MSD Digital 6A and 6AL Ignition Control
Contents
1. Inspect the Primary Coil Wire connections Because the MSD is a Capacitive Discharge ignition and it receives a direct 12 volt source from the battery there will not be any voltage at the Coil Positive 4 terminal even with the key turned On During cranking or while the engine is running very high voltage will be present and no test equipment should be connected WARNING Do not touch the coil terminals during cranking or while the engine is running Make sure that the battery is fully charged and the connections are clean and tight If you are not running an alternator this is an imperative check If the battery voltage falls below 9 volts during a race the MSD output voltage will drop and the current draw will increase sthe engine running lean Inspect the spark plugs and complete fuel system nspectall wiring connections for corrosion or damage Remember to always use proper connections followed by soldering and seal the connections completely If everything checks positive use the following procedure to test the ignition for spark MSD also offers an Ignition Tester PN 8998 or PN 8996 This tool allows you to check your complete ignition system while it is in the car as well as the operation of rpm limits activated switches and shift lights MSD IGNITION www MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 9 CHECKING FOR SPARK WHITE WIRE TRIGGER If triggering the ignition with the Whit2. MSD Digital GA and GAL Ignition Control GA PN 6201 GAL PN 6425 ONLINE PRODUCT REGISTRATION Register your MSD product online and you ll be entered in our monthly 8 5mm Super Conductor Spark Plug Wire give away Registering your product will help if there is ever a warranty issue with your product and helps the MSD R amp D team create new products that you ask for Go to www msdignition com registration Parts Included 1 MSD Ignition 1 Main Harness 6AL ONLY 1 Harness PN 8860 1 Parts Bag 4 Vibration Mounts 1 Mag Pickup 1 Screwdriver WARNING During installation disconnect the battery cables When disconnecting the battery always remove the Negative cable first and install it last Note The Carb label supplied is required to aid in passing the California Smog Check program This label must be installed in an underhood location that is readily visible Note If you re triggering an aftermarket EFI system with the Gray wire of the MSD see page 4 to deactivate the tach verification feature OPERATION AND FEATURES DIGITAL OPERATION The Digital 6A and 6AL use a high speed RISC microcontroller to control the ignition s output while constantly analyzing the various inputs such as supply voltage trigger signals and rpm The high speed controller can make extremely quick compensations to the output voltage multiple spark series timing and rpm limits while maintaining precise timing and accurate rev limiting The cir
3. SPDT SWITC PN 8807 TO SWITCHED 12 VOLTS DUAL MAGNETIC HARNESS PN 8860 GENERAL IMPORT WIRING AMPLIFIER TO COIL ORIGINAL COIL gt TERMINAL TO COIL INDICATES CONNECTION MSD IGNITION WHITE NOT USED WWW MSDIGNITION COM HEAVY BED TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY emm GRAY TACH OUTPUT Hi MAGNETIC PICKUP TO BATTERY CO TO BATTERY TACH OUTPUT VIOLET 4 GREEN GRAY MAGNETIC PICKUP HARNESS PN 8860 TO DISTRIBUTOR NOTE Remove the coil terminal wires The negative wire connects to MSD White The positive wire connects to MSD Red The MSD Orange connects to the coil positive terminal Black connects to the coil negative terminal HEAVY RED TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL GAL GRAY TACH OUTPUT VIOLET GREEN MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 18 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AFTERMARKET COMPONENTS Wiring a Mallory Unilite or 9000 Series using Points Trigger MALLORY 9000 SERIES DISTRIBUTOR W MALLORY UNILITE MODULE TO GROUND RED MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED FROM IGNITION KEY ORIGINAL COIL WIRE HEAVY RED TO BATTERY NOT USED HEAVY BLACK CO TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL GAL MALLORY DISTRIBUTOR BLK ORANGE a PN 8860 VIOLET BLK GREEN HARNESS MSD IGNITION WWW MS
4. 1 Ground the Gray tach output wire 2 Turn on power to the ignition without starting the engine 3 Hold the Gray tach output wire to ground for seven seconds a AT LEAST five seconds 4 Release the wire from ground before ten seconds have passed 5 To confirm the process has worked cycle the ignition power off and back on Watch to see if the tach goes through the Rev Limiter Verification or not As soon as this process is complete the feature will be turned off The Digital GAL uses the red LED to help indicate when an adequate amount of time has passed to release the Gray tach wire The LED will turn on after the wire has been grounded for five seconds and will turn off at the 10 second mark To activate the feature again repeate the same process MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 6 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Playback Tach If you use a playback tach be sure to check the high rpm value prior to turning the key to the On position When the key is in the On position the rev limit will be displayed and may override the tach memory CONNECTING THE DIGITAL 6AL WITH THE MSD POWER GRID SYSTEM CONTROLLER PN 7730 A wiring diagram to connect the MSD Power Grid System Controller to a 6AL can be found in the instructions for the System Controller PN 7730 A special rev limit must be selected when connecting to the Power Grid This setting is 1 1 meaning to put both dials on 1 With the Digital 6AL
5. as long as it is away from direct engine heat sources It is not recommended to mount the unit in an enclosed area such as the glove box When you find a suitable location to mount the unit make sure the wires of the ignition reach their connections Also be sure that the program dials can be accessed Hold the Ignition in place and mark the location of the mounting holes Use a 3 16 bit to drill holes install the vibration mounts and mount the ignition MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WIRING The Digital 6A and 6AL use a main wiring harness that connects to the ignition through a sealed and locked connection These are the two heavy 12 gauge wires and are responsible for getting direct battery voltage to the ignition The Ignition is load protected from reverse battery connections Heavy Red This wire connects directly to the battery positive terminal or a positive battery junction such as the starter solenoid Note Do not connect to the alternator This wire connects to a good ground either at the battery negative terminal or to the engine Red This wire is responsible for turning the MSD On and Off Connects to a switched 12 volt source such as the ignition key or switch Max current draw of 250 mA Orange This wire connects to the coil positive terminal This is the ONLY wire that makes electrical contact with the po
6. no liability for custom applications MSD IGNITION www MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 O 2011 Autotronic Controls Corporation FRM 30589 Revised 07 11 Printed in U S A
7. positive terminal Black connects to the coil negative terminal NOTE Ballast Resistor is not necessary MSD SYSTEMS Installing to an MSD Distributor Crank Trigger FROM IGNITION KEY ORIGINAL COIL WIRE C_ HEAVY RED CO TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY NOT USED DISTRIBUTOR MAGNETIC PICKUP DISTRIBUTOR WITH MAGNETIC PICKUP H _ GREEN VIOLET HARNESS MSD CRANK TRIGGER WHEEL MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS MSD SYSTEMS ORANGE RED READY TO RUN DISTRIBUTOR BLACK TO GROUND NOTE If your Ready to Run Distributor has a rev limiter set it to Zero ORANGE BLACK VIOLET 11 Installing to an MSD Distributor PN 8360 INDICATES CONNECTION TO 12V a IGNITION KEY ORANGE WHITE Q HEAVY RED E TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL GAL TACH OUTPUT GREEN LI GRAY MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED MSD SYSTEMS With an MSD Timing Control points or amplifier CONTROLS MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED TIMING CONTROL UNIT BLACK TO GROUND MOST TIMING FROM IGNITION KEY ORIGINAL COIL WIRE TO 12V IGNITION KEY FROM POINTS OR ELECTRONI
8. with the proper connections All connections must be soldered and sealed Grounds A poor ground connection can cause many frustrating problems When a wire is specified to go to ground it should be connected to the battery negative terminal engine block or chassis There should always be a ground strap between the engine and the chassis Always securely connect the ground wire to a clean paint free metal surface Ballast Resistor If your vehicle has a ballast resistor in line with the coil wiring it is recommended to bypass it MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 5 Routing Wires The MSD wires should be routed away from direct heat sources such as exhaust manifolds and headers and any sharp edges The trigger wires should be routed separate from the other wires and spark plug wires It is best if they are routed along a ground plane such as the block or firewall which creates an electrical shield The magnetic pickup wires should always be routed separately and should be twisted together to help reduce extraneous interference PROGRAMMING CYLINDER SELECT The MSD is programmed for operation on 8 cylinder engines If installing the Ignition on a different style engine the number of cylinders will need to be selected by cutting the cylinder select wire loops as shown in Figure 1 2 REV LIMITER The rev limiter can be set from 2 000 to 11 000 rpm To adj
9. C IGNITION AMPLIFIER Ch ORIGINAL COIL WIRE YELLOW HEAVY RED TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY WHITE RED ORANGE BLACK MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM TACH OUTPUT GRAY VIOLET GREEN MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 12 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS GM IGNITIONS Wiring the 1996 and up single connector coil without harness INDICATES CONNECTION HEAVY RED WIRES cO TO BATTERY B AND C FACTORY HARNESS P illl HEAVY BLACK CUT FROM COIL O TO BATTERY BLACK COIL ORANGE COIL TACH OUTPUT VIOLET NOTE MSD offers a direct plug in harness MAGNETIC PICKUP PN 8877 that makes this a splice NOT USED free installation NOTE The coil connector is labeled A B C The wire in the A port is positive pink The wires in B and C are coil negative wires color will vary by application GM IGNITIONS Wiring with an MSD Wiring Harness HARNESS PN 8877 n FACTORY HARNESS EIE UNPLUGGED FROM COIL HEAVY RED CC TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK ORANGE TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL 6AL VIOLET Harness PN 8876 Dual Connector Coil Harness PN 8877 1996 on GM Vehicles MAGNETIG NOT USED MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 13 GM IGNITIONS GM Large Cap HEI Distributors FOUR PIN FIVE PIN There
10. DIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 19 AFTERMARKET COMPONENTS Wiring to a Pertronix Ignitor Kit DISTRIBUTOR WITH PERTRONIX MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED If you did not find a schematic to match your application or if you need assistance please contact MSD Tech at 915 855 7123 TECH NOTES MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 TECH NOTES Service In case of malfunction this MSD component will be repaired free of charge according to the terms of the warranty When returning MSD components for warranty service Proof of Purchase must be supplied for verification After the warranty period has expired repair service is based on a minimum and maximum fee All returns must have a Return Material Authorization RMA number issued to them before being returned To obtain an RMA number please contact MSD Customer Service at 1 888 MSD 7859 or visit our website at www msdignition com rma to automatically obtain a number and shipping information When returning the unit for repair leave all wires at the length in which you have them installed Be sure to include a detailed account of any problems experienced and what components and accessories are installed on the vehicle The repaired unit will be returned as soon as possible using Ground shipping methods ground shipping is covered by warranty For more information call MSD Ignition at 915 855 7123
11. LUGGED FROM COIL HEAVY REDO TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL 6AL TACH OUTPUT NOTE f not using the TFI Harness refer to the DuraSpark VIOLET wiring diagram on page 14 MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 16 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS CHRYSLER IGNITIONS Wiring a Chrysler Electronic Ignition using Magnetic Pickup Trigger FROM ORIGINAL z HEAVY RED COIL TERMINAL m cO TO BATTERY ex WHITE HEAVY BLACK NOT USED TO BATTERY COVER WITH TAPE MSD DIGITAL 6AL TACH OUTPUT INDICATES CONNECTION HARNESS macnetic VIOLET PICKUP CONNECTOR DISTRIBUTOR CHRYSLER MODULE BLACK M LEAVE DISCONNECTED lem E ORANGE M CHRYSLER IGNITIONS Wiring a Late Model Dodge with 2 pin connector FROM IGNITION KEY ORIGINAL COIL WIRE C amp FROM IGNITION AMPLIFIER HEAVY RED ORIGINAL COIL WIRE CX TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY BLACK GRAY OR GRAY INDICATES CONNECTION E MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED NOTE Original wiring must be cut MSD offers two direct plug in harnesses PN 8889 for 90 97 and PN 8884 for 98 03 MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 17 MSD SYSTEMS Wiring a Complete Dual MSD Ignition Setup AUTOMATIC COIL SELECTOR PN 8210
12. MSD technicians are available from 7 00 a m to 5 00 p m Monday Friday mountain time Limited Warranty MSD IGNITION warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship under its intended normal use when properly installed and purchased from an authorized MSD dealer for a period of one year from the date of the original purchase This warranty is void for any products purchased through auction websites If found to be defective as mentioned above it will be repaired or replaced at the option of MSD Ignition Any item that is covered under this warranty will be returned free of charge using Ground shipping methods This shall constitute the sole remedy of the purchaser and the sole liability of MSD Ignition To the extent permitted by law the foregoing is exclusive and in lieu of all other warranties or representation whether expressed or implied including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness In no event shall MSD Ignition or its suppliers be liable for special or consequential damages ntended normal use means that this item is being used as was originally intended and for the original application as sold by MSD Ignition Any modifications to this item or if itis used on an application other than what MSD Ignition markets the product the warranty will be void It is the sole responsibility of the customer to determine that this item will work for the application they are intending MSD Ignition will accept
13. act MSD Tech Line for the required bolt in diode to correct the problem MSD Tech Line 915 855 7123 r 1 Da DISTRIBUTOR xx aS l CONNECTOR GY Ly J y HEAVY PINK n HEAVY RED OR RED FROM N f i cO TO BATTERY HAT TOENGINE a HARNESS BROWN HEAVY BLACK i GROUND CO TO BATTERY gt D TO TACH BLACK d D PINK FACTORY HARNESS TACH OUTPUT VIOLET GREEN J Ll MAGNETIC PICKUP ORANGE CONNECTS TO B NOT USED BLACK CONNECTS TO C WHITE CONNECTS TO BROWN AND TACH RED CONNECTS TO 12 VOLTS AND PINK FORD IGNITIONS Wiring a Ford DuraSpark using White Wire Trigger FORD COIL CONNECTOR HEAVY RED TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY MSD DIGITAL 6AL MASTER 2552 OUTPUT VIOLET MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 15 FORD IGNITIONS Wiring a Ford DuraSpark using Magnetic Pickup Trigger FORD COIL CONNECTOR HEAVY BEL TO BATTERY c WHITE HEAVY BLACK NOT USED TO BATTERY COVER WITH TAPE MSD DIGITAL GAL TACH OUTPUT INDICATES CONNECTION PN 8860 macnetic VIOLET HARNESS PICKUP MSD OFFERS A HARNESS PN 8869 CONNECTOR TO CONNECT THE MAGNETIC PICKUP CONNECTOR TO THE FORD FORD DURASPARK CONNECTOR DISTRIBUTOR DISTRIBUTOR CONNECTOR DISCONNECT FROM ORIGINAL HARNESS FACTORY HARNESS UNP
14. and repeat the test If there is now spark the coil is at fault C If there is still no spark check to make sure there are 12 volts on the small Red wire from the MSD when the key is in the On position If 12 volts are not present find another switched 12 volt source and repeat the test D If after following the test procedures and inspecting all of the wiring there is still no spark the MSD Ignition is in need of repair See the Warranty and Service section for information The following wiring diagrams illustrate numerous installations on different vehicles and applications If you experience difficulties when installing your MSD contact our Customer Support Department at 915 855 7123 7 5 Mountain time or e mail us at msdtech msdignition com MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 10 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS MSD SYSTEMS Installing to Points Amplifier Style Ignition FROM IGNITION KEY ORIGINAL COIL WIRE FROM POINTS OR ELECTRONIC IGNITION AMPLIFIER ORIGINAL COIL uwire L HEAVY RED O TO BATTERY HEAVY BLACK TO BATTERY DIGITAL GAL TACH OUTPUT VIOLET GREEN GRAY MAGNETIC PICKUP NOT USED NOTE On dual point setups it is recommended NOTE Remove the coil terminal wires The negative wire to remove the trailing set of points connects to MSD White The positive wire connects to MSD Red The MSD Orange connects to the coil
15. are three different large cap HEI distributors To identify which of the following diagrams fit your specific application remove the distributor cap and rotor and locate the ignition module at the base of the distributor Count the number of terminals on both ends of the module and follow the corresponding diagram GM used 4 5 and 7 pin modules in these distributors NOTE Some 5 pin models may experience a hesitation or stall on deceleration If this occurs contact MSD Tech Line SEVEN PIN for the required bolt in diode to correct the problem MSD Tech Line 915 855 7123 GM IGNITIONS Wiring an HEI 4 pin Module Magnetic Pickup Trigger KEY WHITE CONNECTOR JUMPER HEAVY RED TO BATTERY HEAVY RED TO ENGINE gt OR PINK WIRE GROUND FROM CAR HEAVY BLACK WIRING HARNESS WHITE HO TO BATTERY NOT USED amp COVER WITH TAPE PN 8861 HARNESS ORANGE BLACK GREEN J DIGITAL 6AL gt ORANGE HARNESS MAGNETIC VIOLET G6 TACH OUTPUT CONNECTOR ORANGE CONNECTS TO B REMOVE MODULE INSTALL HARNESS BLACK CONNECTS TO C NOTE The GM Ignition Module and condenser are removed and replaced with the supplied HARNESS PN 8861 Harness MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 14 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS GM IGNITIONS Wiring an HEI 5 or 7 pin Module Amplifier Trigger NOTE Some 5 pin models may experience a hesitation or stall on deceleration If this occurs cont
16. ark to follow while keeping Electro Magnetic Interference EMI to a minimum Excessive EMI such as the amount that solid core wires produce will interfere with the operation of the MSD Solid Core spark plug wires cannot be used with an MSD Ignition MSD IGNITION www MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 3 Routing Correct routing of the plug wires is also important to performance Wires should be routed away from sharp edges and engine heat sources If there are two wires that are next to each other in the engine s firing order the wires should be routed away from each other to avoid inducing a spark into the other wire For example in a Chevy V8 the firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 The 5 and 7 cylinders are next to each other in the engine and in the firing order If the voltage from the 5 wire is induced into 7 detonation could occur and cause engine damage To add more heat protection to your plug wires MSD offers Pro Heat Guard PN 3411 This is a glass woven and silicone coated protective sleeve that you slide over your plug wires For extra protection of the spark plug boots MSD offers Pro Boot Guard PN 3412 Spark Plugs Choosing the correct spark plug design and heat range is important when trying to get the best performance possible Since there are so many engine combinations and manufacturers MSD does not recommend which plug or gap is exactly right for your application It is
17. cuits and controller of the MSD have been thoroughly filtered to create protection against Electro Magnetic Interference EMI CAPACITIVE DISCHARGE The Digital 6A and 6AL feature a capacitive discharge ignition design The majority of stock ignition systems are inductive ignitions In an inductive ignition the coil must store and step up the voltage to maximum strength in between each firing At higher rpm since there is less time to charge the coil to full capacity the voltage falls short of reaching maximum energy which results in a loss of power or top end miss The MSD Ignition features a capacitor which is quickly charged with 520 535 volts and stores it until the ignition is triggered With the CD design the voltage sent to the coil positive terminal is always at full power even at high rpm MULTIPLE SPARKS The MSD produces full power multiple sparks for each firing of a plug The number of multiple sparks that occur decreases as rpm increases however the spark series always lasts for 20 of crankshaft rotation Above 3 000 rpm there is simply not enough time to fire the spark plug more than once so there is only one powerful spark PROTECTION The Digital 6A and 6AL have a built in reverse polarity protection circuit This will protect the ignition in the event of wrong connections MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 2 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS LED INDICATOR There is an LED that mon
18. e 3 Connecting a Theft Deterrent Switch Through the MSD Ignition Magnetic Pickup Trigger When using the mag pickup to trigger the MSD install a switch to the WHITE wire and the other side to ground When the WHITE wire is grounded the vehicle will crank but will not start TROUBLESHOOTING Every MSD Ignition undergoes numerous quality control checks including a four hour burn in test If you experience a problem with your MSD our research has shown that the majority of problems are due to improper installation or poor connections The Troubleshooting section has several checks and tests you can perform to ensure proper installation and operation of the MSD If you have any questions concerning your MSD call our Customer Support Department at 915 855 7123 7 5 mountain time MSD IGNITION www MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 7 LED The LED will flash for every trigger signal from the distributor or crank trigger You can take advantage of this when statically setting the timing when false triggering the box to troubleshoot Also when the engine is not running the LED will be On when the key is in the On position TACH FUEL ADAPTERS If your tachometer does not operate correctly or if you experience a no run situation with your foreign vehicle you probably need an MSD Tach Adapter The chart in Figure 4 lists common tachometers and if an Adapter is necessary Tachometer Compatibili
19. e wire 1 Make sure the ignition switch is in the Off position 2 Remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and set the terminal approximately 1 2 from ground 3 Disconnect the MSD White trigger wire from the SS DIGITAL at distributor 4 Turn the ignition to the On position Do not crank the engine 5 Tap the White wire to ground several times Each time you pull the wire from ground a spark should GROUND jump from the coil wire to ground If spark is present the ignition is working properly If there Figure 8 Checking for Spark with the White Wire is no spark skip to step 6 If triggering with the Magnetic Pickup MAGNETIC PICKUP TRIGGER 1 Make sure the ignition switch is in the Off position 2 Remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and set the terminal approximately 1 2 from ground MSD 3 Disconnect the MSD magnetic pickup wires from the distributor lt IRTA GAF 4 Turn the ignition to the On position Do not crank the engine 5 With a small jumper wire short the MSD s Green and Violet magnetic pickup wires together several WIRE times Each time you break this short a spark should jump from the coil wire to ground If spark Figure 9 Checking for Spark with the Mag Pickup is present the ignition is working properly If there is no spark skip to step 6 HT YYIL JTAYYW PAGING TION 6 If there is no spark A Inspect all of the wiring B Substitute another coil
20. es about 9 Amps for every 1 000 rpm If the engine is cranked with the same battery or other accessories such as an electric fuel or water pump are used the amp hour rating should be higher COILS The Digital 6A and 6AL Ignition can be used with most stock coils and aftermarket coils designed to replace the stock coils The line of MSD Blaster Coils are great for street and mild racing For extended high rpm operation the Blaster HVC PN 8252 or HVC II PN 8253 are recommended For more information on recommended coils check with our Customer Service Department at 915 855 7123 TACHOMETERS The MSD Ignition features a Gray Tach Output wire that provides a trigger signal for tachometers a shift light or other add on rpm activated devices The Tach Output wire produces a 12 volt square wave signal with a 22 5 duty cycle Some vehicles with factory tachometers may require a Tach Adapter to operate with the MSD For more information on Tachometers and MSD Tach Adapters see the Tachometer Section on page 6 If your GM vehicle has an in line filter it may cause the tach to drop to zero on acceleration If this occurs bypass the filter SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES Spark plug wires are very important to the operation of your ignition system A good quality helically wound wire and proper routing are required to get the best performance from your ignition such as the MSD 8 5mm Super Conductor Wire Helically wound wires provide a good path for the sp
21. ff TO CHARGING LIGHT Figure 6 Installing the diode to a GM or Ford Vehicle Early Ford and GM To solve the Run On problem a Diode is supplied with the MSD in the parts bag By installing this Diode in line of the wire that goes to the Charging indicator the voltage is kept from entering the MSD Figure 6 shows the proper installation for early Ford and GM vehicles Note Diodes are used to allow voltage to flow only one way Make sure the Diode is installed facing the proper direction as shown in Figure 6 WIRE LOOM GM 2 WIRE ALTERNATORS Ford Install the Diode in line to the wire going to the 1 terminal GM Install the Diode in line to the wire going to terminal 4 GM 1973 1983 with Delcotron Alternators GM Delcotron Alternators use an internal voltage regulator Install the Diode in line on the smallest wire exiting the alternator Figure 7 It is usually a Brown wire MISSES AND INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS Figure 7 Installing the Diode to a Experience at the races has shown that if your engine is 1973 1983 GM Vehicle experiencing a miss or hesitation at higher rpm it is usually not directly ignition Most probable causes include faulty wiring a coil or plug wire failure arcing from the St or boot plug to ground or spark ionization inside the cap Several items to inspect are Always inspect the plug wires at the cap and at the plug for a tight connection and visually inspect for cuts abrasions or burns
22. itors the status of the Ignition The LED turns on when the engine is not running and the key is in the On position When running the LED will flash with each trigger signal which will make it appear to be on steady as rpm increases Note Solid Core spark plug wires cannot be used with an MSD Ignition Note Do not use digital or dial back timing lights REV LIMITER The Digital 6AL features a built in Soft Touch Rev Control that provides a smooth and accurate rev limit by dropping the spark to individual cylinders The Soft Touch produces a load free rev limit that is within 196 ofthe selected rpm The rpm limit is adjusted in 100 rpm increments with the sealed rotary switches under the black cover on top of the 6AL CYLINDER SELECT The MSD is programmed atthe factory for use on 8 cylinder engines If you are installing itto a different engine you will have to program the Ignition This is easily achieved through the cylinder select wire loops on the side of the ignition Page 5 outlines setting the cylinder select GENERAL INFORMATION BATTERY The Digital 6A and 6AL will operate on any negative ground 12 volt electrical system with a distributor The MSD can be used with 16 volt batteries and can withstand a momentary 24 volts in case of jump starts The Ignition will deliver full voltage with a supply of 9 18 volts If your application does not use an alternator allow at least 15 amp hour for every half hour of operation The MSD us
23. recommended to follow the engine builder or manufacturer s specification for spark plugs With that you can then experiment with the plug gap to obtain the best performance The gap of the plugs can be opened in 0 005 increments then tested until the best performance is obtained MSD judges the plug gap by compression and components These examples are just starting points to get you going in the right direction Every application is different and Compression Spark Plug Gap should be tested and tuned Up to 10 5 1 0 050 0 060 10 5 1 13 0 1 0 040 0 050 Above 13 0 1 0 035 0 045 Welding If you are welding on your vehicle to avoid the chance of damage always disconnect both Heavy Power cables of the MSD You should also disconnect the tach ground wire too Distributor Cap and Rotor It is recommended to install a new distributor cap and rotor when installing the MSD Ignition Control The cap should be clean inside and out especially the terminals and rotor tip On vehicles with smaller caps it is possible for the air inside the cap to become electrically charged causing crossfire which can result in misfire This can be prevented by drilling a couple vent holes in the cap The holes should be placed between the terminals at rotor height and face away from the intake If your environment demands it place a small piece of screen over the hole to act as a filter MOUNTING The MSD can be mounted in the engine compartment
24. roduces a 12 volt square wave see page 2 If the tach still does not operate you will need a Tach Adapter There are two Tach Adapters PN 8920 If you are using the Magnetic Pickup connector Green and Violet wires to trigger the MSD you will need the PN 8920 PN 8910 If your tachometer was triggered from the coil negative terminal voltage trigger and you are using the SWITCHED 12V White wire to trigger the MSD you will need the PN 8910 MSD WHITE BALLAST RESISTOR If you have a current trigger tach originally coil positive BALLAST RESISTOR FROM POINTS and use the White wire of the MSD you can purchase a Chrysler Dual Ballast Resistor used from 1973 1976 Figure 5 Wiring the Dual Ballast Resistor and wire it as shown in Figure 5 MSD IGNITION WWW MSDIGNITION COM 915 857 5200 FAX 915 857 3344 8 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ENGINE RUN ON If your engine continues to run even when the ignition NUNT is turned Off you are experiencing engine Run On This ATTACH DIODE TO TERMINAL usually only occurs on older vehicles with an external voltage regulator Because the MSD receives power directly from the battery it does not require much current to keep SS 1A400V DIODE the unit energized If you are experiencing run on it is due to a small amount of voltage going through the charging pice ro VE i SPLICE ne lamp indicator and feeding the small Red wire even if the key is6turned o
25. s Rev Limit Rotary Dials both set to one the box programming will change to accept the Power Grid Note Under no other conditions should the rotary dials be set to 1 1 this could cause severe issued with how the box reads the input signal Similarly using the System Controller when the 6AL is not set to 1 1 will cause issues that could result in engine damage Note The 6A PN 6201 is not compatible with the Power Grid Controller PRESTART CHECK LIST The only wires connected to the coil terminals are the MSD Orange to coil positive and Black to coil negative The small Red wire of the MSD is connected to a switched 12 volt source The MSD power leads are connected directly to the battery positive and negative terminals The battery is connected and fully charged if not using an alternator The engine is equipped with at least one ground strap to the chassis If you are installing on a 4 or 6 cylinder engine confirm the programming loops have been modified see page 5 THEFT DETERRENT The MSD provides the opportunity to easily install a theft deterrent kill switch Figure 3 White Wire Trigger When using the WHITE wire to trigger the MSD install a switch across the magnetic pickup VIOLET wire to ground When the VIOLET wire is grounded the vehicle will crank but not start CONNECTS TO VIOLET MAGNETIC PICKU BLACK FROM MSD BLACK WHEN USING THE WHITE WIRE TO TRIGGER WHEN USING THE MAGNETIC PICKUP TO TRIGGER Figur
26. sitive coil terminal Black This wire connects to the coil negative terminal This is the ONLY wire that makes electrical contact with the negative coil terminal Trigger There are two circuits that can be used to trigger the MSD Ignition a Wires Points circuit the White wire and a Magnetic Pickup circuit the Green and Violet wires Only one circuit will be used at a time White This wire is used to connect to breaker points electronic ignition amplifier output or to the Yellow wire of an MSD Timing Accessory When this wire is used the Magnetic Pickup connector is not used Violet These wires are routed together in one harness as the magnetic pickup and Green connector The connector plugs directly into an MSD distributor or Magnetic crank trigger It will also connect to aftermarket pickups The Violet Pickup wire is positive and the Green wire is negative When these Connector wires are used the White wire is not Accessories Gray Tach output wire Connects to the tachometer trigger wire or other rpm activated device Red Loop These are the cylinder select wire loops Cut one loop for even fire Blue Loop 6 cylinders two loops for 4 cylinders GENERAL WIRING INFORMATION Wire Length All of the wires of the MSD Ignition may be shortened as long as quality connectors are used or soldered in place To lengthen the wires use one size bigger gauge wire 12 gauge for the power leads and 16 gauge for the other wires
27. ty List AFTERMARKET TACHOMETER MAGNETIC TRIGGER CONNECTOR AUTOGAGE 8920 AUTOMETER NOE FORD MOTORSPORTS NOE MALLORY NONE MOROSO NOE STEWART voltage triggered S W amp BI TORX OE SUN VDO NONE AMC JEEP CHRYSLER FORD voltage triggered GENERAL MOTORS Bypass In Line Filter Bypass In line filter IMPORTS 8910 8920 Note On the list above the trigger wire on tachometers that are marked NONE may be connected to the Gray Tach Output Wire on the MSD 6AL Ignition 8920 8920 8920 o NIN ojo Figure 4 Common Tachometers and Adapters NO RUN ON FOREIGN VEHICLES Some foreign vehicles with fuel injection systems may require an MSD Tach Fuel Injection Adapter to run with an MSD 6 Series Ignition This is because many of these systems use the same trigger source to operate the MSD the tachometer and the fuel injection This results in a voltage signal that is too low to accurately trigger the fuel injection To fix this an MSD Tach Adapter PN 8910 will remedy the problem on the majority of vehicles If the PN 8910 does not fix the problem the PN 8910 EIS will be required Note Toyotas and Ford Probes will require the PN 8910 EIS Adapter INOPERATIVE TACHOMETERS If your tachometer fails to operate with the MSD installed you may need an MSD Tach Adapter Before getting an Adapter try connecting your tachometer trigger wire to the Gray tach wire of the MSD This output p
28. ust the rev limiter of the Digital GAL remove the black cover next to the LED by prying up with the supplied screwdriver The No Cut Loops dial on the left is for 1 000 rpm increments on the right is for Cut One Loop 100 rpm increments Cut Both Loops For a rev limiter in the 10 000 range set the dials as they Figure 1 Programming the Number of would be for any other RPM but the left dial will use 0 To Cylinders set the rev limiter to 11 000 rpm put the left dial 1 and the right dial to 0 Setting both rotary dials to 1 will activate a special function explained below Note The engine can be running as you make adjustments to the rev limiter function REV LIMITER VERIFICATION The MSD Digital 6AL has a built in Rev Limiter Verification feature When the key is in the On position not cranking or running an rpm signal is sent to the tachometer to verify the unit s rev limit setting With this function users can be sure of their rev limit settings before each drive Disable with EFI Users who are pairing the unit with an EFI system may experience issues with this feature If the Figure 2 Adjusting the Rev Limits system s ECU detects high rpm shortly after the engine starts it may prompt the injectors to supply fuel for a given RPM Not all EFI systems will experience this flooding problem If a system has issues because of the Rev Limiter Verification feture the feature can be turned off with a simple process
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