MSD Distributor Problem

[El Jay]

I have a complete MSD ignition system on my '69 (350).

A little over a year ago it took to running real crappy, real fast.
I pulled the distributor cap and the "carbon" button in the middle was gone, so I replaced the cap & rotor.
Coming home from the "NorCal Mini-meet" in Rohnert Park 2 weeks ago, I picked up a little miss.
I finally got around to looking at things today, and, the "carbon" button is gone.

The distributor probably has less the 10K miles on it.

Has anybody else ever experienced such a problem?

Any comments, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance guys & gals.

Larry

P.S. I posted this here because there is probably more traffic. And even though it's an electrical part, it seems to be more of a "mechanical" problem

[PICKMUP]

Talk to MSD.
Put in a stock GM HEI (inexpensive) and see if it works OK.
Maybe replace the center button with one of the low resistance parts. I think some coils create too much heat.

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

Talk to MSD.
Put in a stock GM HEI (inexpensive) and see if it works OK.
Maybe replace the center button with one of the low resistance parts. I think some coils create too much heat.

Thanks for the advice.
I'll see if I can get through to MSD on Mon.

Except for the spark plugs (Accell "shorties") the whole rest on the system in MSD, so I'd think that things were pretty much "matched."

thanks again.

L.J.

[Senator350]

< accel shorties, msd dizzy, wires, and coil. subscribed.

i have called MSD and been real dissapointed with their tech service. u might wanna call local race shop. or even un-local. pm me for helpful guy's #s.

[Jayss109]

what is the heat range on the plugs?.... whats the gap set at? lastly, make sure you have the rotor seated all the way down. (dumb one, I know, but dont ask how I know)
Jason

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by Senator350

< accel shorties, msd dizzy, wires, and coil. subscribed.

i have called MSD and been real dissapointed with their tech service. u might wanna call local race shop. or even un-local. pm me for helpful guy's #s.

I've heard that about MSD. That's why I came here 1st.
If things don't go well tomorrow, I may just give you a holler.

Thanx.

what is the heat range on the plugs?.... whats the gap set at? lastly, make sure you have the rotor seated all the way down. (dumb one, I know, but dont ask how I know)
Jason

I don't know the heat range.
.045 on the gap, if IIRC. It's been nearly 2 1/2 years since I installed everything. The truck just doesn't get a whole lot of miles.

Having this happen once would be a fluke; twice, I'm thinking there may be something wrong in/with the distributor.

Thanx for you input. And I won't ask.

Larry

[67_C-30]

When you say complete MSD ignition do you mean a MSD CDI ignition box with a MSD distributor and MSD remote coil, or do you have a HEI style MSD distributor with an MSD top mounted coil?

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

When you say complete MSD ignition do you mean a MSD CDI ignitionm with a MSD distributor and MSD remote coil, so you have a HEI style distributor with an MSD top mounted coil?

Everything after the wire from the ignition switch is MSD, except for the Accel spark plugs.
Here's a poor picture.

[67_C-30]

My brother was having this problem, and he ended having to buy MSD's low resistance button. Oddly enough, the MSD distributor came with a stock style carbon button, and not knowing any better we were replacing them with stock style buttons. The problem stopped when he bought the low resistance button. Its pretty crappy they don't supply one already in a new distributor!


http://www.jegs.com/p/MSD/747834/10002/-1

[haysonj]

I can't find my instructions but I do remember there being two differant springs and buttons for the cap. Mine is a 6A and the HEI has the coil on top.

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

My brother was having this problem, and he ended having to buy MSD's low resistance button. Oddly enough, the MSD distributor came with a stock style carbon button, and not knowing any better we were replacing them with stock style buttons. The problem stopped when he bought the low resistance button. Its pretty crappy they don't supply one already in a new distributor!


http://www.jegs.com/p/MSD/747834/10002/-1

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

If my local CarQuest (they sell a lot of HP stuff to the local dirt track racers) doesn't have it, I'll be on the phone to Summit, or Jegs, in the morning.

Folks like you, and everybody else that has given me advice on this problem, is the reason I love this board.

Larry

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by haysonj

I can't find my instructions but I do remember there being two differant springs and buttons for the cap. Mine is a 6A and the HEI has the coil on top.

As you saw in the picture, I'm running a 6A with a coil.

I ran out to the garage & looked at my distributor parts (I put all my extra advance springs, etc. in a ziploc) to see if they had enclosed an extra button. No such luck.

I reckon I'll just spend some more money tomorrow.

Thanks again.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by El Jay

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

If my local CarQuest (they sell a lot of HP stuff to the local dirt track racers) doesn't have it, I'll be on the phone to Summit, or Jegs, in the morning.

Folks like you, and everybody else that has given me advice on this problem, is the reason I love this board.

Larry

Not a problem. We were just unlucky enough to have the same problem!

[El Jay]

Here's an update.

The low resistance button is only for the HEI caps with the coil on top, not the smaller caps GM "window" cap size).

When I 1st starting looking for the miss, I just unfastened the cap from the dizzy & tilted it towards me, spark plug wires still attached.
When I saw the button was gone, I just put the cap back on until I could a new one.

Well, I got the new parts & installed them this past weekend. When I got the old cap off, I gave it a good eyeballing. There was moisture inside of it and the residue from the button was actually kind of damp & "sludgey."
I could see that there had been moisture in the dizzy, so I sprayed it real good with some contact cleaner and blew it dry with some "canned" air, which really isn't air.
There is some light surface rust on the reluctor and other iron parts in the dizzy.
It's all back together & it runs fine.

But where is the water coming from?
Why didn't a 3 hour round trip drive to/from the mini-meet dry out the dizzy? It should have gotten warm enough.

The only thing I can think of is I got some accumulated moisture in there because the truck sat so long while I was gathering sheet metal parts for the collision repair.

Once again, I'll accept any comments &/or suggestions.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to make sure I got all the bases covered.

Larry

[67_C-30]

Its probably just from sitting. I've seen them do that do that even if the vehicle is kept in a garage. I had a '69 Firebird once that if it sat in the shop for more than a couple of months, I was going to have to sand the points to make it crank. OTTH, I've regular ol HEI distributors have moisture in the (enough where everything is rusty) and they never give a minute's trouble.

[El Jay]

Thanks for the input; 'preciate that.