MSD install help needed

[Miszny]

Helo

Please have a look at my great ;-) picture attached and tell me what did I do wrong?
What should I change with my connections?

Car will not start, spark seems weak but is where it should be :banghead:

I replaced all there, meaning old distributor to MSD, ECU with MSD, and put new spark plug wires(tested before install).
I made sure that distributor is not flipped 180 degrees ;-)

Getting frustrated after two cold(no heating in my garage) days trying to start the car. Today replaced spark plugs too with no effect :banghead:

Thanks in advance for all the help!

 

[70aarcuda]

what msd ecu or box are you using....?

msd igintion boxes do not use ballast resistor....do you have the instructions?

 

[dusterdragracer]

You can print instructions online at MSD

 

[67Dart273]

The small red is a "power enabling" wire, think of it as a relay trigger. Make CERTAIN it has power

For "simplified" testing, you can just jumper the small red right to the battery

MAKE CERTAIN and I do mean absolutely certain that the "big red" is very well hooked to the battery and not some slipshod deal, and that the "big black" has a substantial ground

You did not mark the ground, coil neg, and coil + colors, is it possible you have them screwed up?

DO YOU HAVE a tach hooked up? If so UNHOOK the tach

Make certain the WHITE from the MSD is taped off safely.

READ the MSD destructions, there are test procedures. Also, was this running OK when you put the MSD on there?

(One test is to repeatedly ground the white wire which is for points. This should produce nice hot sparks.)

It's always possible that you have a factory defective box.

Is it possible the coil is bad?

Coil high tension wire?

Dirty/ wet / cracked distributor cap or rotor?

Last is it POSSIBLE that you have stumbled onto an MSD pirate/ chineseo fake?

 

[Miszny]

The small red is a "power enabling" wire, think of it as a relay trigger. Make CERTAIN it has power

This is sure as I have spark, just weak.
In my old setup I had one + cable that went straight to coil, should I use this cable to power MSD box? This cable has voltage in 2 key position. There is the second cable that gets voltage in 1st key position.
Should the box get power in key position 1 or just when cranking?


For "simplified" testing, you can just jumper the small red right to the battery

I will do this test tomorrow morning.

MAKE CERTAIN and I do mean absolutely certain that the "big red" is very well hooked to the battery and not some slipshod deal, and that the "big black" has a substantial ground

I will hook it up straight to the battery tomorrow, now it is connected to the extension cable.

You did not mark the ground, coil neg, and coil + colors, is it possible you have them screwed up?

Will make sure about it too, would be wierd but checking wont hurt.

DO YOU HAVE a tach hooked up? If so UNHOOK the tach

Tach to - on coil yes, but no difference if it is hooked up or not.

Make certain the WHITE from the MSD is taped off safely.

This is done right.

READ the MSD destructions, there are test procedures. Also, was this running OK when you put the MSD on there?

(One test is to repeatedly ground the white wire which is for points. This should produce nice hot sparks.)

Will perform this test tomorrow too.

It's always possible that you have a factory defective box.

Is it possible the coil is bad?

Coil is good.

Coil high tension wire?

Dirty/ wet / cracked distributor cap or rotor?

New MSD distributor, no cracks.

Last is it POSSIBLE that you have stumbled onto an MSD pirate/ chineseo fake?

No, but tomorrow wil also test with another box like mine.

 

[Miszny]

Turns out all connections were good, I just flooded the car like crazy. After removing the spark plugs and blowing out all moisture from the cylinders it started right up.
As for spark it is very very bright now, I moved + and - MSD connection straight to the battery, it helped!

Thank you for all the suggestions!