[Brentmc]

I have an MSD-6AL ignition box sitting on my workbench that I did not re-install on my car following the complete rewire I did last spring.

The wiring installer (which is also a performance shop) said that the MSD ignition box was unnecessary for a street car and they did not reinstall it.

They said people with street cars install these boxes to look "racey" but get no real performance nor other significant gain from the install.

My question for the TC braintrust: Are there any significant or even noticable gains to be had by installing a MSD (or other brand) ignition box? MPG? Starting? Idling? or?

My set-up is as follows:
383 w/Holley 750 DP, MSD 8360 Distributor, MSD Blaster 2 Coil, upgraded single-wire alternator, new wiring harness

Thanks.

[Chuck]

One benifit is a rev limiter. Which is a good thing to have if you miss shift at WOT.

[Brentmc]

Originally Posted by Chuck

One benifit is a rev limiter. Which is a good thing to have if you miss shift at WOT.

I should've added I have a 700R4--no missed shifts for me...

Any other benefits that anyone can think of?

[Vega$69]

Originally Posted by Brentmc

I should've added I have a 700R4--no missed shifts for me...

Any other benefits that anyone can think of?

Every time I buy a car the 1st thing I take off is the MSD box.

Totally unnecessary on a street car.

You can always go to a MSD 8360 Dizzy that has RL built in and does not require a box.

[Brentmc]

Originally Posted by Vega$69

Every time I buy a car the 1st thing I take off is the MSD box.

Totally unnecessary on a street car.

You can always go to a MSD 8360 Dizzy that has RL built in and does not require a box.

Thanks--that is one more vote for no MSD box in a street car..

[prostreet69camaro]

I have always ran a MSD box in my car but I have a blower motor and it has a retard on it when the motor makes boost.

I also rewire cars and usually never install a box. If its a race car then I install a MSD box. I use the ready to run distrubitors on street cars.

The MSD box is another part to fail on a street car. Mine has failed a few times but I have been running one for 20 years. I now keep a spare one in my car just in case.

[HwyStarJoe]

I always thought they were overkill for a cruiser also. But they sher look perty! And I've always heard how they fail a lot. Unlike a plain HEI system which goes and goes and goes....
I sold a 6AL before I even installed it because I didn't need one more thing to worry about and fail on me.

[Brentmc]

It looks like the MSD box will go up for sale...

I was hoping it would give me some more MPG, a much better idle, or something...

You all are agreeing with the performance shop--no need for MSD on a street car....just another thing to fail....

[Melrose RS]

A bunch more info in my thread.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184469

[Straight-line-69]

The "ready-to-run" distributors being made today eliminate the need for a 'box' on the street. Plus, many of these distributors (MSD for sure) have a built in rev-limiter that's easy to set up.

As stated above,..the box is just something else that could break down.

[zdld17]

Compare fire to the plugs in plain sight or to a ground during cranking with msd and without, then make your decision. After I added mine on , I could tell considerable differance the the way the car idled. I was running a Comp 268 cam and I thought it idled to rough. After adding the 6AL, the idle really smoothed out.
Instant starts.
However, I did not like the red box sitting on dash, I painted it black. You can also hide these things if it bothers you that much.

[Fred Ficarra]

I've used them since they were invented when the company was a startup. All but the last one from last season died. Here's my self-directed question(s) that I've asked for 30years; Why? Not why do they fail, but why do I keep using their stuff.
The multiple spark function is suppose to ensure complete combustion. How? Most, if not all first sparks result in cylinder ignition. Once the charge fires, what good are anymore sparks? It seems to tax the capacitor 10X more than needed. Sure, a lean mixture might benefit from a successive spark or two, but if that were the case with our cars we would enrichen the mixture, not drive with an engine that can't get out of its own way.
Next; Race car use. The capacitor fires 10 times for each combustion event. Great, right? But it only can do so up to about 3-3500rpm because there simply isn't enough time. Then it is programmed to fire only once. Do race cars only operate below 3500rpm? That's my staging RPM when I punch it. Why do I buy the stuff? Hell, last year I had my Digital/plus die while idling in the shop.
Here's one for you. When it died and I called tech support and asked for repair turnaround time, I was asked a few trouble shooting questions. I told the guy I installed a noise reduction capacitor in the power feed to quiet stereo noise. He freaked and told me in no uncertain terms to never install or use such a component. It didn't matter to him when he was told it's been there for 35 years.
Guess what? They sell the EXACT same capacitor on their web site for the exact purpose I use one for.
And when the same unit died a few months prior, I called and didn't even let the tech start telling me how to trouble shoot. I just told him what I'd done to diagnose the failure. He didn't say a word except to give me an RMA. I should have done the same this last time.