Wiring an MSD 6AL-2

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69Chrgr

Charger/Cuda
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Maybe someone here can help me.....again. This time an MSD 6AL-2 ignition box to my small block in my Barracuda. I already have a "Ready to Run" MSD distributor and coil. Car was running fine. Today, I tried to wire my new MSD to my ignition EXACTLY per the instructions and it will not fire. Before I started, I called MSD and they told me to wire it according to the MSD 8360 diagram setup. It's a pretty simple job per the instructions, but I"m having pure hell. The little red light will light up for just a second and then it goes off when you turn on the ignition. I tried the small red wire to a keyed 12 volt source. Am I missing something? Orange wire to coil + and black wire to coil -. White wire to the orange wire coming from the distributor. Big red wire to battery positive, black wire to battery negative. Gray wire to green wire coming from tach. It just can't be that hard, but I have missed something in a big way. Please help.

Thanks as Always,
Darren
 
There directions have been off in the past.We run ours independantly,not through any other wiring as far as the old ignition wiring.Hot to the solenoid
and another wire from the solenoid to a toggle switch.If your main power is straight to the battery thats ok.Wheres your trigger wire going to?
 
Thanks for the prompt feedback 340. I guess if the white wire is the trigger wire, it's hooked to the orange wire coming from the distributor. Yes, I also tried just hooking the small red wire to the battery as well, still no spark.
 
I have not done this with this ready to run dist.Im looking at my old instructions and appears your correct there.Where is the smaller red wire going?Im showing with your system it should run into a 12v system.Is it a seperate system from the rest of the wiring?
 
Hmmm. That's interesting. It shows the white wire in the 8360 diagram. If that's the case, it seems like a lot of extra wires being used. I don't mind trying that, but not sure if it will damage the box? I just bought this box brand new from Summit, so I'd hate to think it was bad. When is the red light supposed to come on? It just blinks one time when the red wire is energized.
 
The Ready to Run distributor is pretty simple. Just 3 wires. On my 6AL-2 it says to connect the single white wire to the orange wire coming from the distributor. I have the small red wire hooked to a 12 volt keyed source, also tried it to direct 12 volts. There is also a white and blue wire, but it says it's for a "Hall Effect" distributor. I don't know what the hell that is.
 
Is yours a digital?I didnt think the 6AL had an led?I have the digital,that light on it does funky things,never stays lit.Fault code i think its supposed to blink
if theres a problem.Nothing else your small red wire may be running to ignition
which shuts off power when the key is in crank position.This is why i run a wire from the solenoid to the toggle,then to the box,you know its hot.Dont
phase the box out yet,when i upgraded from the 6AL it was also new but a bad unit.Check your "switched wire before you go any further.
 
Yeah, I checked the switched 12 volt source and it's good. This is an anolog unit. Knowing my luck, I got a bad box, brand new. My luck is horrible. There is just not that many wires to hook up, or so it seems per the instructions. Should I just try to hook the small red wire to the orange wire coming from the distributor? I'm at a loss.
 
No,from what im getting i think you have it right.:scratch:
Like i said ive done over a dozen of these 6ALs but havent messed with the
ready to run dist.I didnt think you need a box for those,just wiring them up
off 12v source and coil.I think there is a way to check the box.Be back!
 
Probably a dumb question,you battery is fully charged puting out the proper voltage?Only thing i see left is that,poor ground,your 12v switched on all the time.Appears your wired correct,unless someone else chimes in you may need to call MSD customer support to see if its the box or dizzy.Dont email them,you may never here back.Good luck 69chrgr!
 
You have to take the red wire from the box hook it to the power wire coming from the distributor cap then hook them both to a 12v wire that turns on and off with the ignition key.
 
You can not use the white wire at all.The white wire is for a points type distributor only.You have to unhook the white from the orange and you should be ok.Don,t use the white/blue wire either it is for honda distributors. Mark
 
69Chrgr said:
The Ready to Run distributor is pretty simple. Just 3 wires. On my 6AL-2 it says to connect the single white wire to the orange wire coming from the distributor. I have the small red wire hooked to a 12 volt keyed source, also tried it to direct 12 volts. There is also a white and blue wire, but it says it's for a "Hall Effect" distributor. I don't know what the hell that is.
Click to expand...

FYI: Hall Effect is a type of transistor that is switched on with a magnetic signal. These were used in some of the early solid state ignitions!

Hope you get your problem figured out!
Cudamike13
 
Hello
Just wondering if there ever was a resolution to this problem . I am at the wiring stage and have same issue . Box worked great led came on with no issues after wiring . Then it stopped working and now no light at all. If I remove MSD box and go direct wiring to verify power it blinks once and done. Not sure if it's a bad box or what . Plenty of forums with MSD problems for sure but no real solutions .
 
I had an MSD do this and the issue was the 12v keyed power didn't have power in the start position.

Try turning the key to the on position. Jump the solenoid under the hood and see what happens.

The other thing is have you checked for spark by touching the dizzy wires together (green and purple)
 
I removed the MSD box and put battery wire straight to battery positive and ground to battery negative . I ran a jumper for the 12v ignition on wire (smaller red one ) . Made sure my battery was pushing over 12v and still did it. Blinked one time and nothing . I am starting to think maybe I have a bad box . I can't really check for spark with out knowing it has power correct ?
 
You can check the triggering by taking a short test wire and connecting and breaking the purple and green wires. THe light will blink.

Call MSD tech. Tey'll walk you through everything. It's probably something silly.
 
Thanks I will try the test and probably have to call tech line for some sssistance . It's got me stumped.
 
Yes I do have the correct instructions . I purchased this new from Summit Racing . I did some research and find it amazing all the trouble shooting forums for MSD . Not sure that's a good thing or maybe it's installation error . But many switched to Pertronix and these problems ended .
 
articcolds said:
Yes I do have the correct instructions . I purchased this new from Summit Racing . I did some research and find it amazing all the trouble shooting forums for MSD . Not sure that's a good thing or maybe it's installation error . But many switched to Pertronix and these problems ended .
Click to expand...


Here is what i'll tell you. I've used countless MSD's. The only failure I've ever encountered was a faulty pickup in a pro billet dizzy. They use a ford pickup so you can run right to advance and get a new one. I've never had a box fail. The wiring is simple. Big red to battery, big black to battery, small red to switched 12v, purple and green to dizzy. tach takeoff right off the box.

Did you delete the ballast resistor yet? That needs to be done with the MSD.

Coil wires hooked up right?

Make sure it's preset for 8 cylinder and all the dials are set properly. Also, make sure you aren't using the 20degree start retard for the first cold start. Depending on the initial timing it may be too low if you use this setting and not start.
 
Yes I have had the MSD box in the past on different cars with no problem . But things can always change. I used a complete Ron Francis wiring kit for a new restoration. So yes I have deleted the ballast . Like I was stating it worked as it should when ignition was turned on the light came on and I had spark.
Then just as quickly as it worked it quit working . No light nothing . I removed box tried off battery and light blinks then nothing . Hit power to box again and light blinks then off within seconds . Have full 12v to this and could make it blink all day long by power on power off.
I know it was wired correctly because it worked. Coil wires were hooked up as should be too.
 
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