MSD Ready to Run wiring question

[TheDuke]

Good evening, y’all
I’ve been rewiring my 72’ Duster using a KwikWire budget kit for a couple of months now and I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I saved the ignition portion to last because I knew it was going to be the trickiest. I’m trying to install using MSD’s Ready to Run distributor and I think I have a lot of it figured out but I’m still fuzzy on other things. Tell me if this diagram makes sense to anyone else and what do I need to do to finish it up.
1. The blue wire on the voltage regulator, what happens with that?
2. There is a white wire here from the KwikWire kit marked “alternator exciter” what should I do with it?
3. Should I be bypassing the starter relay and going directly to the MSD start cable?

I’m confused! Help me gentlemen!!

 

[67Dart273]

You must add wiring in addition to the wiring kit. The blue going to the flat VR must be hooked to "ignition run." The second wire from the VR goes to one of two alternator field connectors, and the other alternator field connector T's into the "ignition run" as well

The original ignition switch has IGN1 (run) and IGN2 (bypass circuit) If you are NOT using a coil ballast, hook those two together and use them for "ignition run." If you ARE using a ballast, hook IGN1 to your ignition run circuit, and run an additional wire from the ignition switch IGN2 to the coil+ terminal

Not sure about "alternator exciter" as it may be wired into a warning light circuit. If not it could feed the alternator field blue connector and the VR blue connection. I would not use it and instead, those into "ignition run" as mentioned earlier

I have no idea what you mean by "MSD start cable." DO NOT eliminate your starter relay. If you have a stick, it is tied into the clutch safety switch, and if automatic, it's tied to the neutral safety switch

There are two small flag "push on" terminals of the starter relay. One gets "start" signal from the ignition switch, the other terminal must be grounded to operate the relay. With either a clutch or automatic safety, that wire goes to the switch, which grounds the relay coil if in park or neutral

 

[TheDuke]

I’m trying to piece this together from my old system and MSD’s directions...

 

[Christine&Rusty]

Seriously, I was trying to explain this to a guy across the street today, your drawing worked well, and the exciter wire....
Best I know from a couple years of rebuilding alternators and starters is it's in with voltage regulation, it's simply put, the electricity that gets thrown out to use to make more voltage-the under 1500 rpm type. In certain vehicles it is what you see when you turn the ignition on, it ...looking for the best words here...it kinda sends that charge through the battery light to let you know there is a complete circuit from point A to point B, and not sure, Hitachi makes ones with internal voltage regulators like that. Ya get in the ride, turn key, bat light comes on and it has low voltage? The usual on that is the exciter wire and components in side of it not working right-loose wire happens a lot, voltage regulator is out on one side or the other, your alternator will not throw a charge until it gets above +/- 1500 rpm, and it's easy to chec, voltage handheld and watch the output. Used one on a '97 Sebring with a big alternator-light flickers when key on, charged at driving speeds, idle would suck the batt dry. Check your voltage regulator and see if it wired internally for it-older ones may not, modernized ones are ready to go. Or just hook up and see if it's charging at an idle, or if you have to rev it and it keeps throwing above/at 13.0 volts all the way back down to idle. Alternators make voltage, period. All the way up the rpm's, all the way down too And not check it just once, make sure the neighbors know your doing an electrical check, why? Some electrical faults don't show out everytime, and if you've ever chased the short that was a you should just better jerk the wiring and re do it type that drives you nuttier. It has been the reason $450.00 alternators end up being sent back for a loose exciter circuit-everything works, at times.....
The blue wire...and thats field side, so it should be a condenser, so your radio or cd etc stays clear sounding, catches the stuff that bleeds out and causes static when the speakers are on. But then it is the MSD, so that might be different-haven't went and looked yet.
Bypassing the starter relay-got me. Good luck!

 

[TheDuke]

Ok, so I did some more research and I believe that I have it now! Does this look right???

 

[67Dart273]

Without reading the harness instructions, I can't answer that. One mistake you made is the ground at the top left flag terminal of the starter relay. That goes to the "start" wire coming from the harness--coming from the ignition switch. In Mopar talk this is usually the yellow wire

 

[TheDuke]

Without reading the harness instructions, I can't answer that. One mistake you made is the ground at the top left flag terminal of the starter relay. That goes to the "start" wire coming from the harness--coming from the ignition switch. In Mopar talk this is usually the yellow wire

You’re so right! Thanks for that. I reviewed the MSD instructions, my wiring kit, my service manual and got a lot of good advice. I’m thinking this is correct! Only difference in the drawing is I’m thinking I’m going to put the maxi fuse on the red battery lug wire instead of coming off the starter...

 

[kalifkid71]

Well did it work? I'm facing the same situation with my 1941 Dodge wc15, 360 swap.