Anyone seen or heard of this happening?

Hnrys69

Bronco Guru

Joined

Jan 10, 2002

Messages

2,809

• Aug 15, 2002

• #1

When I used to start my truck, my tach worked perfect... Now when i start it up the needle jumps around a little bit at idle. With the lights off the tach put out a little light. Now when I turn my headlights on... Tach freezes up at the rpm it was at when the lights turned on and it goes dark... <br><br>Something doesnt like my truck I think... But now since this has been going on, my truck will just die randomly and I will get no spark. When i come back after a little while it fires right up, then dies at another time randomly....<br><br>Anyone have any F'n clue whats goin on??? I think my MSD offroad box is going out but cant test it to make sure and 5000 miles and a year and a half seems a little short for a 250 dollar ignition box's lifespand.

 

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru

Joined

Feb 24, 2002

Messages

10,875

• Aug 15, 2002

• #2

Check your ground wires. For a quick check take one jumper cable from the ground on the battery and clamp it to the metal lip on your dash. Make sure the ground wire is clean and tight to the block and run a good heavy ground direct to the body. You may find alot of the little gremlins may go to someone else.

 

B

BOSS3024ME

Sr. Member

Joined

Nov 14, 2001

Messages

890

Loc.

Washington State Vancouver and Oysterville

• Aug 15, 2002

• #3

When I lost the MSD in my race boat it did the same thing the tachs (one for each engine) would freak out on the bad ignition box and be fine on the other one. <br><br>The engines seemed to run fine at the early stage of the failure but as we continued with the race we were in the port engine started to miss and backfire.<br><br>I have had the MSD stuff last 1 race and one season just the luck of the draw.<br><br>Paul

 

Amac70

ME

Joined

Mar 27, 2002

Messages

3,269

• Aug 15, 2002

• #4

i would have to agree with BOSS3024ME the msd work great but some don't last i went through 3 one year and have another sitting on the shelf waiting to be sent back. I would disconect and see how it runs without it. and go from there. If you send the MSD back they are generally real fast with turn around and if its under warrenty or even close they were always good about fixing it for free. I think the last time i paid like 25 to get it fixed.

 

OP

OP

Hnrys69

Bronco Guru

Joined

Jan 10, 2002

Messages

2,809

• Aug 15, 2002

• #5

How do you wire around one? It sucks when i get stranded with no spark. I have the black MSD box with the MSD billet distributor and MSD super blaster coil. Thanks guys.

 

Amac70

ME

Joined

Mar 27, 2002

Messages

3,269

• Aug 15, 2002

• #6

Ah sorry to tell you can't wire around the msd box when your useing the billet distributer. You might call msd and ask i have had good luck with there tech people.

 

N

Newt

Sr. Member

Joined

Nov 19, 2001

Messages

530

• Aug 15, 2002

• #7

Re:MSD

I had a MSD in the 70's. I pulled up to a stop sign & it just died. Back then, they had a plug you could plug in to go back to the stock ignition. I put the plug in & it fired right up. They don't have that anymore?

 

MI-Bronco

Sr. Member

Joined

Jan 4, 2002

Messages

941

• Aug 15, 2002

• #8

This sounds pretty shooty. Does the DUI ignition last any longer?

 

B

Blue_Oval_Boy

Sr. Member

Joined

Jul 8, 2001

Messages

846

Loc.

New Site, Alabama

• Aug 15, 2002

• #9

i have been told, the best thing to do is go to the junkyard, and get the ford brain box there.

 

GRIZZLY

Bronco Guru

Joined

Jul 31, 2001

Messages

3,221

Loc.

Lakewood, CA

• Aug 15, 2002

• #10

I just got the ProBillet Ready to run and it doesn't need the box. You have the option to add all that later and the flexibility that if your box goes out you can run straight off the distributor(and coil). I'm boxing up my old points and coil and putting them in my trail bag.

 

JMurray

Sr. Member

Joined

Jan 27, 2002

Messages

800

• Aug 15, 2002

• #11

In my opinion a MSD is sh&t, I had a MSD on another car, worked 4 weeks. <br>I no longer have one & I couldn`t be happier,<br>Take it out to the hills & have fun shooting the damn thing with a 7mm Rem Mag,<br>Jerry

 

J

Jeepster

Bronco Guru

Joined

Jul 13, 2001

Messages

1,507

• Aug 16, 2002

• #12

[quote author=Blue_Oval_Boy link=board=5;threadid=8063;start=0#57071 date=1029466016]<br>i have been told, the best thing to do is go to the junkyard, and get the ford brain box there. <br>[/quote]<br><br>why go to the junkyard and buy junk? new one is $15

 

C

cjjhalfcab

Bronco Guru

Joined

Dec 21, 2001

Messages

1,318

Loc.

Oologah, OK _

• Aug 16, 2002

• #13

Do these things give supercharger-like performance or something? Seems like everyone is falling all over themselves to buy these MSD ignition setups. It seems like most of what I hear on this board are problem stories with them, and for the money I can't see the performance gain. My plain old Ford Duraspark works just fine, and never have had a problem with it. And is damned sure cheaper than $250. If I had anything that failed me 3 times, much less 3 times in one year, I'd throw that sumbitch in the trash and never look back. Are they really that good (when they work)?

 

OP

OP

Hnrys69

Bronco Guru

Joined

Jan 10, 2002

Messages

2,809

• Aug 16, 2002

• #14

I went from stock disb with points to a MSD disb MSD coil and MSD offroad ignition box. Man the thing fires up no problem with 1 turn over. I live in Reno NV so it gets cold here and snows alot. With the msd ignition the thing would always fire right up covered in snow, the old ignition would crank and crank then fire. I also noticed an improvement in mpg and some hp increase. If this problem happens again i think i will change companies.