Ignition Advice Please

[Sr4440]

I have seen a bunch of ignition boxes on the dyno, so if I were on a budget and was starting from scratch, I would get a progression ignition, I know they don't have the advertising budget of MSD, but they work great. You get everything you need, distributor, 2-step, start retard (not really needed with map), data logging, theft prevention, rev limiter. Can adjust everything with your phone, or put a cheap tablet on your dash and use it as a tach. LOL Progression Ignition

 

[Demonx2]

FWIW... the avatar uses an MSD 6AL (#6420) ignition box. It is literally 20+ years old. I can't say if other things would be better, but I can say the starts are near instantaneous with it and I've had no issues with it.

What I DO wonder is if the timing delivery stays where it should at higher rpm. I've looked with a timing light up to about 5000 rpm and it looks fine but no way to know for certain. Maybe someday for grins I might try something else but it doesn't really make much sense to spend $500-$1000 to gain maybe nothing or maybe a tenth.

 

[B3422w5]

MSD 6 box will be plenty for your stated needs.
It’s all I have ever run in my 9 sec and slower street strip cars over the years ( many years) with only a single failure( digital 6) 20 or so years ago. Currently have a 6al that I have had zero issues with. This is one I have with 2 step

MSD 6AL-2 Multiple Spark Discharge With 2 Step Rev Limiter Ignition Control Red | eBay

 

[ValiantRacing]

I run this is 3 different cars and love it, i have had 4 red boxes go bad, never again.

CD-1™ Ignition Systems Overview | Daytona Sensors™

 

[A body]

My Racepak has taught me I don’t want ANYTHING programmable on my bracket car (just sent it back AGAIN to be repaired $680). I’ve been running the same 6AL box since the mid 90s when my dad had the car. Timing locked at 32. Get the engine rolling and click on the ignition and starts great. I almost went with the Grid system a couple years ago. It would be nice to program a curve or pull a bunch of timing at the hit to soften things up (consistentcy), but then I run into people experiencing weird issues with rev limits and finding certain parameters in programs….. just a learning curve I guess I don’t want to deal with. Something else to go wrong.

and I’d buy an old crusty swap meet 6AL before I’d buy a newer one

 

[64plymouth]

Ok I have a question about old 6al boxes. The box and msd coil I run now are from the mid 90s. I have a play back tach. And every once in a while I see the tach needle drop from 5000 ish to zero and come right back. I don’t notice it during the run. The sure what to think. I thought about replacing the whole system but that ain’t cheap.

 

[B3422w5]

Ok I have a question about old 6al boxes. The box and msd coil I run now are from the mid 90s. I have a play back tach. And every once in a while I see the tach needle drop from 5000 ish to zero and come right back. I don’t notice it during the run. The sure what to think. I thought about replacing the whole system but that ain’t cheap.

I have had that happen, and it always seemed to be low voltage related.
Used to happen after I kicked the alt belt off and was killing the battery once in a while

 

[64plymouth]

I haven’t lost the belt in a long time. But will check voltage output. Thanks

 

[BVoelzke]

I haven’t lost the belt in a long time. But will check voltage output. Thanks

I have ran a MSD 7AL2 , Blaster coil , Firecore plug wires and stock Mopar distributor for years on my small blocks . I did however have problems with two different MSD Billet distributors thats why I went back to a stock style one .

 

[Team Vintage]

6 is fine on most applications. We have an 8 sec nitrous car using a 6 with a grid controller for well over 10 yrs without fail. i also have a digital 7 thats been running for many years street strip 14:1 Nitrous car as well. Latest build has the grid ignition and controller also nitrous 13;1 street driven. These three are BBM nitrous cars that are making over 1K hp.

 

[B3422w5]

I can guarantee you if another spark box was worth absolutely any ET over an MSD, every stock and super stock guy in the country would be running it.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

I can guarantee you if another spark box was worth absolutely any ET over an MSD, every stock and super stock guy in the country would be running it.

Don’t be so sure…