MSD problem

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Loosenutz

Loosenutz

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I have a complete MSD setup on my 408. The car starts great and the idle is good. When I try to set the timing at full advance it starts jumping around so I can't read it. It seems stable until around 2000 rpms but unreadable after that. Any ideas? I bought this system used so hopefully it isn't defective.
 
It is a Snap-On dial back light but I'm not using the dial back feature. The car seems to rev up really well so I don't think it's missing at all. I'll try taking it past 3000 with the light hooked up and see if it clears up.
 
Loosenutz said:
It is a Snap-On dial back light but I'm not using the dial back feature. The car seems to rev up really well so I don't think it's missing at all. I'll try taking it past 3000 with the light hooked up and see if it clears up.
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it switches from multiple sparks to a single spark...
 
Why would the multiple sparks only cause an issue above 2000? I can get a good clear reading from idle to about 2000 and then it starts jumping erratically. Tomorrow I will try to get a reading above 3000 and see what happens.
 
Loosenutz said:
Why would the multiple sparks only cause an issue above 2000? I can get a good clear reading from idle to about 2000 and then it starts jumping erratically. Tomorrow I will try to get a reading above 3000 and see what happens.
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that i dont know...
 
I'm currently using 2 of the silver (light) springs. Suppose to be all in by 1800 since I'm using the black bushing
 
I've also tried one light silver with one light blue and got the same problem. I guess I could try 2 light blue ones which would be all in by 2500.
 
Loosenutz said:
Why would the multiple sparks only cause an issue above 2000? I can get a good clear reading from idle to about 2000 and then it starts jumping erratically. Tomorrow I will try to get a reading above 3000 and see what happens.
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IF you google timing, timing lights and MSD, this problem is "all over" Al Gore's WWW.

I would assume that at some speeds the multispark does not multiple fire the timing light, perhaps it doesn't have time to recycle, etc

I don't use, am not really familiar with MSD, but would have thought there's be a solution to this problem by now.
 
I guess I could just set the initial at about 16 which would give me 34 total. it would just be nice to be able to verify it.
 
Loosenutz said:
I guess I could just set the initial at about 16 which would give me 34 total. it would just be nice to be able to verify it.
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does it still run fine when it jumps around? what im really asking is your timing light having a fit or is it reading what the engine is actually seeing?
 
I was told a long time ago by a Snap On dealer not to use their timing lights on MSD ignitions, I have always reached for my trusty cheapo Sears timing light for my MSD. If the timing marks are moving around I would be lookin for a problem with the distributor or timing chain.
 
the67fish said:
I was told a long time ago by a Snap On dealer not to use their timing lights on MSD ignitions, I have always reached for my trusty cheapo Sears timing light for my MSD. If the timing marks are moving around I would be lookin for a problem with the distributor or timing chain.
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correctomundo. I don't know why; can see a dial back reading 60* at idle. Impossible. Guess it is the multispark confusing the light. Old light- 18* idle, 36* at 3000.
 
And then theres the MSD timing light that will work good with MSD ignitions LOL, there wasnt an MSD timing light way back when, everybody was using the cheap chrome sears one.
 
Try running the light off another battery, not the one in the car. Or purchase a self -powered timing light. It seems the MSD system interfers with the reading.
 
Its Probably a bad msd box! Had one that would drop the timing while running every now and then it would run bad. It sounded like miss firing at times. When I would check the intial timing while revved up it would slowly drop. bought a new one and havent had any problems. It could be why thay sold it. thay probably welded stuff and messed it up! Oh And i have a sears timing light and it works great.
 
I doubt it's the box cause the car runs great and sounds good when I rev it up. Car hasn't been driven yet so I don't know what it will do under load. I'm gonna pick up a cheap timing light and see if that works first.
 
I have the same set up and the opposite problem. Mine is very erratic at idle but steady at 3000 rpm. I played with the springs some thinking the light springs were allowing the dizzy cams to bounce at idle (my idle is 13-1400rpm). Put the real heavy ones on and the timing got steady at idle - but the car ran like crap. So I'm back to real light springs and set my timing by measuring total at 3000 rpm and figure I have 20 at idle with the black bushing.
 
I check total timing on MSD's @ 3500+ rpm. Anything below that will give you odd data.

I had a Snap-On light that was flaky as hell. Sometimes it was ok, other times it was intermittent, flashing once every 5 or 6 revolutions. Drove me nuts. I di the wiggle test on the pickup cable, no help. I started moving the pickup from place to place on the plug wires. I could make it better or worse, with no real correlation to position.

So I took the pickup apart. The ferrite core the pickup coil was wound on was cracked. Apparently it had hit something hard enough to do that without damaging the plastic case. I don't recall ever dropping it, so who knows.

So, try another light. Raise the RPM to 3500. try your light on another car with single spark.

If it runs good, it is not the MSD.

B.
 
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