I recently acquired an 8534 MSD distributor & the PO knows nothing about it. I'm looking for someone to give it the once over & set it up for all out drag racing. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
MSD distributor guru
- Thread starter Demonracer
- Start date
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Ray doesn't mess with the MSD's, already asked.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
You can do it yourself. I’m at the point of not using a bushing and tailoring the weights and springs to get the curve I want.
You can try FBO in Oregon. They curve distributors. Not sure they work on MSD but certainly worth a quick call or email. There was also another member, not Ray, selling reconditioned distributors a while back. May be worth a search in the for sale ads.
FBO Performance Ignition for all Makes, Muscle Cars, Street Rods, Race Engines. Specializing in Mopar Ignition Products, Distributors to Computer control ECU's. Home of the HRR688 (4secondsflat.com)
FBO Performance Ignition for all Makes, Muscle Cars, Street Rods, Race Engines. Specializing in Mopar Ignition Products, Distributors to Computer control ECU's. Home of the HRR688 (4secondsflat.com)
famous bob
mopar misfit
find the msd literature for that dist. on line and do it urself-----
I thing @MomsDuster went through this also.
MomsDuster
Well-Known Member
I had the billet bb dist. Everything I learned came from this site or the instructions. If you have those it probably covers most of what you need to know on the set up. I would assume for all out drag racing it’s going to need to be locked out. Thats easy to do. That’s should be covered in the instructions. What you need to know is what specs you want. For me, in a street application was a lot of trial and error. I’m not running it locked out so I was testing different curves with bushings and springs. For me that was the fun part. Here’s a link to the instructions if you don’t already have them.
https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/msd-8534_frm29056.pdf
It’s not all that hard, but can be tedious and time consuming.
You got this
P.S. Learning how to read plugs and/or posting pics of the plugs for the gurus to look at is a great way of dialing in the timing the engine wants. Just my $.02
Mark
https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/msd-8534_frm29056.pdf
It’s not all that hard, but can be tedious and time consuming.
You got this
P.S. Learning how to read plugs and/or posting pics of the plugs for the gurus to look at is a great way of dialing in the timing the engine wants. Just my $.02
Mark
jbc426
Well-Known Member
Why not just lock it out at 35*? My 493 loved that set up, and it spends 99% of it's time on the street. At 10.2 to 1 compression, the cranking compression is 200 psi. It never kicked the starter back.
I eventually changed the MSD Pro-billet out for a Progressive programmable unit to get adjustable vacuum advance. Now my timing cranks at 10*, goes to 35* at idle and 42* at cruise with full vacuum.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Because you are almost always better off with a curve. The ignition box retards with RPM, and when that retard starts and how much it retards varies with every box.
Ignition timing at peak torque and peak HP aren’t the same.
jbc426
Well-Known Member
Interesting. I've never heard of that. My MSD Digital 6 box never retards the timing, but I only rev to 7000 rpm. It starts at 35* and hits the rev limiter at 35*. It does have the capability for things like N02 and a High Speed switch retard etc. Is that what you mean?
Prior to locking out my MSD, I had 22 initial and the rest of the mechanical to reach 35* was all in by 2000 rpm. I never really drive with the motor below 2000 rpm though, and certainly never fully load it below 3000 rpm.
This is strictly a race car with an MSD7AL2 box & crank trigger ignition. Like I said, the PO knew nothing about the distributor & I'd like to get it checked out.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
I’d bet everything I have and a bunch of stuff I don’t have your box retards. They ALL do it. Some are better than others, but they ALL do it.
Do some research on “slew rates” and you’ll see why that is.
David Ray
Member
If this is truly a strip only engine, it is easy to lock the distributor out, FOR SERIOUS DRAG RACING.
Take the gear pin out of the gear, remove the gear and spacers, pull the shaft assembly up, lower the rotor plate on the shaft, and see the single hole 180 degrees opposite the groove the stop pin is in. Rotate the shaft in the rotor holder, to the hole, and insert the rotor holder into the hole, reassemble, done, locked out timing, where you set it there is where it stays.
David Ray, davessmallbodyheis.com
Take the gear pin out of the gear, remove the gear and spacers, pull the shaft assembly up, lower the rotor plate on the shaft, and see the single hole 180 degrees opposite the groove the stop pin is in. Rotate the shaft in the rotor holder, to the hole, and insert the rotor holder into the hole, reassemble, done, locked out timing, where you set it there is where it stays.
David Ray, davessmallbodyheis.com
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
If you are going to lock the distributor out, you have to set the timing at MAX RPM, whatever that is, otherwise you’ll have no idea what the total timing is.
David Ray
Member
Yup, that is the way a crank trigger works, for locked out mechanical distributors, WHEN THEY ARE USED WITH AN ELECTRONIC TIMING CONTROL BOX.
Crank triggers ARE NOT used with mechanical advance curves inside the distributor.
So, full race, crank trigger, it is obvious common sense, the ignition system is using a closed circuit electronic curve, inside an ignition box, not a mechanical curve inside the distributor.
As stated, this IS a "full race setup".
Crank triggers ARE NOT used with mechanical advance curves inside the distributor.
So, full race, crank trigger, it is obvious common sense, the ignition system is using a closed circuit electronic curve, inside an ignition box, not a mechanical curve inside the distributor.
As stated, this IS a "full race setup".
David, I'll be calling you in the next week or two about my situation. Thanks for the contact & heads up.
David Ray
Member
Happy to help.
Did u ever find someone to address this ??
Yes, David Ray a member here. I'll be calling him shortly to discuss the issue of reworking the distributor.
Try a FAST distributor ( not the hei style) if you get the chance. It uses a digital signal that generates a square wave form. Doesn't loose timing with RPM like a HEI or MSD magnetic pick up. They only make it in a locked out version though. I've found most times if you can keep it from retarding with rpm the power loss between peak torque and peak HP with the timing locked is kept to a minimum.
I'm trying to use what I have & get down to one manufacturer as far as ignition goes. Right now I have an MSD 7AL2 & a Mopar HEI distributor that isn't compatible with the MSD crank trigger on the car. MSD is no help as far as making all of the parts play well together. I think between David & myself that we can get all of the parts working together.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
I have a good friend in CA who can help u out * if u need his contact info let me know , he has built me several non vacumm oem recurved race units .
David Ray
Member
So, just what is bad about a degrees retard in the upper RPM's????
Answer: Proven for decades, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, in fact, it is a benefit.
I have been doing this stuff for only 43 years now (novice at it, compared to some of the new day "engineers"), and have built/modified just about every make and type distributor known to man, for street, and all out racing, of all types, so far. I also worked for Holley, at track carb tech, and built many "Split-Duals"
Answer: Proven for decades, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, in fact, it is a benefit.
I have been doing this stuff for only 43 years now (novice at it, compared to some of the new day "engineers"), and have built/modified just about every make and type distributor known to man, for street, and all out racing, of all types, so far. I also worked for Holley, at track carb tech, and built many "Split-Duals"
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