340 Dart Sport cranking issues

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Dustink340

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Ok so I’m having some sort of weird electrical issues on my car with it cranking. I’m running an MSD 6AL box with their distributor and coil. So the issue literally just started out of the blue after messing with the ground strap on the sending unit. So the car will fire and run fine. If I turn it off and try to restart it it just sits and turns over. I have to wait 30 to 45 solid seconds before it’ll fire again. If it tries to fire and doesn’t it’ll do the same thing. We pulled the plug wires and there is no fire during this time. The. After a minute it comes back and it’ll crank. Like I said I was messing with the ground strap on the fuel tank when this started. I took the ground back off and still no luck. I was trying to get the fuel gauge working and have opened a whole can of worms apparently! I’ve checked over all the ignition wiring as well as the starter relay. Any ideas on where to look next???? Thanks for any insight!!
 
No inside just a guess how old's the MSD. As great a unit as those are I haven't had the best of luck with them. I only get a few years out of mine I think I have three dead ones on the shelf.
 
There is a led light on the unit that should be on with key in the on position. It will flash cranking. Make sure you are getting it.
 
Well if no light you'll have to trouble shoot power into the unit under the conditions that are causing your problem. Will need a VOM and maybe a helper to turn key on. If you don't have installation manual maybe you can download it from MSD.
 
So I have access to a new 6AL and I think I’m just gonna wire it in and see if that changes anything. If not, no idea!
 
What triggers your unit?
If a magnetic pick-up under the cap, I'd just check that guy or flat replace it. It generates a tiny voltage every time a reluctor vane passes threw it's magnetic field. That tiny voltage is amplified and shaped into something the MSD recognizes, and then fires the coil from it's charged capacitor.
Of course, to do that, the amp needs full-time power from the ignition switch....
and the capacitor needs a clean,dedicated, un-interupted battery supply

Think of the system as having 5 parts;
the trigger
the properly distanced rotating reluctor
the amp
the capacitor, and
the MSD specific coil

the trigger is the weakest link.
 
Last edited:
So I just checked the trigger and it has a tiny bit of corrosion on it. Tomorrow I’m gonna try to clean that and see what happens!
AJ/FormS said:
What triggers your unit?
If a magnetic pick-up under the cap, I'd just check that guy or flat replace it. It generates a tiny voltage every time a reluctor vane passes threw it's magnetic field. That tiny voltage is amplified and shaped into something the MSD recognizes, and then fires the coil from it's charged capacitor.
Of course, to do that, the amp needs full-time power from the ignition switch....
and the capacitor needs a clean,dedicated, un-interupted battery supply

Think of the system as having 5 parts;
the trigger
the properly distanced rotating reluctor
the amp
the capacitor, and
the MSD specific coil

the trigger is the weakest link.
Click to expand...
 
Dustink340 said:
Ok so I’m having some sort of weird electrical issues on my car with it cranking. I’m running an MSD 6AL box with their distributor and coil. So the issue literally just started out of the blue after messing with the ground strap on the sending unit. So the car will fire and run fine. If I turn it off and try to restart it it just sits and turns over. I have to wait 30 to 45 solid seconds before it’ll fire again. If it tries to fire and doesn’t it’ll do the same thing. We pulled the plug wires and there is no fire during this time. The. After a minute it comes back and it’ll crank. Like I said I was messing with the ground strap on the fuel tank when this started. I took the ground back off and still no luck. I was trying to get the fuel gauge working and have opened a whole can of worms apparently! I’ve checked over all the ignition wiring as well as the starter relay. Any ideas on where to look next???? Thanks for any insight!!
Click to expand...
Contact the MSD Tech line, they are good people if you can get through.
 
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