Killing ignition coils

[SeanT4x4]

So I'm now on my third ignition coil in about a year. First one was an old accel coil that I had left the ignition on to for a while.

Learned my lesson and was pretty cautious about doing that to the new Blaster 2 coil. Few months later MSD is dead as well. These things aren't exploding, they just quit.

Truck has a Mallory Unilite distributor with the power filter, 12v power to coil has a resistor and is at about 6.5v when on, one wire alternator, new ford racing plug wires, and new Autolite 45 plugs gapped to .040.

Was this MSD coil just crap? Or am I overlooking something that could be killing them?

 

[broncnaz]

Id bet that the MSD was just crap. kinda par for the course with them. Of course coils should be placed where they dont get much heat kinda hard unless you remote mount it. but you need to watch the lenght of your coil wire.
On the other hand there are many stock coils still running fine in there stock mount.

 

[jw0747]

x2 MSD is crap. You don't need a high performance, expensive coil if your engine is stock.
Just go to any auto parts store and buy a stock replacement coil. You might also consider a stock distributor.

 

[pcf_mark]

Parts store coils are all made in China - I would take an MSD or used junk yard coil before any of those.

This weekend I had a brand new China coil hot to the touch on a tractor I was working on. Took the 46 yr old one from my Bronco as a substitute and it worked no problem.

 

[blubuckaroo]

All three of my sons learned to drive in our Bronco. I replaced one coil for each. They each learned that you can't park and listen to tunes with the ignition switch in the "ON" position.

 

[broncodriver99]

I would X whatever that the MSD was crap and possibly the chinese parts store coil. I went through a couple and finally bought one of the epoxy filled coils from summit. I think it ran me about $40. Some people say the epoxy coils can overheat due to not having a fluid to cool them but this one has been solid.

But, where is your coil mounted? I moved mine on the 3rd try from the intake manifold to the front of the head where it was originally. In my research Ford put it there for cooling.

 

[bronconut73]

I put mine on the fenderwell years ago. I had it mounted to the intake and the front of the head for a few years too. Never had one fail due to overheating. The stock ones have the cooling oil and I was told to mount it vertically as the oil can do a better job of cooling vertically. This was why I moved it to the front of the head (vertical) from the intake (horizontal). I have been running the MSD High Vibration Blaster coil for about 12 years or so. It resides on the fender. It is epoxy filled so I figured keeping it cool was a priority, ergo it is over on the fenderwell...seems to be fine.

 

[R.P. Coltrane]

Do you have the right resistance coil, points versus electric?

Otherwise I quit buying MSD coils years ago after several low hour failures. Pick a different brand.

Think about it for a second, they've been making spark boxes for almost 40 years and still have so little reliability that professional racers almost universally run 2 sets with a switch. How little do you have to invest in your product to stay so unreliable? I'm guessing all the computer revolution did was drive down their manufacturing cost.

 

[SeanT4x4]

well ill chalk it up to MSD being crap I suppose.

So what brand do you all suggest?

Electronic ignition, Edelbrock intake and 4bl carb, not sure about the guts of the engine but I'm sure I dont need anything too fancy.

 

[SHX669]

I've had good luck with MSD coils -I did change one after 8 years - 6 as a daily driver - but not a fan of their "boxes" -
Like mentioned ; you can't leave the key on while listening to the radio - and you have to have a resistor in the "run circuit".
SHX

 

[SeanT4x4]

This was the normal cylinder style, not a box. I have a resistor built into the run position. I learned that lesson on the first coil and it's not what killed the second. Only lasted 3-4 months and it sure ain't a daily driver.

It's mounted to the block in front of the driver side valve cover. So it should be getting plenty of movement from the fan.

Seems like there is some trash talk on every brand I've read about.

 

[74strokerbronco]

I have found that the unilites like to eat coils if not wired correctly with a ballast resistor before the coil and unilite and feeding into the unilites power lead as well as the coil. i.e your 12v supply comes into the resistor on one side and then the coil power and the unilte power leads hook into the other side together. I use a 1.5-1.7 ohm .

I killed a couple of the newer msd blaster square type plastic housed coils, can't remember there number . finally ended up running a Mallory 6al box with the Mallory promaster 30440 which is a epoxy e-core type, there 29440 is the same but in a oil filled can. even with the hyfire 6al I still run the unilite and coil resistored as stated above. seems if you only resistor the coil you eat the unilite modules.

so far all is good but only have had it this way for 2 years.

 

[broncodriver99]

I ended up with the pertronix brand.

 

[SeanT4x4]

Thanks for the tip 74strokerbronco, I'll have to double check the wiring but I believe that's how it is.

I might try out a mallory coil just to stay brand consistent, even though i dont think it should matter.

 

[bronconut73]

well ill chalk it up to MSD being crap I suppose.

So what brand do you all suggest?

Electronic ignition, Edelbrock intake and 4bl carb, not sure about the guts of the engine but I'm sure I dont need anything too fancy.

I ran an MSD 6A for 20+ years.
Been running an MSD Blaster coil for about the same time.
I got rid of the MSD box since I am now running a Pertronix 3.
Still running that same coil.
BTW the first 15 years of this MSD coil it ran with a Unilite with no resistor or filter.