MSD box and coil that I plan on using, when I go on line to look at diagrams I see there is one specific to mopar but that isnt the kit I have, what I have matchs the diagram posted, I dont see why it wont work but how do I tie the charging system in? I plan on using a stock Mopar alternator and electronic regulator.

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Isn't a Pertronix unit an electronic ignition module that goes inside the distributor that negates the need for an ignition box? In that case, I do not see how this could work. It seems to me that it would be like wiring two ignition boxes in series. But I am not an ignition expert. Let's wait for one to weigh in.
 
There should be a diagram for the Mopar factory dist, you have a breakerless The alternator / regulator have nothing to do with this part of things. One thing we need to find out is WHAT exactly are you going to use for an ignition switch, and you may need to check continuity to find out "what is turned on when." One problem with our newer A bodies and all 60's / later Mopar igntiion, is that there is IGN1 and IGN2. IGN1 is "run" but it GOES DEAD during cranking. So you must jumper IGN2 (which was the coil resistor bypass) with something like MSD so that the ignition receives power during cranking.

The alternator VR is simple. Run the output of the alternator direct to the battery with say, no8 wire, or maybe doubled up a pair of no 10 wires, using an appropriate fuse or fuse link. If you have and want to keep an ammeter, that is a bit different, but easy

One field wire (brush) on the alternator goes to switched igntion "run" as well as the power (IGN) terminal of the VR. That circuit MUST be low resistance. The VR MUST be grounded. The remaining brush of the alternator connects back to the VR

Go to MyMopar for sample simplified diagrams

MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Mopar Wiring / Electrical

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What they are showing here is "ignition 2" is hot during start, and goes back to the key, providing coil voltage during cranking. You basically will follow this diagram, except:

Pull the coil/ distributor / ballast resistor off the diagram, and jumper IGN1 and IGN2 together---if these are present on your key switch. That point, the point that used to feed the ballast, will now feed the small red wire of the MSD The big black MSD gets a good ground, an the big red goes through a fuse to live 12V

IT IS IMPORTANT not to connect anything to the coil except the two MSD wires. Do not connect a tach, nor a radio supression cap to the coil with an MSD

The only real difference in the MSD diagram you posted is that you will eliminate the Pertronix connections shown, and connect your Mopar dist to the connector "not used." It is important to get that correct,------reversing the wires will change timing and cause "rotor phasing" problems

What is not shown here is a starter relay which you will want to add if you do not have one, because of the solenoid current
 
mopar56 said:
Your are correct however my distributer is a factory Mopar electronic pick up not a Pertronix I just picked that diagram because of how the wiring looked
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The short answer is it probably will not work. A distributor with magnetic pickup is connectected to the purple and green wires on most analog MSD's.
Exactly which MSD unit do you own?
Are you using all or any of the truck's 1956 wiring?
 
Excellent! This is why this is simply the best site for technical help, thank you so far, so to answer a couple questions I am not using any of the trucks factory wiring this is simply a body sitting on a 81 Dodge truck frame, I might use the factory ammeter only because I am using the factory gauges IF I can to keep a factory look I am using a brand new ignition switch but it is a after market Chrysler switch with a Chrysler key even and it dose have ign 1 and ign 2, the MSD box has a green tach wire which is where I was planning g on getting my tach supply from the box is a 6200. I attached a couple photos.

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mopar56 said:
Excellent! This is why this is simply the best site for technical help, thank you so far, so to answer a couple questions I am not using any of the trucks factory wiring this is simply a body sitting on a 81 Dodge truck frame, I might use the factory ammeter only because I am using the factory gauges IF I can to keep a factory look I am using a brand new ignition switch but it is a after market Chrysler switch with a Chrysler key even and it dose have ign 1 and ign 2, the MSD box has a green tach wire which is where I was planning g on getting my tach supply from the box is a 6200. I attached a couple photos.

View attachment 1715468298

View attachment 1715468299

View attachment 1715468300
Click to expand...
Now I know why you didn't post which MSD it was. LOL
That's probably 1980s era. Autotronics was the original manufacturer. Let me see if any of the stuff I have has that part number. Most of my stuff only goes back to 1989-90.
 
Mattax said:
Now I know why you didn't post which MSD it was. LOL
That's probably 1980s era. Autotronics was the original manufacturer. Let me see if any of the stuff I have has that part number. Most of my stuff only goes back to 1989-90.
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MSD 6200 is a model 6A.

Purple and green twisted pair is for the magnetic pickup.
You'll need to convert the connector. You can get away with side tap connectors but in the long run its neater and more reliable to change the connector. The only source I know of is to cut one from a wiring harness or a dead distributor pickup. They are not unique to Chrysler distributors but I don't know where to buy them new. Be very careful to get the polarity correct when splicing.

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Here's what the instruction book showed. This is the book that came with my 6T around 1990 and covered all of the 6 versions at the time.

For the distributor pickup:
Negative is black wire on the Chrysler distributor. If seen orange and black and gray and black.
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The kits in the 80s and 90s came with some hardware to make the conversion, and make it easy to convert back to stock.
Plenty of racers had two MSD boxes and would swap out when one would go bad. Autotronics would fix them at minimum or no charge. Eventually the reliability got better. However I went with the circle track version just to increase the odds in my favor. Those wings on the coil are just plastic terminal strips. That made the conversion conveneint.
With that introduction:
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Amplifier wire from the Coil to Chrysler ECU you won't have since you don't have an ignition wired up.
Original wire from key is the ignition wire from the ballast resistor. If you are not going to have a ballast resistor, then its the junction with igntion 1 and 2 tied together.

The white MSD wire is not used with a magnetic pickup distributor. Clip and seal it or use it for a kill switch. If it grounds, the distributor signal will be messed up and the engine will die.
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Heavy red can be attached anywhere on the main circuit. Alternator output stud is OK. Relay Stud is OK. etc.
IGN 1 also provides power to voltage regulator and the alternator field.

Those wings on the coil are just plastic terminal strips. That made the conversion conveneint.
 
Maybe dumb question. Why is the carb mounted with the throttle linkage on the right side?
 
I didnt realize the box was that old, I have had this truck for 28 years but life gets in the way, I'm only getting back to it now, many of these parts were picked up years ago, maybe I will have to go a different route, as far as carb position it was just placed there to keep crap out of intake, it will be changed lol, good eye!
 
mopar56 said:
I didnt realize the box was that old, I have had this truck for 28 years but life gets in the way, I'm only getting back to it now, many of these parts were picked up years ago, maybe I will have to go a different route, as far as carb position it was just placed there to keep crap out of intake, it will be changed lol, good eye!
Click to expand...
Someone here will probably know when the colors changed to all red for the 6A and 6C boxes. Serial number is probably a clue too.
My 6T has been on the Barracuda since 1990 or 91 IIRC. Over 100 K miles, no issues. Its mounted on rubber isolator feet. You can buy those seperate. Probably helps reduce vibration and increase cooling of the box. I did have to send back for repair the advance/retard control unit I was using for a while.
 
Basic main circuit and ignition ('70-'71)
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You won't have a column connector. With the MSD you can connect the two Ign circuits if you don't have a ballast.
The smaller gage red wire is only powering an on-off relay inside the box.
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Whatever I copied originally showed a 12 gage wire from the alternator output. In your setup, 10 gage would not hurt. '81 truck prob was 10 gage already if that's what you're using.
 
Ok cool thanks again, keep in mind I am only using the body of the 56 and the frame of the 81 ALL origanal wiring as been discarded I am starting from scratch BUT trying to follow Chrysler wiring I would like to omit the ballast resistor if possible which it sounds like I can.
 
Actually with an MSD (conversion) it doesn't matter if you leave the ballast in or not. Since you are not using it, I would not use it. But just for info, let's say you are converting a stock Mopar vehicle. The ballast normally lowers voltage to the coil. This would imply reduced voltage to operate the MSD. But the 'small red' connection to the original switched "run" circuit DOES NOT operate the MSD. It is merely a "power trigger on" similar to a relay. The main power to operate the MSD comes from the 'big red' to the MSD
 
Ok, excellent! Thanks guys for all your info, VERY informative! I guess I just gotta hope my ignition box still works now, lol but I have a clear picture of how to hook up my ignition and charging system, I'll get to work!
 
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